Practical Music Theory
Edition: 1
Copyright: 2014
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A practical, comprehensive, and concise approach to the study of music theory, John Baur's Practical Music Theory is enhanced by the full power of online resources to explore and teach the primary theoretical material.
Seamlessly integrated within the framework of the Practical Music Theory textbook is access to a robust accompanying website that features:
- Practical Student Resources - Homework examples and exams with instant grading sent to the instructor, PowerPoint® presentations, drills, and practice tests for each chapter.
- Invaluable Instructor Resources - Including PowerPoint® presentations for each chapter, full course management software, lecture outlines for semester/quarter format courses, and additional analytical discussions.
- Technology - Interactive drill work exercises and audio files/YouTube™ links to all music examples.
Practical Music Theory begins with introductory chapters that bring a vast array of theoretical understanding to the student at the beginning of the course and continues with a comprehensive look at tonal music, part-writing, and form ending with a wide array of 20th and 21st century materials.
PART ONE: INTRODUCTORY MATERIAL
Chapter 1. Notation of Pitch and Rhythm
Early notation, four- line staff, C and F clefs
Modern staff, clefs (treble, bass clefs, grand staff)
Octave designations
Rhythmic modes and early notation of rhythm
Modern notation of rhythm and meter
rhythmic symbols
beat designation
use of dots
meter and tempo
simple meter
compound meter
irregular meter
Chapter 2. Scales and Intervals
Modes, solmization system
Major scale and key signatures
Names of scale degrees
Modern Solfege
Intervals:
major
perfect
minor
augmented
diminished
inversion of intervals
consonant and dissonant intervals
Minor scale and key signatures
natural minor
harmonic minor
melodic minor
Solfege for minor
do-re-me
la-ti-do
Other scales:
chromatic
pentatonic
whole tone
octatonic
synthetic scales
12-tone row
Chapter 3. Organizational Concepts
Melodic phrase:
standard 2-, 4-measure phrase
antecedent/consequence phrase
motivic constructions
irregular length phrases
melodic cadences
Melodic sequence:
tonal
real
Rhythmic devices and accent:
agogic accent
tonic accent
hemiola
isorhythm
Multiple phrase combinations:
binary
rounded binary
ternary
Chapter 4. Triads
Triadic construction:
major
minor
diminished
augmented
Triads in the major and minor scale
Inversions of triads
Roman numeral designations/names
Figured bass
Root progression:
in tonal music
in modal music
Harmonic cadences:
modal cadences: double leading tone, Phrygian, single leading tone
tonal cadences: authentic, plagal, deceptive, half, Phrygian, leading tone
Chapter 5. Timbral Concepts
Orchestral instruments
Transposition
horns
trumpets
clarinets
alto flute
English horn
piccolo
contrabassoon and double bass
Instrumental combinations
Score order
The notated page
Basic terms of music on the score
PART TWO: THE MAJOR/MINOR HARMONIC SYSTEM
Chapter 6. Diatonic Harmony: Voice Leading and Functional Harmony
Functional harmony
Harmonic progression of diatonic chords
Use of inversion and voice doubling
Introduction to part-writing
Harmonization of melodies using diatonic chords
Range and voice leading
Tendency tones and resolutions
Chapter 7. Use and Function of Non-Chord Tones
Passing tones
Accented passing tones
Chromatic passing tones/accented chromatic passing tones
Neighbor tones
Anticipation
Escape tones (and cambiata figure)
Changing tones
Suspensions and retardations
Appoggiatura
Pedal tones
Chapter 8. Seventh Chords in Diatonic Harmony, with Inversions
Basic construction:
major-minor
minor-minor
major-major
diminished-minor
diminished-diminished
Construction within the scale (major and minor)
Inversions
Voice leading for root position seventh chords and inversions:
major-minor
minor-minor
major-major
diminished-minor
diminished-diminished
Chorale harmonization using 7th chords
Chapter 9. Secondary Dominants
Construction and use
Diatonic modulation: key relationships
Use of pivot chord in diatonic modulation: means of modulation
diatonic modulation through diatonic means
diatonic modulation through chromatic means
diatonic modulation through enharmonic means
Part-writing using secondary dominants with modulation
Figured bass using secondary dominants
Chapter 10. Secondary Diminished 7th Chords
Construction
Use and function
Enharmonic usage
modulation to eight keys
