[Smt-talk] MISSING THEORY COMPONENT?

[Ildar Khannanov]

Dear Stephen and the List,

you hit the spot! There are no melodies in contemporary textbooks. There is
everything possibly imagined but no melody. I do not remember a single one
after using them for years. In contrast with this, in my very old Igor
Sposobin and Co textbook there are melodies. You can throw away the text if
you do not like it but the melodies--ah, those nice melodies, written by
composers of Romantic style in the first half of the 20th century--are
magnificent. And each chapter ends with some 20 to 25 melody harmonization
assignments. More than half of the textbook is melodies and explanations to
their harmonization. It was so easy to understand the jazz standards and
all other forms of melodicity after learning harmony with this textbook. It
borrowed some materials from Richtee and from Louis and Thuille but
melodies in it are original.

Later on in USSR they published some newer textbooks. They were more up to
date but I would not recommend melodic material. Boring. Something has
disappeared from music after WWII.

Happy Memorial Day!

Best,

Ildar Khannanov
Peabody Conservatory, Johns Hopkins University
etudetableau at gmail.com


2014-05-23 8:54 GMT-04:00 Stephen Jablonsky <jablonsky at optimum.net>:

> Yesterday I administered the last of my final exams for my 100th semester
> of teaching so it was a very special day. I am still basking in the glow.
>
> Since we are talking about ideal theory curricula I thought I would
> mention one of my pet peeves. A survey of the leading music theory
> textbooks reveals that they are missing a component I consider
> significant––melody. The authors of most theory textbooks seem to think
> that music theory is all about harmony, counterpoint, and voice-leading.
> But that is the theory of multi-voice textures. When do our students learn
> to construct single lines, the things we all hum as we go about our day?
>
> Back in the day, before I became chair, when I taught Theory 1 I always
> included a section on the composition of folk melodies in my syllabus.
> Because I am a composer I know that everyone of my students is a potential
> composer. Their ultimate success in this endeavor will depend on the degree
> of their talent, training, and time (The Three Ts) spent struggling to
> organize sounds and silences. Since I am a stickler for nonharmarmonic
> tones I find that they are best taught by having students use them in the
> composition of melodies. By writing folk melodies student learn about
> phrase structure, cadences, and contour in ways that are more lasting than
> just analysis alone. I am sure that all of you who teach theory know that
> beginning students have a difficult time discerning the harmonic
> implications of melodies and so it is hard for them to sit at the piano and
> harmonize a given tune. If they are taught to create melodies built on
> simple chord progressions they struggle less.
>
> If any of you would like to receive a copy of my chapter on the
> composition of folk melodies from my* Tonal Facts & Tonal Theories* I
> would be happy to send you a pdf file.
>
> I should mention that in Theory 2 I have my students write original
> melodies to the chord changes of the American Standard Songbook. The best
> students in the class come up with amazing solutions that employ melodic
> development, sequences, and the construction of well planned and executed
> climaxes and conclusions. Along the way they gain familiarity with
> secondary ii-Vs and modal borrowings as well as chromatic appoggiatures and
> piquant suspensions.
>
>
> *Dr. Stephen Jablonsky, Ph.D.*
> *Music Department Chair*
> *The City College of New York*
> *Shepard Hall Room 72*
> *New York NY 10031*
> *(212) 650-7663 <%28212%29%20650-7663>*
> *music at ccny.cuny.edu <music at ccny.cuny.edu>*
>
> America's Greatest Chair
> in the low-priced field
>
>
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