<< 1 >>
Rating: Summary: Excellent book Review: I deffinately recomend this book for those interested in learning Harmony particularly Baroque techniques such as figured bass and the more traditional rules of harmony. Obviously if you are interested in 20th century harmony like the 12 tone system this book will be of little use to you. I would like to note that at times the book is a little bit confusing (mainly the way some of it is written and organized not really the concepts) but overall dilligent study of this book will prove very usefull. I would recomend at least some basic knowledge to really utilize this book, but Rameau is very thorogh so really anyone that wants to could learn from this book. I would also like to recommend Theory of Harmony by Arnold Shoenberg.
Rating: Summary: recommended Review: Jean-Phillipe Rameau is, of course, the most esteemed French composer of the late Baroque period (comparable in stature only to J.S. Bach, Vivaldi, and Handel). He is also quite possibly the most influential music theorist ever to have lived. His theory of root progression profoundly altered Western-European-derived music, for the better and for the worse (as his contemporary detractors warned it would--by greatly simplifying the study of harmony such that it could be easily abused). But Rameau's works have rarely been made available in English translation. This is book that belongs on every music theorist's, composer's, and music teacher's shelf. (I impatiently await further volumes of Rameau's works in English translation.)Also recommended: "Pentatonic Scales for the Jazz-Rock Keyboardist" by Jeff Burns
<< 1 >>
|