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Music Theory

This guide is comprised of resources that relate to the study of Music Theory. Please direct all inquiries to musiclib@bu.edu.

Databases

The music index

ProQuest dissertations & theses (PQDT)

RILM abstracts of music literature (Online)

Websites

Center for Schenkerian Studies

Located at the University of North Texas, the Center promotes various activities including: the Journal of Schenkerian Studies, the typesetting of Schenkerian graphs for publication and dissemination, the preservation and archiving of documents contained in the Reinhard Oppel Memorial Collection housed at UNT’s Willis Library.

Center for the History of Music Theory and Literature

The CMHTL is based at the School of Music, Indiana University. This site features links to their projects and activities, among which are Thesaurus Musicarum Latinarum (TML) and saggi musicali italiani.

New England Conference of Music Theorists

The NECMT serves the academic music theory community in New England and the surrounding areas.

Society for Music Theory

Founded in 1977, the Society holds annual meetings, publishes two journals (Music Theory Spectrum and Music Theory Online), and encourages scholarly excellence by giving awards for outstanding publications in music theory.

Journals

Ex tempore : a journal of compositional and theoretical research in music. (1981)

Available at Stacks (ML1 .E9 )

In theory only. (1975)

Music research forum. (1986-)

Musiktheorie. (1986-)

Zeitschrift für Musiktheorie. (1970)

Reference works

The analysis of music (1976)

Author: John David White 1931-

Available at Open reserve (MT6.W4147 A6 )

A bibliography of the history of music theory. (1971)

Author: David Russell Williams

Available at Stacks (ML128.L3 W5 1971M )

Chromaticism : theory and practice (c1994)

Author: Howard Boatwright

Available at Open reserve (MT6.B648 C488 1994 )

The complete musician : an integrated approach to tonal theory, analysis, and listening (2008)

Author: Steven G. Laitz (Steven Geoffrey)

Available at Video (MT6.L136 C66 2008 ), Open reserve (MT6.L136 C66 2008 )

Form and analysis theory : a bibliography (1998)

Author: James E. Perone

Available at Reference (ML128.T5 P45 1998 )

Graduate review of tonal theory : a recasting of common-practice harmony, form, and counterpoint (2010)

Author: Steven G. Laitz (Steven Geoffrey)

Available at Open reserve (MT6.L136 G73 2010 ), Video (MT6.L136 G73 2010 )

Music theory from Boethius to Zarlino : a bibliography and guide (c2007)

Music theory from Zarlino to Schenker : a bibliography and guide (1990)

Author: David Damschroder

Available at Reference (ML128.T5 D27 1990 )

The musician's guide to theory and analysis (c2005)

Author: Jane Piper Clendinning

Available at CD collection (MT6 .C57 2005 ), Open reserve (MT6 .C57 2005 )

The shaping forces in music : an inquiry into the nature of harmony, melody, counterpoint, form (1977)

Author: Ernst Toch 1887-1964.

Available at Stacks (MT6 .T6 1977 )

The study of orchestration (c2002)

Author: Samuel Adler 1928-

Available at Stacks (MT70 .A3 2002 ), CD collection (MT70 .A3 2002 )

Understanding music (c2008)

Author: Jeremy Yudkin

Available at Open reserve (MT6.Y86 U53 2008 )