David Carson Berry | University of Cincinnati (original) (raw)
Papers by David Carson Berry
Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft für Musiktheorie [Journal of the German-Speaking Society of Music Theory]
![Research paper thumbnail of Theory [entry in The Grove Dictionary of American Music, 2nd edition]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/33598741/thumbnails/1.jpg)
](The Grove Dictionary of American Music, 2nd edition, ed. Charles Hiroshi Garrett (Oxford University Press), 2013
19th-Century Music, 2004
In this essay, I explore historical and theoretical issues germane to an understanding of an 1885... more In this essay, I explore historical and theoretical issues germane to an understanding of an 1885 piano composition with an intriguing title: Liszt’s Bagatelle ohne Tonart—a bagatelle “without tonality” or “without a key.” After briefly describing the work’s history and musical associations with other compositions by Liszt, I survey two present-day approaches that reveal ways in which the work defies tonality: octatonic interpretations via set-class examinations, and Schenker-influenced prolongational models. I then turn to focus instead on how the Bagatelle fit within the framework of nineteenth-century musical thought; how its processes were supported by contemporaneously evolving theories of chromaticism. Partly through an analysis based on the practice of Gottfried Weber (1779–1839), I demonstrate that the Bagatelle is not a piece “without tonality” as much as it is one “without the fulfillment of the tonic.” It maintains harmonic tension by avoiding anticipated resolutions, as well as by preserving a sense of ambiguity as to what the actual “missing” key is. Next, I consider why Liszt was prompted to write a piece in such a manner. We know that he was a proponent of musical progress—of Zukunftsmusik (“music of the future”)—but for this fact to be relevant we must confirm, first, that Liszt had definite ideas about a Zukunftsharmoniesystem; and second, that such a system is reflected in the processes exhibited by the Bagatelle. I argue that the Bagatelle’s traits are indeed in accordance with theoretical views about music’s future direction, to which Liszt subscribed. Relevant theories of Karl Friedrich Weitzmann (1808–80) and François-Joseph Fétis (1784–1871) are assessed. Lastly, in a “Schoenbergian epilogue” I explore connections between Liszt’s operations and Schoenberg’s ideas, addressing historical associations that conjoin their views of composing “ohne Tonart.” I conclude that the 1885 Bagatelle’s attenuation of tonality was part of a tradition that extended from the mid-nineteenth into the early twentieth century—one that stretched from Liszt and his contemporaries through Schoenberg and his pupils and beyond, embracing along the way the theoretical prescriptions of Weitzmann, Fétis, and Schoenberg himself. The various threads of theory and analysis explored in this essay contribute to an understanding of the same strand of musical evolution: the increasing circumvention of tonality to the point that a piece could be written “ohne Tonart.” (NB: For this article, the author was awarded the 2006 “Emerging Scholar Award” by the Society for Music Theory.)
Journal of Music Theory Pedagogy, 2002
A technique, generally ignored in tonal-music textbooks, is the writing of simultaneous outer-voi... more A technique, generally ignored in tonal-music textbooks, is the writing of simultaneous outer-voice inversion (or “mirror counterpoint”)—that is, a form of note-against-note counterpoint in which the lowest voice descends by as many diatonic steps as the topmost voice ascends, and vice-versa; inner voices are then added to complete tonal harmonic progressions. The technique could be incorporated into either a counterpoint or a harmony-and-voice-leading course, and its study could generate many practical benefits for the student.
In the four principal sections of this essay, the author: (1) provides an overview of the historical development and various applications of mirror counterpoint; (2) investigates the operation’s musical attributes and compositional utilization, introducing such concepts as intra- and interkey axis modulations; (3) analyzes three mirror passages by Clementi and Brahms, in order to confirm and further explore prior observations in the contexts of extant compositions; and (4) summarizes the pedagogical benefits a student may obtain through the practice and application of the technique, which relate to the very skills and perceptions a student is expected to master during a course on the theory and practice of tonal music.
![Research paper thumbnail of A Topical Guide to Schenkerian Literature [pre-bibliographic front matter and essays]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/33598626/thumbnails/1.jpg)
](A Topical Guide to Schenkerian Literature: An Annotated Bibliography with Indices (Pendragon Press), 2004
This is the largest Schenkerian reference work published to date; it contains 3600 entries (2200 ... more This is the largest Schenkerian reference work published to date; it contains 3600 entries (2200 principal, 1400 secondary) representing the work of 1475 authors. It is organized topically: fifteen broad groupings encompass seventy topical headings, many of which are divided and subdivided again, resulting in a total of 271 headings under which entries are collected. Among the more extensive reviews of Topical Guide are the following: • John Ferri, Music Theory Spectrum 29/1 (2007): 135–139; • William Drabkin, Music and Letters 87/4 (2006): 664–666; • William Marvin, Intégral 20 (2006): 131–138.
Theory and Practice, 2016
In the 1930s, when Heinrich Schenker’s ideas were first spreading in the United States, there was... more In the 1930s, when Heinrich Schenker’s ideas were first spreading in the United States, there was simultaneously a call by many Anglo-American music critics for more “objective” critiques of the music per se, instead of evaluations based on critics’ personal responses to the music. For some Americans familiar with Schenker’s approach, it seemed to provide a means for this kind of “objective” criticism. Related views were significant for the type of disciplinary music theory that emerged a few decades later, for which Schenkerian ideas formed a cornerstone. This essay explores these connections in four principal sections plus a supplement. Part I examines the changing foundations of Anglo-American music criticism in the 1920s–40s, as many participants called for greater “objectivity.” Influential English critic Ernst Newman receives particular attention. Part II addresses Schenker’s own opinions about criticism as a prelude to considering how some of his early American advocates argued for an “objective” criticism informed by his views. Part III offers an example of how this goal might be achieved, by expounding a previously unexplored, 1936 essay by Carl Bricken, who had studied with Schenker’s pupil Hans Weisse. Part IV posits connections between the era’s “objective” music criticism (especially as practiced by Schenkerians) and the type of music theory that began to emerge in the late 1950s. These associations have not been widely recognized before, and reasons are suggested as to why this has been so. Finally, a supplement (or “coda”) picks up lingering threads and probes the previously unacknowledged work of Bricken, and the small and fledgling Schenkerian outpost that formed around him, at the University of Chicago in the 1930s.
