The Composer's Handbook A Guide to the Principles of Musical Composition Classic Reprint

Excerpt from The Composer's Handbook: A Guide to the Principles of Musical Composition

The author's experience as a teacher has convinced him that condensed and didactic statements of facts and theories are of little use to the elementary student. Line upon line, and precept upon precept will alone avail to produce an abiding impression. Hence the general principles of composition - what the late Rev. John Curwen called the Common places of Music - have been steadily kept in view, enforced by constant reiteration, and illustrated by numerous examples from the works of past and present composers; while, to prevent the student's attention from being diverted to side issues, no attempt has been made to deal with those extraordinary and exceptional developments of music which lie beyond average attainment, nor with the exaggerated and bizarre efforts of those composers who endeavour to take music out of its proper sphere.

The Table of Contents indicates the general scope of this work; but 'it may be mentioned that Cadences, which are always particularly difficult for the beginner to manage effectively, are treated with special fulness in the first four chapters. Several tables have been prepared to show exactly what cadences the older composers were in the habit of using, and also the tendencies of modern practice and it is hoped that these tables will be found useful, not only to students, but to teachers. Among other topics which have received special attention are Songs, Two-part and Three-part Writing, Pianoforte Accompaniments, Accompaniments for Strings, and Scoring for Small Orchestras.

Although this is not avowedly a treatise on Musical Form, all the smaller forms of composition are fully discussed while the analyses of the larger forms (sonata, Symphony, are sufficient to point out the lines of study necessary for their more complete investigation.

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