Thesaurus of Abstract Musical Properties: A Theoretical and Compositional Resource

(Hardback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

The discovery and application of abstract musical properties has had a prominent role in compositional and theoretical literature during the past 40 years. Abstract musical properties, most often associated with analytical or compositional systems, are presented in this text in an unbiased context that allows the reader freedom of association and interpretation. This book is intended to help verify musical intuition and has an practical application for composers and theorists curious about intervallic properties and transformational potentials of any pitch-class set. It provides supplemental material for coursework involving theory, analysis and stylistic awareness of compositional and analytical styles, and also for learning and confirming economical presentations characteristic of recent musical-theoretical literature. Organised in two parts, the first is a profile of all set-classes in charts allowing quick comparisons among them, including set-class reference tables, set-classes arranged by ascending interval-class vectors and a summary of transformational invariances. The second part focuses on individual set-classes, listing its contents, subsets and significant references to the collection in musical and theoretical literature. Internal segmentations of each set-class that are more structurally informative and memorisable than prime-forms are offered.

Reviews

.,."an impressive resource on the set-theoretic approach to musical analysis. The author provides clear and concise explanations of the principles underlying set-theoretic approaches, with liberal references to an excellent 30-page bibliography. Upper-division undergraduate and above."-Choice
...an impressive resource on the set-theoretic approach to musical analysis. The author provides clear and concise explanations of the principles underlying set-theoretic approaches, with liberal references to an excellent 30-page bibliography. Upper-division undergraduate and above.-Choice
This base of information is informative to the serious musician both in the analysis of specific musical works as well as in the composition. ... The information is thorough and logically presented. this allows the researcher to move easily from one set to another. ... Advanced graduate students in theory, compostion, and analysis may find it useful. Acousticians, phsicists, and mathematicians may also find this sort of quantitative information valuable.-ARBA
..."an impressive resource on the set-theoretic approach to musical analysis. The author provides clear and concise explanations of the principles underlying set-theoretic approaches, with liberal references to an excellent 30-page bibliography. Upper-division undergraduate and above."-Choice
"This base of information is informative to the serious musician both in the analysis of specific musical works as well as in the composition. ... The information is thorough and logically presented. this allows the researcher to move easily from one set to another. ... Advanced graduate students in theory, compostion, and analysis may find it useful. Acousticians, phsicists, and mathematicians may also find this sort of quantitative information valuable."-ARBA

Author Bio

JEFFREY JOHNSON is currently full-time instructor of Music Theory in the Choir Academy of the Boy's Choir of Harlem. He has received degrees from Boston University, the Eastman School of Music, and Ithaca College.