Gamut [A Music-Theoretical Matrix: Essays in Honor of Allen Forte (Part III)], 2011
A quarter of a century ago, William Rothstein first spoke of the “Americanization of Heinrich Sch... more A quarter of a century ago, William Rothstein first spoke of the “Americanization of Heinrich Schenker,” meaning the accommodation that had to be made to bring his ideas into the American academy. The focus of this process has largely been on activities following the Second World War. However, the earliest attempt at Americanizing Schenker seems to have come from an American-born pedagogue who had not studied with Schenker or his pupils: George A. Wedge, a theory instructor at New York’s Institute of Musical Art (a precursor to The Juilliard School). He started teaching something about Schenker in his classrooms as early as 1925, incorporated some of Schenker’s concepts into a popular harmony textbook in 1930–31, and subsequently distilled some of these ideas for the musical layperson, as part of a “middlebrow” or “appreciation” agenda that he and Olga Samaroff Stokowski advanced in books and at the Juilliard Summer School. Thus, Schenker’s route to Americanization took some previously unrecognized and “home-grown” turns along the way to the process outlined by Rothstein.
In this essay, I document and contextualize Wedge’s activities in five principal sections. First, I present details about his career, and investigate how he came to encounter Schenker’s ideas. Second, I explore his writings in order to discern their Schenkerian influences (which must be filtered from related elements of American pedagogy). Third, I consider Wedge’s (and Samaroff’s) pedagogical agenda of the 1930s, which involved bringing musical education to a mass audience. Fourth, I contemplate how Wedge’s work was a portent of the “Americanized” Schenker pedagogy that developed in later years. Fifth and finally, I demonstrate how—even beyond Wedge—the Institute of Musical Art became a conduit for learning about Schenker, especially between 1925 and 1936/37, and I argue that its name should be added to the list of early institutions in New York at which Schenkerian ideas were communicated.
Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft für Musiktheorie, 2005
After Schenker’s death (Vienna, 1935), the United States established itself as the principal home... more After Schenker’s death (Vienna, 1935), the United States established itself as the principal home for Schenkerian training and research. In the first part of this essay, the author explores how Schenkerian theory came to establish its strong roots in the US; how the infrastructure for its dissemination was gradually erected from the late 1920s through the early 1980s. Attention is paid to four important means of transmission: the early advocates, initial institutional homes, receptive journals, and conference presentations. This, in turn, provides a context for better understanding the second part of the essay, in which the author surveys the current state of English-language Schenkerian scholarship. A bibliographic sampler is appended, with over 230 entries organized topically. Comments are provided about the kinds of entries gathered under each division.
Journal of Musicology, 2003
Many musicians contributed to the early spread of Schenkerian ideas in the U.S., but one played a... more Many musicians contributed to the early spread of Schenkerian ideas in the U.S., but one played a crucial and unparalleled role during the earliest decade, the 1930s: Hans Weisse (1892–1940), one of Schenker’s most esteemed students. Although Jewish, Weisse was not a political or war refugee, as were later Schenker émigrés. Instead, he came to the U.S. to teach, in the fall of 1931; by the time his former colleagues were finding their ways from Europe, Weisse had already become an American citizen. He died prematurely in 1940, but by then his impact on the pedagogy of music theory and analysis was already being felt, not only directly, at institutions where he taught, but through his many students who were active in disseminating the Schenkerian approach.
As the Schenker enterprise now enters its eighth decade in the U.S., a better understanding of its early and largely unexplored foundations becomes ever more essential, and the contributions of Weisse provide a logical point of departure. Heretofore his role has remained largely undocumented. Investigation of three aspects of Weisse’s accomplishment and legacy help shed light on his pivotal role as a music educator and thinker in this country: the record of his highly active professional life as a teacher of music; the theoretical positions and pedagogical strategies revealed by his few preserved writings and remarks; and the enduring influence of his teachings. Through the work of his students, it can be seen that his contribution was decisive in laying the foundation for future Schenkerian work
![Research paper thumbnail of Hans Weisse (1892–1940) [English-language paper in Schenker-Traditionen: Eine Wiener Schule der Musiktheorie]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/33493007/thumbnails/1.jpg)
](Schenker-Traditionen: Eine Wiener Schule der Musiktheorie und ihre internationale Verbreitung [Schenker Traditions: A Viennese School of Music Theory and Its International Dissemination], 2006
Current Musicology, 2002
Since the 1930s, New York has flourished as something of a “capitol city” for Schenkerian activit... more Since the 1930s, New York has flourished as something of a “capitol city” for Schenkerian activities in the U.S. However, the role of one important participant in the emergence and development of New York’s “Schenker School” has remained largely unknown: that of Adele T. Katz. Her name is recognized by those who know early Schenkerian literature, due to a 1935 article and 1945 book. However, almost nothing has been known about Katz’s life or professional endeavors apart from these writings. This neglect is unfortunate, as she was very active in teaching music and analysis in New York City, from the early 1930s through the 1960s, where she had contact with other early supporters and instructors of Schenkerian analysis. Investigating the extent of her activities and associations allows us to paint a much fuller and richer picture of the early dissemination of Schenkerian ideas in the U.S., just as it permits those familiar with Katz’s writings to probe the personality and philosophies behind the words and graphs.
Through institutional archive research and consultations with those who knew or worked with her, the author documents her endeavors. Following a biographical overview, the largest component of the article is devoted to Katz’s teaching activities; a consideration of her publications follows. A brief conclusion summarizes the primary focus of her work as a Schenkerian (i.e., music pedagogy), and addresses a more general topic that emerged through the narrative: the roles of women in the transmission of Schenker’s ideas. In both Schenker’s Vienna and Katz’s New York, women were active in studying and promoting Schenkerian theory, although most of them have remained largely unknown. This essay partly addresses that oversight by raising awareness of the several women who had roles in the early Schenker community, especially in its American incarnation.
