A notation question?

[Sara Hood]

And I, too, never had a formal Music Theory class in college, although I have done a lot of independent study of theory on my own. (I own the traditional harmony/theory books and workbooks and have used them extensively over the years).

Care to share the names and authors of a few of those "traditional harmony/theory books and workbooks"? For those of us interested in doing some "independent study of theory on our own."

- Sara

[John Morgan]

Care to share the names and authors of a few of those "traditional harmony/theory books and workbooks"? For those of us interested in doing some "independent study of theory on our own."

- Sara

Sara,

I would be happy to. The older books I own and have used are Elie Siegmeister's "Harmony and Melody" along with the workbook in two volumes (I am showing my age here).

More recently I bought and am using "Tonal Harmony" and workbook by Stefan Kostka, Dorothy Payne and Byron Almén. I believe these books are pretty widely used currently and are up to the eighth or ninth editions.

I also use a book called "Eyes and Ears" by Benjamin Crowell. It is a book on sight-singing, in other words, it helps you be able to look at music and sing how it should go, both rhythm and pitch. That skill is real helpful. You learn how to look at music you may be interested in, and you can internalize how it should sound before even playing it.

The theory books usually cover 4 semesters of Music Theory classes, typically taken in the Freshman and Sophomore years of a 4 year music degree.

As an aside, I was considering, up until a few years ago, going to an online program from a college in North Dakota to get a BA in music. Having a BS already (and an MS), it would be just music courses. I looked into it pretty seriously, had all my transcripts sent, and found I could pretty much do it right from home, as I already had all of the ensemble requirements (I played in band all through college), and my days in The U.S. Army Band would translate into some fulfillment of other requirements. I have been involved with music my whole life, I hang out with a lot of former and current band directors and the like, and just sort of wanted to "get my official credentials" in music. But, alas, life happened, and I never did it. I would not have used a music degree for any future job or teaching, I have been well retired for more than 15 years. It would just be for my own personal satisfaction.

Hope the book references are useful, Sara.

John

[dsurkin]

Sara,

I would be happy to. The older books I own and have used are Elie Siegmeister's "Harmony and Melody" along with the workbook in two volumes (I am showing my age here).

More recently I bought and am using "Tonal Harmony" and workbook by Stefan Kostka, Dorothy Payne and Byron Almén. I believe these books are pretty widely used currently and are up to the eighth or ninth editions.

I also use a book called "Eyes and Ears" by Benjamin Crowell. It is a book on sight-singing, in other words, it helps you be able to look at music and sing how it should go, both rhythm and pitch. That skill is real helpful. You learn how to look at music you may be interested in, and you can internalize how it should sound before even playing it.[snip]

I have another suggestion for a book on harmony. The first harmony book I worked from (in elementary school - I really loved music theory) was Walter Piston's "Harmony." In college, my theory professor preferred to teach from his own notes; he didn't care for any of the available texts, and those lecture notes I preserved contain many gems of insight. My last composition teacher was a student of a student of Harold Schoenberg, and he pointed me to Schoenberg's books "Theory of Harmony" and "Structural Functions of Harmony." These are NOT books on twelve-tone theory, but instead cover harmony from classical to post-impressionistic periods. His analysis works equally well across genres - classical, jazz, pop - and I highly recommend these books. Amazon shows "Theory of Harmony" as available.

[Sara Hood]

Um, is that supposed to be Arnold Shoenburg, rather than Harold Schoenberg?
- Sara

[DaveBj]

Um, is that supposed to be Arnold Shoenburg, rather than Harold Schoenberg?
- Sara

Dean will have to say for sure, but you're pro'ly right. I've met Harold Schonberg (official spelling), and I know a little of his career, which, I believe, did not include teaching and/or writing on music theory.

[leisesturm]

I love this piece as well. In fact it was Amy Schumaker Bliss playing this work that made me start researching a euphonium purchase after years of waffling. I got my Horn duet partner a copy in F from Stainer and Bell and I learned the piano part to accompany her. I made myself a copy of the Horn part, but I am under no illusions that I could actually play it on Horn. I don't know how long I will have to play Euphonium to consider getting a version for Euphonium but it is, of course, on my list (sidebar: some people love it, some hate it, but I love the Trumpet Sonata by Kent Kennan do any Low Brass performers perform it an octave lower?).

'The Studies' were originally for Cello. All bets are off when wind instruments attempt to perform string music. I have heard some really bad (to me) renditions of the 'Cello Suites' by Bach on Trombone and Horn. I haven't heard any Euphonium players record it. Personally I would want to model my attempt at the Studies after Ms. Bliss's, but failing that, I would just listen to a number of Cello performers and see how best I could approximate their take. There isn't any right or wrong as a performer. As a listener ... well some performances will of course grab you more than others.