Part-writing using secondary diminished 7th chords
Chapter 11. Realization of Figured Bass
Figures:
triad and inversions
Melodic figuration
Use of sharps and flats
Realization and part-writing
Chapter 12. Chromatic Modulation
Chromatic key relationships
Means for chromatic modulation
chromatic modulation through chromatic means
chromatic modulation through diatonic means
Third relation
Chapter 13. Altered Chords
Neapolitan 6th chord
Augmented 6th chords
Augmented dominant (with and without the 7th)
Further concepts of part-writing
PART THREE: DEVELOPMENT OF FORM IN THE MAJOR/MINOR SYSTEM
Chapter 14. Early forms
Binary form
Ternary form
Da Capo aria
Passacaglia/chaconne techniques
Rounded binary
Fugue technique
Chapter 15. Classic Forms
Minuet-trio
Sonata-allegro
Small rondo
Large rondo
Sonata-rondo
Chapter 16. Romantic Forms: Extension of Previous Forms
Scherzo-trio
Sonata-allegro expansion
PART FOUR: EXTENDED HARMONY AND DISSONANCE IN MAJOR/MINOR SYSTEM: THE LATE 19TH CENTURY
Chapter 17. Modal Borrowing, 9th, 11th, 13th Chords
Modal borrowing (bimodality)
9th chords (major and minor 9th)
11th chord construction and use
13th chord construction and use
Part-writing and use
Chapter 18. Harmonic Extension in the 19th Century
Linear functions (chordal mutation)
Enharmonic concepts (diminished 7th chord, augmented 6th chord, dominant 7th)
Substitute dominants
Further part-writing concepts
Postlude: The dissolution of the major/minor system
Linear/parallel harmony (planing)
Common-tone diminished 7th
Non-functional use of chords
Destruction of functionality
Chapter 19. Experiments in Part-Writing
Three Harmonizations of Hyfrydol: Wesley Emerson (traditional)
Extended Harmonization of Keep Me Everyday: Leo Davis (gospel)
Three Harmonizations of What a Wonderful World: Jack Cooper (jazz)
PART FIVE: 20TH AND 21ST CENTURY CONCEPTS (MODERN AND POST-MODERN)
Chapter 20. Chromatic extensions (Schoenberg, Webern, Skryabin)
Set theory concepts
set class
prime form/normal form
transposition and inversion
Intervallic control and projection
Atonality
Gestural control
Chapter 21. Scalar Extensions (Debussy, Stravinsky, Bartok, Messiaen)
Parallel harmony (planing)
Pentatonic scale
Whole tone scale
Panditonicism
Synthetic scales
Octatonic scale
Messiaen Modes of Limited Transposition
Chapter 22. Chordal Extensions (Hindemith, Milhaud, Stravinsky)
Quartal/quintal harmony
Secundal harmony
Expanded tertian harmony
Bichordal and Polychordal use
Polytonality
Chapter 23. 12-Tone (Schoenberg, Webern, Dallapiccola)
Row construction
Matrix
Basic use of the 12-tone system
Combinatoriality
hexachord use
tetrachord use
trichord use
Chapter 24. Gesture and Texture Explorations (Schoenberg, Bartok, Penderecki, Lutoslawski)
Gesture as motive
Proportional notation
Textural gestures
Pitch wheels
Chapter 25. Process Concepts (Messiaen, Cage, Pärt)
Total serialism
I Ching methods
Tintinnabulation
Chapter 26. Fusion (Torke, Adams, Ince)
Minimalism/post-minimalism
Text/pitch manipulation
Folk/national influences
Rock/pop influences
Professor and Coordinator of Theory and Composition, Baur holds a Bachelor of Music, Master of Music,
and Doctor of Musical Arts degree in composition from the College-Conservatory of Music, University
of Cincinnati. As a Fulbright Scholar in England in 1971, Baur studied with Thea Musgrave and Richard
Rodney Bennett. Baur has received numerous commissions, including grants for new works from the National
Endowment for the Arts. In 1982 he was designated “Tennessee Composer of the Year” by the Tennessee
Music Educators Association. His program, Music of the 20th Century, on public radio station WKNO, was
broadcast nationally in 1992. His two-volume textbook, Music Theory through Literature, is available through
C.J. Publishers, Memphis. His compositions span a wide array of genres, including large works for chorus
and orchestra, small chamber works, numerous works for guitar, several sets of songs, and three string quartets.
His opera, The Promise, based on the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., premiered at the Germantown
Performing Arts Centre in October 2004.
In 2011 he embarked on the current theory textbook, Practical Music Theory, which incorporates the
strategic use of I nternet resources both for the student and the instructor.
Baur has been associated with The University of Memphis since 1979, where he has served as Interim
Director of the School of Music as well as Associate Director for Graduate Studies, in addition to his teaching
responsibilities.