Journal of Schenkerian Studies, 2005
Victor Vaughn Lytle (1884–1969) was one of the earliest American-born disciples of Heinrich Schen... more Victor Vaughn Lytle (1884–1969) was one of the earliest American-born disciples of Heinrich Schenker. Between 1928 and 1930, he studied in Vienna with Schenker’s pupil, Hans Weisse; and he wrote of his plan to introduce Schenkerian concepts into an American conservatory (Oberlin) at a time that pre-dated Weisse’s own endeavors at New York’s Mannes School. Lytle’s 1931 essay, “Music Composition of the Present” (published in The American Organist), offers what may be the earliest English-language explication of several key Schenkerian concepts: tonicalization, Auskomponierung, prolongation, Urlinie, and Ursatz.
In this article, the author assesses Lytle and his work, beginning with what is known about his personal connection with Schenker and the nature of his studies, and then progressing to an evaluation of the ideas—both theoretical and polemical—presented in his 1931 essay. Portions of the essay are revealed to be translations of Schenker’s own writings (some more direct and some more paraphrased); an appendix provides four of the more extensive passages in both Schenker’s German and Lytle’s English renderings.
Lytle apparently did not promote Schenker’s approach beyond Oberlin, nor did he produce Schenker devotees of note. Yet he is argued to be historically significant for what he represents: an American musician with an institutional appointment and access to numerous students, whose approach to musical interpretation—and perhaps also to teaching—was influenced by Schenkerian ideas from the early 1930s. Thus, he is one of a few individuals from this time who was helping, in his own way, to prepare for the interest in Schenker’s ideas that began to emerge more fully in the U.S. only in the 1950s and afterward.
Journal of Music Theory, 2006
This article addresses the role played by Allen Forte in establishing the Journal of Music Theory... more This article addresses the role played by Allen Forte in establishing the Journal of Music Theory as a journal of record for the American discipline of music theory, as it emerged and evolved in the 1960s. The journal was founded at Yale University in 1957 by editor David Kraehenbuehl. When he left his position at both the university and the journal in 1960, the editorship passed to Allen Forte, who functioned in that capacity for the next seven years, making him not only the longest-serving editor in the journal’s history, but also one at an especially crucial period, when conceptions of the field were beginning to crystallize and circulate in the forms recognizable today. This article explores, in turn, the path Forte took to the journal (and Yale); aspects of editorship, design, and production during his time; the personal imprint he made on the journal, in terms of his editorial agenda; and his departure from the editorship and the legacy he left behind. Quotations from the author’s interviews with Forte are included.
![Research paper thumbnail of Our Festschrift for Allen [Forte]: An Introduction and Conclusion](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/59182032/thumbnails/1.jpg)
](Gamut [A Music-Theoretical Matrix: Essays in Honor of Allen Forte (Part V)], 2013
This essay offers the editor’s commentary on A Music-Theoretical Matrix: Essays in Honor of Allen... more This essay offers the editor’s commentary on A Music-Theoretical Matrix: Essays in Honor of Allen Forte, a Festschrift serialized in five installments (2009–2014) in the online music-theory journal Gamut. The Festschrift consists of twenty-two articles by Forte’s former doctoral advisees, and three special features: a previously unpublished article by Forte on Gershwin songs, a collection of tributes and reminiscences from forty-two of his former advisees, and an annotated register of his publications and advisees. (The complete content of the Festschrift is given in an Appendix.) The essay provides general information about the Festschrift: how it originated, how it came to take its serialized form and title, and points of orientation for the reader with respect to its content. An epilogue offers a brief summation of the significance of the honoree, to both the contributors and the field at large.
This article is part of a special, serialized feature: A Music-Theoretical Matrix: Essays in Honor of Allen Forte (Part V).
Gamut [A Music-Theoretical Matrix: Essays in Honor of Allen Forte (Part I)], 2009
This article tabulates the publications and dissertation advisees of the music theorist Allen For... more This article tabulates the publications and dissertation advisees of the music theorist Allen Forte; they are called the “twin legacies” of one whose work in academe has been devoted to both scholarship and teaching. The publications, issued between 1955 and early 2009, are divided into nine categories, each ordered chronologically: (1) Books; (2) Articles; (3) Addresses, Responses, Forums, and Discussions; (4) Introductions, Forewords, Editorials, and Memorials; (5) Encyclopedia and Dictionary Entries; (6) Reviews; (7) Letters to Editors; (8) Libretto Translations, Liner Notes, and Recordings; and (9) Editorial Work. Entries are annotated with one or more of the following subfields, as necessary: Remarks, Ancillaries, Later Editions, Reprints, Translations, and (for books) Reviews. Excluding items only edited by Forte, these publications consist of ten books, sixty-three articles, and thirty-six other types publications. An Appendix presents an abbreviated chronological listing of all his publications, without regard to categories. The list of advisees consists of the name, dissertation title, and date of submission for each of Forte’s seventy-two Ph.D. advisees at Yale University. The list is ordered chronologically by dissertation submission (which ranges from 1968 to 2002), and each advisee is given an “FA” number to denote his or her ordering among the advisees. (“FA” stands for “Forte Advisee,” and is also a retrograde of Allen Forte’s initials.) Together, the two tabulations document some of the reasons that Forte’s legacy looms so large in music theory.
This article is part of a special, serialized feature: A Music-Theoretical Matrix: Essays in Honor of Allen Forte (Part I).
