The Shaping of Musical Elements

Armand Russell and Allen Trubitt

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The Shaping of Musical Elements

Armand Russell and Allen Trubitt

Designed for the two-year sequence in music theory for music majors, The Shaping of Musical Elements takes an integrated approach to the study of music theory, linking the study of melody, harmony, counterpoint, and form to practical performance applications.  Emphasizing tension as the vital link between theory and performance, this text features a new method of analysis that clarifies texture as it highlights the rise and fall of tension in music-making.

Volume One covers theoretical material on diatonic harmony, borrowed chords, secondary dominants, and leading tone chords; melodic analysis and melody harmonization, musical forms from the phrase to binary and ternary forms and comparable structures; and textual analysis, with an emphasis on two voices. All theoretical concepts are amply supported by a variety of musical examples drawn from the literature.  The book contains a wealth of pedagogical aids, including lists of key terms opening each chapter, marginal callouts of new terms, concise explanations of theoretical concepts supported by musical examples, end-of-chapter summaries, and a glossary.

Volume Two reflects the historical development of music since the seventeenth century.  The early chapters on polyphony emphasize Baroque models.  Subsequent chapters explore the extended harmonic vocabulary of the Classic and Romantic eras, followed by thorough coverage of Impressionism and twentieth-century techniques.  The first half of the text deals with the music of the common practice period, while the second half covers the breakdown of tonality at the end of the last century and the complex musical vocabularies that developed throughout this century.

A comprehensive Workbook accompanies each volume of the text.  All topics introduced in the text are immediately applied in the Workbook through exercises, laboratory experiences, and directed composition.

About the Authors

Armand Russell and Allen Trubitt are former professors of music theory and composition at the University of Hawaii.

Illustration: Liz Kathman Grubow
Photography: Alan Brown
Illustration originally commissioned by
American Music Teacher Magazine
Cover Design by Blake Logan

Endorsements

The Shaping of Musical Elements is concise and scholarly. It follows a very logical order of presentation. Your workbook has plenty of exercises. Plus, it not only covers harmony, but within a two year program, puts the students through a great introduction to Counterpoint, Form, and Impressionism and 20th Century Music. So, I am very glad that it is still available!

---Glenn Martin, Cumberland University, August 2011