Introduction to Schenkerian Analysis

By Allen Forte, Steven Gilbert, Steven E. Gilbert, et al.

Book Overview

The book begins with a thorough coverage of a number of elementary matters. This may be regarded either as a review or as a reorientation in preparation for the systematic presentation that follows.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0393951928
• ISBN13: 9780393951929
• Release Date: August 1982
• Publisher: W W Norton & Co Inc
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 1.71 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.8" x 1.0" x 6.5"

Customer Reviews

It looked clean till I tried reading it.

I know this publication; have several copies. I was looking for a clean hard back edition. It was listed as "Good," but had ink underlines, done in a messy free hand that sometimes crossed out the printing. Horrible person that did such disrespect to a book. My point is that a used publication described as "Good," doesn't have ink underlining throwout the publication. The student who did this got it right that the places he (his name is written in the front of the book) obliterated with messy ink freehand underling are the significant part. Book was not in Good condition.

Excellent Intro to Schenker

I've been looking for a book like this for a long time. I'm using it for self-study of Schenker's theories. I find Schenkers own works to assume that one already understands a lot about his theories. This book starts from the beginning, and leads you through some very complex and worthwhile ideas. I think any serious musician not acquainted with Schenker and interested in more than a superficial understanding of his thought could greatly benefit from reading this book (and working through the exercises).

Best when used by a great teacher

Forte's "Introduction to Schenkerian Analysis" is most effective when used by a good teacher. After all, this is a textbook and not a novel. I feel that some of the reviewers of this book are comparing Forte to Ernest Hemingway, or Robert Frost. Writings on music theory are extremely technical; they are almost never going to be eloquent or poetic. Sometimes things are difficult to understand. THAT'S WHY PROFESSORS EARN $90,000 PER YEAR. This book contains several examples from the tonal literature that define, explain, and illuminate the principles associated with Schenkerian theory in a candid, matter-of-fact way. I recommend this book for anyone interested in music theory.