Read lists chronologically, describes, and analyzes the majority of the notational systems proposed during the past three centuries, providing a broad understanding of the historical background that informs the current debates. Each proposal is accompanied by a brief transcription from standard notation to illustrate the effectiveness of implementing this novel system.
Prelude The Notation of Quarter and Three-Quarter Tones The Notation of Eighth and Sixteenth Tones The Notation of Third, Sixth, and Twelfth-Tones The Notation of Fifth-Tones and the 31-Tone Scale The Notation of Extended and Compressed Microtonal Scales Postlude Bibliography Index
GARDNER READ is Professor Emeritus, School for the Arts at Boston University. He is the author of six books, including Thesaurus of Orchestral Devices (Greenwood Press, 1969) and Source Book of Proposed Music Notation Reforms (Greenwood Press, 1987).
?No less a figure than Igor Stravinsky observed, shortly before his
death, that he believed the expansion of intonation and pitch would
characterize the next stage of development in Western art music.
Read's new book brings us up to the moment on the history of, and
current conditions in, the exploitation and notation of microtonal
music. Exhaustive in coverage, free from judgmental views, clear
and definitive in presenting the problems and possibilities of
microtonal music and notation, Read's work is as thorough and
authoritative a consideration of the field as we are likely to see.
Drawing upon examples from an impressive list of composers living
and dead, Read discusses the fundamental problems with microtones:
how to accommodate microtonal notation to established diatonic and
chromatic notational norms, which octave-divisions to exploit, and
how to persuade the many composers working with microtones to agree
upon a single notational method. Read leaves no doubt that the
problems are daunting and thus far largely unresolved, but his
predictions of likely avenues for development in the near future
seem sensible and possible of achievement. The book is well
printed, contains a lengthy bibliography and index, and is
remarkably free from typographical error, no mean feat in a work of
such complexity. If there is as yet no overpowering literature of
microtonal music, Read's study demonstrates that many excellent
musicians are laboring in the vineyard of the microtone. In the
spirit of Mr. Micawber, something is bound to turn up.?-Choice
"No less a figure than Igor Stravinsky observed, shortly before his
death, that he believed the expansion of intonation and pitch would
characterize the next stage of development in Western art music.
Read's new book brings us up to the moment on the history of, and
current conditions in, the exploitation and notation of microtonal
music. Exhaustive in coverage, free from judgmental views, clear
and definitive in presenting the problems and possibilities of
microtonal music and notation, Read's work is as thorough and
authoritative a consideration of the field as we are likely to see.
Drawing upon examples from an impressive list of composers living
and dead, Read discusses the fundamental problems with microtones:
how to accommodate microtonal notation to established diatonic and
chromatic notational norms, which octave-divisions to exploit, and
how to persuade the many composers working with microtones to agree
upon a single notational method. Read leaves no doubt that the
problems are daunting and thus far largely unresolved, but his
predictions of likely avenues for development in the near future
seem sensible and possible of achievement. The book is well
printed, contains a lengthy bibliography and index, and is
remarkably free from typographical error, no mean feat in a work of
such complexity. If there is as yet no overpowering literature of
microtonal music, Read's study demonstrates that many excellent
musicians are laboring in the vineyard of the microtone. In the
spirit of Mr. Micawber, something is bound to turn up."-Choice
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