Treatise on Harmony Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The importance of this work in the history of music would be hard to overestimate.While later music theorists and analysts, such as Schenker, find this emphasis on chords to be destructive to the horizontal considerations that make a great work hold together, this work has influence so many people that even those that do not even know his name but talk about root position chords and their inversions are invoking his concepts without realizing the source.

No, this is not a textbook for students.It is a treatise that explains in depth aspects of music that Rameau felt important and that he felt were essential for him to impart to other musicians.Composers of all stripes have consulted this work as have performers.Rameau has great authority because he was also a significant (if not great) composer.

The translation is quite good and easy to read.The concepts are not hard, but it helps to understand aspects of Baroque music such as figured bass and the types of pieces that were important in that era.Some grounding in species counterpoint would also make things easier, but is not absolutely necessary.

This book is really something all serious musicians need to know.You can take from it what you want for your own musical practice, but it really is not possible to consider yourself musically informed without knowing this work directly.

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Product Description:
One of most important books in Western music. Detailed explanation of principles of diatonic harmonic theory. New 1971 translation by Philip Gossett of 1722 edition. Many musical examples.

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