Gamut [A Music-Theoretical Matrix: Essays in Honor of Allen Forte (Part V)], 2013
Testimonials are collected from forty-two former doctoral advisees of Allen Forte, whose Yale gra... more Testimonials are collected from forty-two former doctoral advisees of Allen Forte, whose Yale graduation dates range from 1968 to 2002. Although the style and focus of individual tributes vary, many convey something about Forte, both professionally and personally, at the time in which the advisee studied with him. The results are ordered chronologically (by Ph.D. dates) so that collectively they suggest the evolution of Forte himself, as well as North American music theory, across the decades. The contributors include (in alphabetical order): Baker, James M.; Ballan, Harry R.; Beach, David W.; Bergman, Rachel; Bernard, Jonathan W.; Berry, David Carson; Black, Leslie; Boss, Jack F.; Brown, Stephen C.; Chapman, Alan; Check, John; Chrisman, Richard; Damschroder, David A.; Ewell, Philip; Galand, Joel; Girton, Irene M. [Levenson]; Graziano, John; Greer, Taylor A.; Hamao, Fusako; Hanson, Jens L.; Harrison, Daniel; Horlacher, Gretchen; Kowalke, Kim H.; Krebs, Harald; Latham, Edward D.; McNamee, Ann K.; Moreno, Jairo; Neumeyer, David; Nolan, Catherine; Rothgeb, John; Rothstein, William; Russom, Philip; Schmalfeldt, Janet; Schwanauer, Stephan M.; Shaftel, Matthew R.; Spicer, Mark S.; Stein, Deborah; Straus, Joseph N.; Wason, Robert W.; Wheaton, J. Randall; Yeston, Maury; and Yih, Annie K.
This article is part of a special, serialized feature: A Music-Theoretical Matrix: Essays in Honor of Allen Forte (Part V).
Intégral, 1999
Irving Berlin (1888–1989) was one of the few popular songwriters of his time to write both melody... more Irving Berlin (1888–1989) was one of the few popular songwriters of his time to write both melody and lyric, and he integrated both talents in crafting his songs. The author demonstrates one facet of Berlin’s ingenuity by addressing an aspect of melody–lyric coordination common to some songs that consist of a verse–refrain complex. These contrasting sections are examined in terms of large-scale linear/melodic features, employing analytic procedures adapted from Schenkerian techniques.
In each song studied, the verse melody is found to enact a large-scale ascent to the song’s primary tone, which occurs at or near the beginning of the refrain. Such ascent well represents the dynamics of the verse’s lyric: just as it prepares or sets up the arrival of the refrain (which begins the main lyrical idea), so does the verse’s structural melodic line anticipate the refrain by ascending to its primary tone (which begins the main musical idea). Just as the verse’s melodic ascent serves psychologically to create anticipation, so does its lyric employ the language of preparation, its main function being to lead the listener to the “hook” line of the refrain. Berlin’s verse melodies are thus revealed to be dynamic constructs; they provide a metaphorical “inhalation” that can only be released with the refrain—the “exhalation.”
Several songs are considered from the above perspective; other significant elements of text painting are also canvassed, as are relevant, idiomatic features of the repertory. In the concluding sections, the author reflects upon the connotations of the analyses for the aesthetic issues of form and balance, as well as performance.
Theory and Practice, 2001
Those who have written about songwriter Irving Berlin (1888–1989) have frequently fixated on two ... more Those who have written about songwriter Irving Berlin (1888–1989) have frequently fixated on two facts, both related to his lack of proficiency on the piano: first, that he preferred to play on the black keys; and second, that he used a “transposing piano”—i.e., one fitted with a lever that shifted the position of the strings vis-à-vis the hammers, allowing any selected key to be heard while the notes of another key are being fingered. Over the years, journalistic writers of minimal musical knowledge have succeeded in greatly exaggerating both circumstances—especially through their claims about the compositional benefits that supposedly accrue from using a transposing piano.
In this article, I set aside received hyperbole and meticulously examine the musical results of Berlin’s labors. My goal is to delimit the various types of expressive chromaticism that enrich so many of his melodies; to consider the ways in which they function, and how they impinge upon a listener’s interpretation. In the main text, 70 songs are cited, spanning a half century, from 1908 to 1957; many are examined in detail, and occasionally in more than one context. Annotated appendices provide information on many more. Because exaggerated references to the piano lever have been so prominent in the Berlin literature, I occasionally return to such a possibility in order to expose its logical inconsistencies vis-à-vis the particular type of chromaticism under discussion. In doing so, I explode the myth that a transposing lever motivated his musical choices, and propose instead the opposite: that it was a very musical ear that guided any lever-twisting that might have occurred. However, the principal aim of the article is to interpret the expressive and structural uses of a vital component of Berlin’s songs, as well as of the Tin Pan Alley repertory in general: chromaticism.
I begin with a more thorough inspection of the “black-key” argument, and the types of pentatonicism that would result from such an approach. Species of chromaticism, of both smaller and larger scales, are then scrutinized. Included in the former category are immediate or directly applied types of chromaticism—i.e., local passing and neighboring tones, blue notes, applied dominants, neighboring and passing chords, and so forth. Regarding the latter category, I consider how chromatic passages can complement the larger-scale designs of songs, through definition and elucidation of four ways in which Berlin used chromaticism on this level: in changes between parallel modes, in exactly-transposed segments or phrases, in tonicized segments or phrases, and in sectional key changes.
Indiana Theory Review, 2000
Jimmy Van Heusen (1913–90) was a significant popular songwriter in the U.S., during the middle th... more Jimmy Van Heusen (1913–90) was a significant popular songwriter in the U.S., during the middle third of the twentieth century. He attained great critical and commercial success with both film and non-film songs, many of which have become standards. His songs are also highly interesting as music, and often embody ingenious compositional designs. This essay is intended to enrich the reader’s understanding of the craft of this talented artist, through a survey of his compositional techniques and mannerisms. Proceeding from a comprehensive study of the original sheet music of nearly one hundred songs, the author examines Van Heusen’s output from the standpoints of several parameters, beginning with harmony, progressing to linear-melodic aspects including melody construction itself, and lastly addressing the integration of all the previous into formal schemes. Van Heusen’s music is shown to have a carefully coordinated structure that underpins an engaging and seemingly simple surface; his songs often embody a concealed compositional sophistica-tion that is as remarkable as it is overlooked.
