Explaining tonality
Subtitle: Schenkerian theory and beyond
By: Matthew Brown.
Series: Eastman studies in music
Publisher: University of Rochester Press
Published: 2005
Place of publication: Rochester, NY
Language: eng
Number of pages: 293
Subjects: Schenkerian analysis; Tonality
Description: "Matthew Brown's Explaining Tonality: Schenkerian Theory and Beyond considers a number of disparate ways in which functional tonality has been understood. In particular, it focuses on the comprehensive theory developed by Heinrich Schenker in his monumental three-part treatise Neue musikalische Theorien und Phantasien (1906-35)."

"Along the way, the book explores six methodological criteria that help in building, testing, and evaluating a plausible theory of tonality or, indeed, any other musical phenomenon: accuracy, scope, fruitfulness, consistency, simplicity, and coherence. It reveals how understanding the tonality of a piece can shed light on other aspects of musical composition. And, in conclusion, it describes some ways in which Schenkerian theory might fruitfully develop in the future."--Jacket.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. [267]-280) and index.
Table of contents: title: Schenker and the quest for accuracy. Fux and strict counterpoint ; 'The Heinrich maneuver' ; 'The complementarity principle'; title: Semper idem sed non eodem modo. Conceptual origins ; Prototypes ; Transformations ; Levels ; Fallout; title: What price consistency? Sequences reconsidered ; Sequences and counterpoint ; Analytical implications; title: Schenker and 'the myth of scales'. Modes and scales in traditional theory ; Schenkerian theory and scales ; Schenkerian theory and modal inflections ; Schenkerian theory and exotic inflections ; Schenkerian theory and the emergence of functional tonality; title: "Pleasure is the law". The limits of Schenkerian theory ; Debussy, "C'est l'extase langoureuse" ; Debussy, "La mort des amants" ; Schenkerian theory and twentieth-century music; title: Renaturalizing Schenkerian theory. Naturalizating Schenker theory ; Schenkerian theory as a model of expert functional monotonal composition.