Structural Functions of Harmony

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Customer Reviews:

Master Class [Posted on 2001-03-22]
If you are a musician and want to know more about harmony, Schoenberg's thoughts should be at least considered. You might not necessarily agree with him, but keep in mind that Schoenberg always taught from a traditionalist standpoint. Despite his "revolutionary" logo, Schoenberg never cared much for music before Bach. Even Schoenberg's idol and so-called reactionary, Brahms, thought highly of Josquin DesPres. And while there are probably better teaching books around, considering Schoenberg's music will be played 200 years from now (at the very least, Verlarkte Nacht) and yours probably won't (unless it's used on TV ad or played on an oldies station), you might want to get some idea of what makes this guy so utterly fascinating.

pure nonsense [Posted on 2005-09-18]
From the very start this book did not do a good job of clarifying its title or it vocabulary used in its analyses.I think that he thought by using the word function that it would add some esteem or he fancied himself a mathematian. The writer schonberg at the begining of the book first page after the title page the uses word triad a ,three note chord, which I never understood and I think involves a lot acoustic science that mr. schonberg never had or b.s.ed that he had. Succesion, progression,tonal all vague or historically obscure. The entire book has sheet music in it and parts from scores whichs seems to me he could have simplified and condensed his thinking. I think anyone who read/reviewed this book and liked it is putting on the airs because it is in style or the hip thing to like schonberg and it would be uncool amongst intellectuals not to like schonberg. Time to search for alternative ways of understanding music for anyone really is interested in bringing music out of the educational stone age because it has been neglected for to long and has been everyones side project.Fractal science shows progress.

Important book, but make sure you have a solid background before you take this on. [Posted on 2005-11-29]
This is an important book because it is a document written by Arnold Schoenberg. He wrote it from the way he taught his students harmony. If you know Schoenberg's tonal music you know how highly chromatic it is. It moves from tonal center to tonal center almost without the listener understanding how far they are traveling. This book uses his concept of region and that is not something taught in your freshman - sophomore theory courses.

If you want to read this book, make SURE you have a strong grounding in traditional theory first. Then ground yourself in Schoenberg's treatise on harmony. Then take on this little book. Otherwise it will be opaque to you.

However, just because you can't understand what the composer wrote, don't suppose that it is nonsense or dismiss it because of your own lack of comprehension. Schoenberg was a very important composer and understood the methods of composition very well. He certainly had his own views, however idiosyncratic they may be. It is simply that when you are Schoenberg you can do things lesser musicians cannot.

not for beginners [Posted on 2007-01-02]
Well it looks like naj "jak" here is almost as clueless as he thinks the book is. He should know that Theory of Harmony is not a book to LEARN harmony, its a book that teaches you in detail the purposes and most advanced properties of such. If you're looking to begin music, do not buy this book. If you are a musician looking for a (in my opinion) genius's perspective on one of the most fundamental elements of music...then thats the book for you.

New Revelations of Old Forms [Posted on 2007-08-29]
Schoenberg writes from a traditional harmonic standpoint. But he is aware of the fact that the primary systems of analysis are very limited to these traditional sounds and harmonies. Therefore Schoenberg sets out to put into work a new system for harmonic analysis which will work fine on traditional harmonies as well as on newer, more outside progressions. He achieves all of this through his idea of regions within music, a specific idea with a broad goal. By leaving the intricacies of traditional harmonic analysis and widening his scope, Schoenberg presents a system we may all need to take a second look at.

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