Fundamentals of Musical Composition - Notes

FUNDAMENTALS OF MUSICAL COMPOSITION by Arnold Schoenberg

Also by Arnold Schoenberg

• STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONS OF HARMONY
• STYLE AND IDEA
• THEORY OF HARMONY
• edited by Erwin Stein
• ARNOLD SCHOENBERG: LETTERS

CONTENTS

PART I: CONSTRUCTION OF THEMES

• I. THE CONCEPT OF FORM
• II. THE PHRASE
  • Comment on Examples 1-11
  • Examples 1-11
• III. THE MOTIVE
  • What Constitutes a Motive
  • Treatment and Utilization of the Motive
  • Comment on Examples 17-29
  • Examples 12-29
• IV. CONNECTING MOTIVE-FORMS
  • Building Phrases
  • Examples 30-34
• V. CONSTRUCTION OF SIMPLE THEMES (1)
  • The Period and the Sentence
  • The Beginning of the Sentence
    • Illustrations from the literature
  • The Dominant Form: The Complementary Repetition
    • Illustrations from the literature
  • Comment on Examples 40-41
  • Examples 35-41
• VI. CONSTRUCTION OF SIMPLE THEMES (2)
  • ANTECEDENT OF THE PERIOD
  • Analysis of Periods from Beethoven's Piano Sonatas
  • Analysis of Other Illustrations from the Literature
  • Construction of the Antecedent
• VII. CONSTRUCTION OF SIMPLE THEMES (3)
  • CONSEQUENT OF THE PERIOD
    • Melodic Considerations: Cadence Contour
    • Rhythmic Considerations
  • Comment on Periods by Romantic Composers
  • Examples 42-51
• VIII. CONSTRUCTION OF SIMPLE THEMES (4)
  • COMPLETION OF THE SENTENCE
  • Comment on Examples 54-56
  • Illustrations from the literature
  • Examples 52-61
• IX. THE ACCOMPANIMENT
  • Omissibility of the Accompaniment
  • The Motive of the Accompaniment
  • Types of Accompaniment
  • Voice Leading
  • Treatment of the Bass Line
  • Treatment of the Motive of the Accompaniment
  • Requirements of Instruments
  • Examples 62-67
• X. CHARACTER AND MOOD
  • Example 68
• XI. MELODY AND THEME
  • Vocal Melody
  • Instrumental Melody
  • Melody versus Theme
  • Examples 69-100
• XII. ADVICE FOR SELF-CRITICISM
  • Illustrations of Self-Criticism

PART II: SMALL FORMS

• XIII. THE SMALL TERNARY FORM
  • The Small Ternary Form
  • The Contrasting Middle Section
    • Illustrations from the literature
  • Comment on Examples 105-7
  • The Upbeat Chord
  • The Recapitulation
    • Illustrations from the literature
  • Examples 101-7
• XIV. UNEVEN, IRREGULAR AND ASYMMETRICAL CONSTRUCTION
  • Examples 108-12
• XV. THE MINUET
  • The Form
    • Illustrations from the literature
  • The Trio
  • Examples 113-19
• XVI. THE SCHERZO
  • The A-Section
  • The Modulatory Contrasting Middle Section
  • The Practice Form
    • Illustrations from the literature
  • The Recapitulation
  • Extensions, Episodes and Codettas
    • Further illustrations from the literature
  • The Coda
  • The Trio
  • Examples 120-3

PART III: LARGE FORMS

• XVIII. THE PARTS OF LARGER FORMS (SUBSIDIARY FORMULATIONS)
  • The Transition
  • The Transition with an Independent Theme
    • Illustrations from the literature
  • Transitions Evolving from the Previous Theme
    • Illustrations from the literature
  • The Retransition
    • Illustrations from the literature
  • The Group of Subordinate Themes
    • Illustrations from the literature
  • The 'Lyric Theme'
  • The Coda
    • Illustrations from the literature
• XIX. THE RONDO FORMS
  • The Andante Forms (ABA and ABAB)
  • Other Simple Rondos
  • Variations and Changes in the Recapitulation (Principal Theme)
    • Illustrations from the literature
  • Changes and Adaptations in the Recapitulation (Subordinate Group)
    • Illustrations from the literature
  • The Large Rondo Forms (ABA-C-ABA)
    • Illustrations from the literature
  • The Sonata-Rondo
    • Illustrations from the literature
• XX. THE SONATA-ALLEGRO (FIRST MOVEMENT FORM)
  • The Sonata-Allegro
  • The Exposition
    • The Principal Theme (or Group)
      • Illustrations from the literature
    • The Transition
    • The Subordinate Group
      • Illustrations from the literature
  • The Elaboration (Durchführung)
    • Illustrations from the literature
  • The Retransition
    • Illustrations from the literature

INTRODUCTION

• This present book represents the last of the three large textbooks on music theory and practice planned by Arnold Schoenberg.
• Fundamentals of Musical Composition combines two methods of approach:
  • (1) the analysis of masterworks, with special emphasis on the Beethoven piano sonatas
  • (2) practice in the writing of musical forms, both small and large.

EDITOR'S PREFACE

• The Fundamentals of Musical Composition grew out of Schoenberg's work with students of analysis and composition at the University of Southern California and the University of California (Los Angeles).
• Other terms, in approximate order of size or complexity, include: motive, unit, element, phrase, fore-sentence, after-sentence, segment, section and division.
• Schoenberg was convinced that the student of composition must master thoroughly the traditional techniques and organizational methods, and possess a wide and intimate knowledge of musical literature if he wishes to solve the more difficult problems of contemporary music.
• Certain aesthetic essentials, such as clarity of statement, contrast, repetition, balance, variation, elaboration, proportion, connexion, transition-these and many others are applicable regardless of style or idiom.
• While primarily a textbook on composition, it can be used equally well as a text in musical analysis.

GLOSSARY