Although the primary focus is the compositional practice of this particular songwriter, many remarks and observations also have greater currency, relating as they do to the repertory in general. Thus, a secondary goal is to increase awareness of the often intricate elements of design that the repertory embodies.
Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft für Musiktheorie [Journal of the German-Speaking Society of Music Theory]
The Grove Dictionary of American Music, 2nd edition, ed. Charles Hiroshi Garrett (Oxford University Press), 2013
19th-Century Music, 2004
In this essay, I explore historical and theoretical issues germane to an understanding of an 1885... more In this essay, I explore historical and theoretical issues germane to an understanding of an 1885 piano composition with an intriguing title: Liszt’s Bagatelle ohne Tonart—a bagatelle “without tonality” or “without a key.” After briefly describing the work’s history and musical associations with other compositions by Liszt, I survey two present-day approaches that reveal ways in which the work defies tonality: octatonic interpretations via set-class examinations, and Schenker-influenced prolongational models. I then turn to focus instead on how the Bagatelle fit within the framework of nineteenth-century musical thought; how its processes were supported by contemporaneously evolving theories of chromaticism. Partly through an analysis based on the practice of Gottfried Weber (1779–1839), I demonstrate that the Bagatelle is not a piece “without tonality” as much as it is one “without the fulfillment of the tonic.” It maintains harmonic tension by avoiding anticipated resolutions, as well as by preserving a sense of ambiguity as to what the actual “missing” key is. Next, I consider why Liszt was prompted to write a piece in such a manner. We know that he was a proponent of musical progress—of Zukunftsmusik (“music of the future”)—but for this fact to be relevant we must confirm, first, that Liszt had definite ideas about a Zukunftsharmoniesystem; and second, that such a system is reflected in the processes exhibited by the Bagatelle. I argue that the Bagatelle’s traits are indeed in accordance with theoretical views about music’s future direction, to which Liszt subscribed. Relevant theories of Karl Friedrich Weitzmann (1808–80) and François-Joseph Fétis (1784–1871) are assessed. Lastly, in a “Schoenbergian epilogue” I explore connections between Liszt’s operations and Schoenberg’s ideas, addressing historical associations that conjoin their views of composing “ohne Tonart.” I conclude that the 1885 Bagatelle’s attenuation of tonality was part of a tradition that extended from the mid-nineteenth into the early twentieth century—one that stretched from Liszt and his contemporaries through Schoenberg and his pupils and beyond, embracing along the way the theoretical prescriptions of Weitzmann, Fétis, and Schoenberg himself. The various threads of theory and analysis explored in this essay contribute to an understanding of the same strand of musical evolution: the increasing circumvention of tonality to the point that a piece could be written “ohne Tonart.” (NB: For this article, the author was awarded the 2006 “Emerging Scholar Award” by the Society for Music Theory.)
Journal of Music Theory Pedagogy, 2002
A technique, generally ignored in tonal-music textbooks, is the writing of simultaneous outer-voi... more A technique, generally ignored in tonal-music textbooks, is the writing of simultaneous outer-voice inversion (or “mirror counterpoint”)—that is, a form of note-against-note counterpoint in which the lowest voice descends by as many diatonic steps as the topmost voice ascends, and vice-versa; inner voices are then added to complete tonal harmonic progressions. The technique could be incorporated into either a counterpoint or a harmony-and-voice-leading course, and its study could generate many practical benefits for the student.
In the four principal sections of this essay, the author: (1) provides an overview of the historical development and various applications of mirror counterpoint; (2) investigates the operation’s musical attributes and compositional utilization, introducing such concepts as intra- and interkey axis modulations; (3) analyzes three mirror passages by Clementi and Brahms, in order to confirm and further explore prior observations in the contexts of extant compositions; and (4) summarizes the pedagogical benefits a student may obtain through the practice and application of the technique, which relate to the very skills and perceptions a student is expected to master during a course on the theory and practice of tonal music.
A Topical Guide to Schenkerian Literature: An Annotated Bibliography with Indices (Pendragon Press), 2004
This is the largest Schenkerian reference work published to date; it contains 3600 entries (2200 ... more This is the largest Schenkerian reference work published to date; it contains 3600 entries (2200 principal, 1400 secondary) representing the work of 1475 authors. It is organized topically: fifteen broad groupings encompass seventy topical headings, many of which are divided and subdivided again, resulting in a total of 271 headings under which entries are collected. Among the more extensive reviews of Topical Guide are the following: • John Ferri, Music Theory Spectrum 29/1 (2007): 135–139; • William Drabkin, Music and Letters 87/4 (2006): 664–666; • William Marvin, Intégral 20 (2006): 131–138.
Theory and Practice, 2016
In the 1930s, when Heinrich Schenker’s ideas were first spreading in the United States, there was... more In the 1930s, when Heinrich Schenker’s ideas were first spreading in the United States, there was simultaneously a call by many Anglo-American music critics for more “objective” critiques of the music per se, instead of evaluations based on critics’ personal responses to the music. For some Americans familiar with Schenker’s approach, it seemed to provide a means for this kind of “objective” criticism. Related views were significant for the type of disciplinary music theory that emerged a few decades later, for which Schenkerian ideas formed a cornerstone. This essay explores these connections in four principal sections plus a supplement. Part I examines the changing foundations of Anglo-American music criticism in the 1920s–40s, as many participants called for greater “objectivity.” Influential English critic Ernst Newman receives particular attention. Part II addresses Schenker’s own opinions about criticism as a prelude to considering how some of his early American advocates argued for an “objective” criticism informed by his views. Part III offers an example of how this goal might be achieved, by expounding a previously unexplored, 1936 essay by Carl Bricken, who had studied with Schenker’s pupil Hans Weisse. Part IV posits connections between the era’s “objective” music criticism (especially as practiced by Schenkerians) and the type of music theory that began to emerge in the late 1950s. These associations have not been widely recognized before, and reasons are suggested as to why this has been so. Finally, a supplement (or “coda”) picks up lingering threads and probes the previously unacknowledged work of Bricken, and the small and fledgling Schenkerian outpost that formed around him, at the University of Chicago in the 1930s.
