Theory Orals: Rhythm & Meter / Readings

Question 1

What are the main contributions of Lerdahl and Jackendoff (1983) from a rhythm and meter perspective?

Answer 1

• -Grouping Structure (Phrasing)

- -Metric Structure (Metric Hierarchy)

Question 2

What are some recent theories on rhythm and meter (in the last 10 or 15 years)?

Answer 2

• -Krebs: Fantasy Pieces (1999) – Metric Dissonance in Schumann
• -London: Hearing in Time (2004) – Metric Perception and Cognition
• -Richard Cone - Sky-Hill Graphs for Meter

Question 3

Discuss the theory of Metrical dissonance.

Answer 3

Krebs: (Grouping vs. Displacement)

• -Grouping: Layers of unequal Cardinality (eg. G3/2, G4/3, etc.)
• -Displacement: Layers of Equal Cardinality, unaligned (D8+1)
• -Direct Dissonance: Superposition of layers (simultaneous)
• -Indirect Dissonance: Juxtaposition of Layers (one after the other)

Question 4

What are the two main theoretical/analytical concepts of Lewin 1987, and how does this compare to traditional set theory?

Answer 4

• -GMIT- Generalized Music Intervals and Transformations
• -GIS - Generalized Interval System
• -Deals with much broader concepts of tonality and modality (Chromatic, Diatonic, Octatonic SPACE)

Question 5

Discuss the main points of Caplin 1998 (“Classical Forms”).

Answer 5

–Beginning, Middle, and Ending types of form structure.
–Secondary Themes and Development Themes are less important than the beginning.
–Exposition, Development, and Recapitulation can thus be broken down into smaller segments, each with the beginning being the most important part.
Expo = P, TR, S, C
P = Segments, Phrases, Sentences, Periods, etc.

Question 6

Milton Babbitt

Answer 6

• -Set Theory
• -“Who cares if you listen”, analyzing music, saying that it didn’t matter what people thought about it, but the relationships were most important.

Question 7

Allen Forte

Answer 7

• -Forte List
• -Developed Set Theory,
• -“Structure of Atonal Music”

Question 8

David Lewin

Answer 8

• -Highly Mathematical
• -Advanced and Approached Neo-Riemannian from a highly mathematical point of view,
• -“Group Theory”

Question 9

Richard Cohn

Answer 9

• -Hexatonic Cycles
• -Transformation Theory
• -Arrangement of Quartal relations not based on the circle of fifths,
• -Relating tonalities that are not normally related, but they are in the hexatonic poles.
• -Sky-Hill Graphs in Rhythm & Meter

Question 10

Carl Schachter

Answer 10

• -Famous Schenkerian.
• -Research and advancing Schenkerian Analysis. (Along with Felix Saltzer)
• -Began to develop a linear approach in his textbook.

Question 11

David Epstein

Answer 11

• -Schoenberg and Grundgestalt (basis of coherence in a musical composition.)
• -“Beyond Orpheus”
• -“Music & Time”

Question 12

William Rothstein

Answer 12

• -Phrase Rhythm in Tonal Music
• -Basic 4 Bar Phrase, Interaction between Hypermeter and voice leading Schenkerian Graph.
• -Blue Danube Waltz and Hypermeter
• -Blue Danube is “out of phase” with harmonic rhythm.

Question 13

Kofi Agawu

Answer 13

• -“Thinking about Signs”
• -Semiotics
• -Musical Signifiers and Musical Topics

Question 14

What are some analytical approaches to popular music?

Answer 14

• -John Covach- Form in Rock Music
• -Walt Everett - Neo-Riemannian
• -Lorrie Burns - Limited Schenker (within sections) of Tori Amos

Question 15

According to William Rothstein, what is a phrase?

Answer 15

A phrase is a directed tonal motion from one entity to another.

• -You need the Schenker graph to determine the phrase based on harmonic progressions.
• -Motion toward a goal.

Question 16

Which theorists are associated with Rhythm & Meter?

Answer 16

• -Schachter
• -Yeston
• -Krebs
• -Lerdahl & Jackendoff
• -Kramer
• -Rothstein

Question 17

Which theorists are associated with semiotics?

Answer 17

• -Agawu

- -Chandler

Question 18

Theorists in Perception and Cognition.

Answer 18

• -Meyer

- -Temperley

Question 19

Post-Tonal Theorists.

Answer 19

• -Babbitt
• -Lewin
• -Cohn