Introduction to Post-tonal Theory

For undergraduate/graduate-level courses in Twentieth-Century Techniques, and Post-Tonal Theory and Analysis taken by music majors. A primer-rather than a survey-this text offers exceptionally clear, simple explanations of basic theoretical concepts for the post-tonal music of the twentieth century. Emphasizing hands-on contact with the music-through playing, singing, listening, and analyzing-it provides six chapters on theory, each illustrated with musical examples and fully worked-out analyses, all drawn largely from the "classical" pre-war repertoire by Schoenberg, Stravinsky, Bartok, Berg, and Webern. "Straus takes a paced, methodical, logical approach to each topic. He introduces it in context and - perhaps most significantly of all - uses language that's so transparent that merely to follow his descriptions, explanations and illustrations carefully is to understand each aspect of the theory under consideration." Mark Sealey, Classical.net1. Basic Concepts and Definitions. Analysis 1: Webern, Wie bin ich froh! from Three Songs, Op. 25. Schoenberg, Nacht, from Pierrot Lunaire, Op. 21. 2. Pitch-Class Sets. Analysis 2: Schoenberg, Book of the Hanging Gardens, Op. 15, No. 11. Bartok String Quartet No. 4, first movement. 4. Centricity, Referential Collections, and Triadic Post-Tonality. Analysis 4: Stravinsky, Oedipus Rex, rehearsal nos. 167-70. Bartok, Sonata, first movement. 5. Basic Twelve-Tone Operations. Analysis 5: Schoenberg, Suite for Piano, Op. 25, Gavotte. Stravinsky, In Memoriam Dylan Thomas. Appendix 1. List of Set Classes. Appendix 2. Index Vectors. Index.