Gamut [A Music-Theoretical Matrix: Essays in Honor of Allen Forte (Part III)], 2011
A quarter of a century ago, William Rothstein first spoke of the “Americanization of Heinrich Sch... more A quarter of a century ago, William Rothstein first spoke of the “Americanization of Heinrich Schenker,” meaning the accommodation that had to be made to bring his ideas into the American academy. The focus of this process has largely been on activities following the Second World War. However, the earliest attempt at Americanizing Schenker seems to have come from an American-born pedagogue who had not studied with Schenker or his pupils: George A. Wedge, a theory instructor at New York’s Institute of Musical Art (a precursor to The Juilliard School). He started teaching something about Schenker in his classrooms as early as 1925, incorporated some of Schenker’s concepts into a popular harmony textbook in 1930–31, and subsequently distilled some of these ideas for the musical layperson, as part of a “middlebrow” or “appreciation” agenda that he and Olga Samaroff Stokowski advanced in books and at the Juilliard Summer School. Thus, Schenker’s route to Americanization took some previously unrecognized and “home-grown” turns along the way to the process outlined by Rothstein.
In this essay, I document and contextualize Wedge’s activities in five principal sections. First, I present details about his career, and investigate how he came to encounter Schenker’s ideas. Second, I explore his writings in order to discern their Schenkerian influences (which must be filtered from related elements of American pedagogy). Third, I consider Wedge’s (and Samaroff’s) pedagogical agenda of the 1930s, which involved bringing musical education to a mass audience. Fourth, I contemplate how Wedge’s work was a portent of the “Americanized” Schenker pedagogy that developed in later years. Fifth and finally, I demonstrate how—even beyond Wedge—the Institute of Musical Art became a conduit for learning about Schenker, especially between 1925 and 1936/37, and I argue that its name should be added to the list of early institutions in New York at which Schenkerian ideas were communicated.
Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft für Musiktheorie, 2005
After Schenker’s death (Vienna, 1935), the United States established itself as the principal home... more After Schenker’s death (Vienna, 1935), the United States established itself as the principal home for Schenkerian training and research. In the first part of this essay, the author explores how Schenkerian theory came to establish its strong roots in the US; how the infrastructure for its dissemination was gradually erected from the late 1920s through the early 1980s. Attention is paid to four important means of transmission: the early advocates, initial institutional homes, receptive journals, and conference presentations. This, in turn, provides a context for better understanding the second part of the essay, in which the author surveys the current state of English-language Schenkerian scholarship. A bibliographic sampler is appended, with over 230 entries organized topically. Comments are provided about the kinds of entries gathered under each division.
Journal of Musicology, 2003
Many musicians contributed to the early spread of Schenkerian ideas in the U.S., but one played a... more Many musicians contributed to the early spread of Schenkerian ideas in the U.S., but one played a crucial and unparalleled role during the earliest decade, the 1930s: Hans Weisse (1892–1940), one of Schenker’s most esteemed students. Although Jewish, Weisse was not a political or war refugee, as were later Schenker émigrés. Instead, he came to the U.S. to teach, in the fall of 1931; by the time his former colleagues were finding their ways from Europe, Weisse had already become an American citizen. He died prematurely in 1940, but by then his impact on the pedagogy of music theory and analysis was already being felt, not only directly, at institutions where he taught, but through his many students who were active in disseminating the Schenkerian approach.
As the Schenker enterprise now enters its eighth decade in the U.S., a better understanding of its early and largely unexplored foundations becomes ever more essential, and the contributions of Weisse provide a logical point of departure. Heretofore his role has remained largely undocumented. Investigation of three aspects of Weisse’s accomplishment and legacy help shed light on his pivotal role as a music educator and thinker in this country: the record of his highly active professional life as a teacher of music; the theoretical positions and pedagogical strategies revealed by his few preserved writings and remarks; and the enduring influence of his teachings. Through the work of his students, it can be seen that his contribution was decisive in laying the foundation for future Schenkerian work
Schenker-Traditionen: Eine Wiener Schule der Musiktheorie und ihre internationale Verbreitung [Schenker Traditions: A Viennese School of Music Theory and Its International Dissemination], 2006
Current Musicology, 2002
Since the 1930s, New York has flourished as something of a “capitol city” for Schenkerian activit... more Since the 1930s, New York has flourished as something of a “capitol city” for Schenkerian activities in the U.S. However, the role of one important participant in the emergence and development of New York’s “Schenker School” has remained largely unknown: that of Adele T. Katz. Her name is recognized by those who know early Schenkerian literature, due to a 1935 article and 1945 book. However, almost nothing has been known about Katz’s life or professional endeavors apart from these writings. This neglect is unfortunate, as she was very active in teaching music and analysis in New York City, from the early 1930s through the 1960s, where she had contact with other early supporters and instructors of Schenkerian analysis. Investigating the extent of her activities and associations allows us to paint a much fuller and richer picture of the early dissemination of Schenkerian ideas in the U.S., just as it permits those familiar with Katz’s writings to probe the personality and philosophies behind the words and graphs.
Through institutional archive research and consultations with those who knew or worked with her, the author documents her endeavors. Following a biographical overview, the largest component of the article is devoted to Katz’s teaching activities; a consideration of her publications follows. A brief conclusion summarizes the primary focus of her work as a Schenkerian (i.e., music pedagogy), and addresses a more general topic that emerged through the narrative: the roles of women in the transmission of Schenker’s ideas. In both Schenker’s Vienna and Katz’s New York, women were active in studying and promoting Schenkerian theory, although most of them have remained largely unknown. This essay partly addresses that oversight by raising awareness of the several women who had roles in the early Schenker community, especially in its American incarnation.
