From Scratch: Writings in Music TheoryOne of the twentieth century's most important musical thinkers, James Tenney did pioneering work in multiple fields, including computer music, tuning theory, and algorithmic and computer-assisted composition. From Scratch arranges, edits, and revises Tenney's hard-to-find writings into one indispensable collection. Selections focus on his fundamental concerns—"what the ear hears"—and include thoughts and ideas on perception and form, tuning systems and especially just intonation, information theory, theories of harmonic space, and stochastic (chance) procedures of composition. |
Contents
1On the Development of the Structural Potentialities of Rhythm Dynamics and Timbre in the Early N | 1 |
2 Meta Hodos 1961 | 13 |
3 Computer Music Experiences 19611964 1964 | 97 |
4 On the Physical Correlates of Timbre 1965 | 128 |
5 Excerpts from An Experimental Investigation of Timbrethe Violin 1966 | 132 |
6 Form in TwentiethCentury Music 196970 | 150 |
7 META Meta Hodos 1975 | 166 |
8 The Chronological Development of Carl Ruggless Melodic Style 1977 | 180 |
14 Review of Music as Heard by Thomas Clifton 1985 | 309 |
SixtyFour Studies for Six Harps 1987 | 327 |
16 Darmstadt Lecture 1990 | 350 |
17 The Several Dimensions of Pitch 19932003 | 368 |
18 On Crystal Growth in Harmonic Space 19932003 | 383 |
19 About Diapason 1996 | 394 |
Appendix 1 PreMeta Hodos 1959 | 397 |
Appendix 2 On Musical Parameters ca 196061 | 408 |
9 Hierarchical Temporal Gestalt Perception in Music A Metric Space Model with Larry Polansky 1978 | 201 |
10 Introduction to Contributions toward a Quantitative Theory of Harmony 1979 | 234 |
11 The Structure of Harmonic Series Aggregates 1979 | 240 |
12 John Cage and the Theory of Harmony 1983 | 280 |
13 Reflections after Bridge 1984 | 305 |
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Common terms and phrases
acoustic amplitude analysis Arnold Schoenberg aspect basic basilar membrane beginning Cage’s called Carl Ruggles changes Clifton cohesion composer composition concept configuration consonance and dissonance correlation defined definition described determined dimensions distinct duration dyad earlier Edgard Varèse effect element example factors figure frequency function fundamental frequencies gestalt given harmonic distance harmonic period harmonic series harmonic space hear hierarchical level Hodos ideas important instruments intervals involved James Tenney John Cage kind Larry Polansky listening mean measure melodic Meta modulation monophonic morphological music theory musical experience musical perception number of harmonics octave one’s parameters perceived piece pitch perception pitch-class pitch-height polyphonic possible problem psychoacoustics range ratios relations relative represent respect result rhythmic Ruggles’s scale Schoenberg shape silence similarity simply sound sound-configurations structure temporal density Tenney Tenney’s Theory of Harmony timbre tion tonal tone twentieth-century music Varèse vertical