Fundamental Principles of Composition - Revised Edition

Author: (Austrian) Arnold Schoenberg and Wu Peihua
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-10-01
Features: This book combines two approaches to exploration: one is analyzing the works of renowned composers, with a focus on Beethoven's piano sonatas; the other is practical composition of musical forms. As an analytical textbook, it elaborates on the later chapters of The Structure of Harmony, particularly Chapter 11, Progressions for Different Compositional Purposes, in greater detail. As a tutorial for beginners in composition, it expands the material outlined in Examples for the Young Composer. In this book, as in all of his music practice manuals, Schoenberg's teaching method is not solely focused on theoretical considerations but also grounded in revealing fundamental technical issues in composition and demonstrating how they can be resolved in various ways. Through such exploration, students are encouraged to develop their judgment by evaluating numerous possibilities.