Journal of Schenkerian Studies, 2005
Victor Vaughn Lytle (1884–1969) was one of the earliest American-born disciples of Heinrich Schen... more Victor Vaughn Lytle (1884–1969) was one of the earliest American-born disciples of Heinrich Schenker. Between 1928 and 1930, he studied in Vienna with Schenker’s pupil, Hans Weisse; and he wrote of his plan to introduce Schenkerian concepts into an American conservatory (Oberlin) at a time that pre-dated Weisse’s own endeavors at New York’s Mannes School. Lytle’s 1931 essay, “Music Composition of the Present” (published in The American Organist), offers what may be the earliest English-language explication of several key Schenkerian concepts: tonicalization, Auskomponierung, prolongation, Urlinie, and Ursatz.
In this article, the author assesses Lytle and his work, beginning with what is known about his personal connection with Schenker and the nature of his studies, and then progressing to an evaluation of the ideas—both theoretical and polemical—presented in his 1931 essay. Portions of the essay are revealed to be translations of Schenker’s own writings (some more direct and some more paraphrased); an appendix provides four of the more extensive passages in both Schenker’s German and Lytle’s English renderings.
Lytle apparently did not promote Schenker’s approach beyond Oberlin, nor did he produce Schenker devotees of note. Yet he is argued to be historically significant for what he represents: an American musician with an institutional appointment and access to numerous students, whose approach to musical interpretation—and perhaps also to teaching—was influenced by Schenkerian ideas from the early 1930s. Thus, he is one of a few individuals from this time who was helping, in his own way, to prepare for the interest in Schenker’s ideas that began to emerge more fully in the U.S. only in the 1950s and afterward.
Journal of Music Theory, 2006
This article addresses the role played by Allen Forte in establishing the Journal of Music Theory... more This article addresses the role played by Allen Forte in establishing the Journal of Music Theory as a journal of record for the American discipline of music theory, as it emerged and evolved in the 1960s. The journal was founded at Yale University in 1957 by editor David Kraehenbuehl. When he left his position at both the university and the journal in 1960, the editorship passed to Allen Forte, who functioned in that capacity for the next seven years, making him not only the longest-serving editor in the journal’s history, but also one at an especially crucial period, when conceptions of the field were beginning to crystallize and circulate in the forms recognizable today. This article explores, in turn, the path Forte took to the journal (and Yale); aspects of editorship, design, and production during his time; the personal imprint he made on the journal, in terms of his editorial agenda; and his departure from the editorship and the legacy he left behind. Quotations from the author’s interviews with Forte are included.
Gamut [A Music-Theoretical Matrix: Essays in Honor of Allen Forte (Part V)], 2013
This essay offers the editor’s commentary on A Music-Theoretical Matrix: Essays in Honor of Allen... more This essay offers the editor’s commentary on A Music-Theoretical Matrix: Essays in Honor of Allen Forte, a Festschrift serialized in five installments (2009–2014) in the online music-theory journal Gamut. The Festschrift consists of twenty-two articles by Forte’s former doctoral advisees, and three special features: a previously unpublished article by Forte on Gershwin songs, a collection of tributes and reminiscences from forty-two of his former advisees, and an annotated register of his publications and advisees. (The complete content of the Festschrift is given in an Appendix.) The essay provides general information about the Festschrift: how it originated, how it came to take its serialized form and title, and points of orientation for the reader with respect to its content. An epilogue offers a brief summation of the significance of the honoree, to both the contributors and the field at large.
This article is part of a special, serialized feature: A Music-Theoretical Matrix: Essays in Honor of Allen Forte (Part V).
Gamut [A Music-Theoretical Matrix: Essays in Honor of Allen Forte (Part I)], 2009
This article tabulates the publications and dissertation advisees of the music theorist Allen For... more This article tabulates the publications and dissertation advisees of the music theorist Allen Forte; they are called the “twin legacies” of one whose work in academe has been devoted to both scholarship and teaching. The publications, issued between 1955 and early 2009, are divided into nine categories, each ordered chronologically: (1) Books; (2) Articles; (3) Addresses, Responses, Forums, and Discussions; (4) Introductions, Forewords, Editorials, and Memorials; (5) Encyclopedia and Dictionary Entries; (6) Reviews; (7) Letters to Editors; (8) Libretto Translations, Liner Notes, and Recordings; and (9) Editorial Work. Entries are annotated with one or more of the following subfields, as necessary: Remarks, Ancillaries, Later Editions, Reprints, Translations, and (for books) Reviews. Excluding items only edited by Forte, these publications consist of ten books, sixty-three articles, and thirty-six other types publications. An Appendix presents an abbreviated chronological listing of all his publications, without regard to categories. The list of advisees consists of the name, dissertation title, and date of submission for each of Forte’s seventy-two Ph.D. advisees at Yale University. The list is ordered chronologically by dissertation submission (which ranges from 1968 to 2002), and each advisee is given an “FA” number to denote his or her ordering among the advisees. (“FA” stands for “Forte Advisee,” and is also a retrograde of Allen Forte’s initials.) Together, the two tabulations document some of the reasons that Forte’s legacy looms so large in music theory.
This article is part of a special, serialized feature: A Music-Theoretical Matrix: Essays in Honor of Allen Forte (Part I).
