Fundamentals of Musical Composition

"Fundamentals of Musical Composition" represents the culmination of more than forty years in Schoenberg's life devoted to the teaching of musical principles to students and composers in Europe and America. For his classes he developed a manner of presentation in wich "every technical matter is discussed in a very fundamental way, so that at the same time it is both simple and thorough".

This book can be used for analysis as well as for composition. On the one hand, it has the practical objetive of introducing students to the process of composing in a systematic way, from the smallers to the largest forms; on the other hand, the author analyses in thorough detail and with numerous illustrations those particular sections in the works of the masters that relate to the compositional problem under discussion.

CONTENIDO

Introduction
Editor's preface
Explanatory note
Glossary

Part I. Construction of themes
I. The concept of form
II. The phrase
III. The motive
IV. Connecting motive-forms
V. Construction of simple themes (1)
VI. Construction of simple themes (2)
VII. Construction of simple themes (3)
VIII. Construction of simple themes (4)
IX. The accompaniment
X. Caracther and mood
XI. Melody and theme
XII. Advice for self-criticism

Part II. Small forms
XIII. The small ternary form
XIV. Uneven, irregular and asymmetrical construction
XV. The minuet
XVI. The Scherzo
XVII. Theme and varations

Part III. Large forms
XVIII. The parts of larger forms (subsidiary formulations)
XIX. The Rondo forms
XX. The sonata-allegro

Appendix
Index