The Masterwork In Music Volume Ii 1926

The three volumes of The Masterwork in Music present complete English translations of major works by Austrian music theorist Heinrich Schenker, one of the twentieth century's leading figures in the field. First published in German between 1925 and 1930, these essays represent Schenker's greatest writings in analysis prior to the 1935 definitive formulation of his theory of music in Der freie Satz (Free Composition). This new publication of the long-awaited English translation, which first appeared in the distinguished Cambridge University Press edition, provides a valuable resource for scholars. Editorial annotations and elucidations by Dr. William Drabkin and his translators offer additional insights. This volume features a major essay on Mozart's Symphony No. 40 in G minor; studies of Bach keyboard and solo cello pieces; works by Haydn and Reger; theoretical writings on sonata form and fugue; and many examples of Schenkerian theory. Volume One includes analyses of keyboard works by Bach, Scarlatti, Chopin, Beethoven, and Handel and solo violin music by Bach, along with studies of other works. Volume Three's contents include Schenker's celebrated analysis of Beethoven's "Eroica" Symphony and other works.

Volume II of three-volume set features an essay on Mozart's Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, studies of Bach keyboard and solo cello works, and theoretical writings on sonata form and fugue and Schenkerian theory.

Heinrich Schenker is regarded as one of the leading music theorists of the twentieth century. The Masterwork in Music was written in three volumes between 1925 and 1930 and is distinguished from earlier writings by its depth of vision, demonstrated here both graphically and verbally. Although the concept of structural hierarchy is already present in Der Tonwille (1921-4), the idea of a network of layers becomes particularly prominent in Das Meisterwerk. This volume contains a major essay on Mozart's Symphony No. 40 in G minor and other studies of Bach keyboard and solo cello works, Haydn and Reger, as well as theoretical writings on sonata form and fugue and Schenkerian theory. These essays are translated by a team of specialists with ample editoral annotations including comparisons with earlier and later writings.

Volume I of this work is translated here by a team of distinguished theorists. It includes analyses of keyboard works by Bach, Scarlatti, Chopin, Beethoven and Handel and solo violin music by Bach, as well as more general essays on aspects of Schenkerian theory. Volume 2 (1926) and Volume 3 (1930) were published in 1995/6. Long awaited in English translation, this edition will also be invaluable to scholars for the editorial annotations and elucidations provided by Dr Drabkin and his translators.

Volume I of this work is translated here by a team of distinguished theorists. It includes analyses of keyboard works by Bach, Scarlatti, Chopin, Beethoven and Handel and solo violin music by Bach, as well as more general essays on aspects of Schenkerian theory. Volume 2 (1926) and Volume 3 (1930) were published in 1995/6. Long awaited in English translation, this edition will also be invaluable to scholars for the editorial annotations and elucidations provided by Dr Drabkin and his translators.

This study focuses on a continued evaluation and integration of Schenker’s work, specifically the role of his ever-deepening understanding of counterpoint in musicalistic structures, both horizontal (melodic) and vertical (‘chordal’). It reformulates the role of this understanding in discerning the atomic, primitive elements of an abstract human species-specific, cognitive-computational process. We conjecture that the fundamental technical concepts of counterpoint plausibly form the basis of natural musical logic and coherence and somehow reflect the basis of a representing system for a generative capacity evidenced in the creation and interpretation of musicalistic expressions. It is plausible to assume that a thorough investigation of the musical generating principles of consonance and dissonance, as developed through the technical perspective of species counterpoint, can lead to surprising insights necessary for the formulation of a general theory of music. Music, like language, is obviously an extremely complex system. Music theory must simplify this complexity and endeavour to discover its primitive elements which can be used to develop a systematic representation of levels that contributes to greater descriptive and explanatory salience of musicalistic structure.

Enth. u.a. "The polyphony of Heinrich Glarean's 'Dodecachordon'" (S. 115-176).