Gamut [A Music-Theoretical Matrix: Essays in Honor of Allen Forte (Part V)], 2013
Testimonials are collected from forty-two former doctoral advisees of Allen Forte, whose Yale gra... more Testimonials are collected from forty-two former doctoral advisees of Allen Forte, whose Yale graduation dates range from 1968 to 2002. Although the style and focus of individual tributes vary, many convey something about Forte, both professionally and personally, at the time in which the advisee studied with him. The results are ordered chronologically (by Ph.D. dates) so that collectively they suggest the evolution of Forte himself, as well as North American music theory, across the decades. The contributors include (in alphabetical order): Baker, James M.; Ballan, Harry R.; Beach, David W.; Bergman, Rachel; Bernard, Jonathan W.; Berry, David Carson; Black, Leslie; Boss, Jack F.; Brown, Stephen C.; Chapman, Alan; Check, John; Chrisman, Richard; Damschroder, David A.; Ewell, Philip; Galand, Joel; Girton, Irene M. [Levenson]; Graziano, John; Greer, Taylor A.; Hamao, Fusako; Hanson, Jens L.; Harrison, Daniel; Horlacher, Gretchen; Kowalke, Kim H.; Krebs, Harald; Latham, Edward D.; McNamee, Ann K.; Moreno, Jairo; Neumeyer, David; Nolan, Catherine; Rothgeb, John; Rothstein, William; Russom, Philip; Schmalfeldt, Janet; Schwanauer, Stephan M.; Shaftel, Matthew R.; Spicer, Mark S.; Stein, Deborah; Straus, Joseph N.; Wason, Robert W.; Wheaton, J. Randall; Yeston, Maury; and Yih, Annie K.
This article is part of a special, serialized feature: A Music-Theoretical Matrix: Essays in Honor of Allen Forte (Part V).
Intégral, 1999
Irving Berlin (1888–1989) was one of the few popular songwriters of his time to write both melody... more Irving Berlin (1888–1989) was one of the few popular songwriters of his time to write both melody and lyric, and he integrated both talents in crafting his songs. The author demonstrates one facet of Berlin’s ingenuity by addressing an aspect of melody–lyric coordination common to some songs that consist of a verse–refrain complex. These contrasting sections are examined in terms of large-scale linear/melodic features, employing analytic procedures adapted from Schenkerian techniques.
In each song studied, the verse melody is found to enact a large-scale ascent to the song’s primary tone, which occurs at or near the beginning of the refrain. Such ascent well represents the dynamics of the verse’s lyric: just as it prepares or sets up the arrival of the refrain (which begins the main lyrical idea), so does the verse’s structural melodic line anticipate the refrain by ascending to its primary tone (which begins the main musical idea). Just as the verse’s melodic ascent serves psychologically to create anticipation, so does its lyric employ the language of preparation, its main function being to lead the listener to the “hook” line of the refrain. Berlin’s verse melodies are thus revealed to be dynamic constructs; they provide a metaphorical “inhalation” that can only be released with the refrain—the “exhalation.”
Several songs are considered from the above perspective; other significant elements of text painting are also canvassed, as are relevant, idiomatic features of the repertory. In the concluding sections, the author reflects upon the connotations of the analyses for the aesthetic issues of form and balance, as well as performance.
Theory and Practice, 2001
Those who have written about songwriter Irving Berlin (1888–1989) have frequently fixated on two ... more Those who have written about songwriter Irving Berlin (1888–1989) have frequently fixated on two facts, both related to his lack of proficiency on the piano: first, that he preferred to play on the black keys; and second, that he used a “transposing piano”—i.e., one fitted with a lever that shifted the position of the strings vis-à-vis the hammers, allowing any selected key to be heard while the notes of another key are being fingered. Over the years, journalistic writers of minimal musical knowledge have succeeded in greatly exaggerating both circumstances—especially through their claims about the compositional benefits that supposedly accrue from using a transposing piano.
In this article, I set aside received hyperbole and meticulously examine the musical results of Berlin’s labors. My goal is to delimit the various types of expressive chromaticism that enrich so many of his melodies; to consider the ways in which they function, and how they impinge upon a listener’s interpretation. In the main text, 70 songs are cited, spanning a half century, from 1908 to 1957; many are examined in detail, and occasionally in more than one context. Annotated appendices provide information on many more. Because exaggerated references to the piano lever have been so prominent in the Berlin literature, I occasionally return to such a possibility in order to expose its logical inconsistencies vis-à-vis the particular type of chromaticism under discussion. In doing so, I explode the myth that a transposing lever motivated his musical choices, and propose instead the opposite: that it was a very musical ear that guided any lever-twisting that might have occurred. However, the principal aim of the article is to interpret the expressive and structural uses of a vital component of Berlin’s songs, as well as of the Tin Pan Alley repertory in general: chromaticism.
I begin with a more thorough inspection of the “black-key” argument, and the types of pentatonicism that would result from such an approach. Species of chromaticism, of both smaller and larger scales, are then scrutinized. Included in the former category are immediate or directly applied types of chromaticism—i.e., local passing and neighboring tones, blue notes, applied dominants, neighboring and passing chords, and so forth. Regarding the latter category, I consider how chromatic passages can complement the larger-scale designs of songs, through definition and elucidation of four ways in which Berlin used chromaticism on this level: in changes between parallel modes, in exactly-transposed segments or phrases, in tonicized segments or phrases, and in sectional key changes.
Indiana Theory Review, 2000
Jimmy Van Heusen (1913–90) was a significant popular songwriter in the U.S., during the middle th... more Jimmy Van Heusen (1913–90) was a significant popular songwriter in the U.S., during the middle third of the twentieth century. He attained great critical and commercial success with both film and non-film songs, many of which have become standards. His songs are also highly interesting as music, and often embody ingenious compositional designs. This essay is intended to enrich the reader’s understanding of the craft of this talented artist, through a survey of his compositional techniques and mannerisms. Proceeding from a comprehensive study of the original sheet music of nearly one hundred songs, the author examines Van Heusen’s output from the standpoints of several parameters, beginning with harmony, progressing to linear-melodic aspects including melody construction itself, and lastly addressing the integration of all the previous into formal schemes. Van Heusen’s music is shown to have a carefully coordinated structure that underpins an engaging and seemingly simple surface; his songs often embody a concealed compositional sophistica-tion that is as remarkable as it is overlooked.
Although the primary focus is the compositional practice of this particular songwriter, many remarks and observations also have greater currency, relating as they do to the repertory in general. Thus, a secondary goal is to increase awareness of the often intricate elements of design that the repertory embodies.