Composition and Harmony Books / Information Options

[AndyD]

Hi Everyone,

I'm coming back to music after a bit of a break. I've started singing with a choir again a few years ago, which has got me interested in choral arrangement and composition. To get myself using theory again I'm working towards G6. I'd really appreciate it if anyone could recommend any good books or sources of information for composition or harmonic theory. Regarding the harmony, I particularly love to find a book that discussed / studied how chords and chord sequences have been used to evoke different emotions.

If anyone has any books they'd like to recommend or discuss related to harmony and composition, It'd be great to hear from you.

Thanks (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[BadStrad]

Hi Andy,

You could try Ron Gorow - "Hearing and Writing Music" You can preview it here http://www.scribd.com/doc/19674307/Ron-Gor...d-Writing-Music

[AndyD]

Hi Andy,

You could try Ron Gorow - "Hearing and Writing Music" You can preview it here http://www.scribd.com/doc/19674307/Ron-Gor...d-Writing-Music

Hi BadStrad,

Thank for replying (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) . I've got a copy of the Ron Garrow book and I've been working through it on and off for a few months. I found it's improved my ability to hear intervals and has given me a great start for transcribing music, which I'm just beginning now.

My main aim is composition, but thought that some transcription and rearrangment would be an easier start than, and help build a good skill set for, composing.

I've done some G5 level composition since getting back into music, but would love to take it to the next level. When doing G6 exercises, you're introduced to new chords, but I'm finding it difficult to understand the context for using a chord or a chord sequence, other than the "mechanical" (eg. I-V-IV-III good for harmonising descending scales - MTIP G6). That's useful stuff, and it would be good to know other sources for that kind of information, that perhaps summarises it better. It'd also be great to have a book that is structured by chord (eg. III) and explains where / how it is normally used and to what effect. Alternatively, has anyone published any analysis of how composer have used chords to express emotions/feelings?

I'm a bit confused at the moment (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) and I'm probably looking at this the wrong way round...maybe I should just leave the melody to dictate the chords and stop over-analysing?

[Sunrise]

Harmony In Practice - Anna Butterworth - is a great resource. Very very helpful for choosing chords and the whole of G6-8

[AndyD]

Harmony In Practice - Anna Butterworth - is a great resource. Very very helpful for choosing chords and the whole of G6-8

Hi Sunrise,

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll get a copy and have a read (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[sbhoa]

How about Dorothy Pilling's Harmonisation of Melodies at the keyboard?
I found that very useful for higher grades theory preparation.

Depends if you are moderately fluent on piano though. If not it might be a little less useful though I never did get fluent at keyboard harmony. Playing through the examples gave me aural feedback on what works with harmony and why certain progressions are useful.

[AndyD]

How about Dorothy Pilling's Harmonisation of Melodies at the keyboard?
I found that very useful for higher grades theory preparation.

Depends if you are moderately fluent on piano though. If not it might be a little less useful though I never did get fluent at keyboard harmony. Playing through the examples gave me aural feedback on what works with harmony and why certain progressions are useful.

Thanks sbhoa, I'll give it a go, though my piano isn't very fluent (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Dibbs]

For traditional "classical" harmony Walter Piston's Harmony is probably the best but not an easy read. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Harmony-W-Piston/d...4256&sr=1-1

For jazz you can't do better than The Jazz Theory Book by Mark Levine. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jazz-Theory-Book-M...4169&sr=8-3

If you're interested in something a little more "off the wall" The Harmonic Experience by W A Matheiu is one of the best books I've ever read on harmony. It's by no means a traditional treatment but provides some very deep insights into the way music works. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Harmonic-Experienc...5300&sr=1-3

Here is a pretty decent website too. http://www.jacmuse.com/Default.htm

[AndyD]

For traditional "classical" harmony Walter Piston's Harmony is probably the best but not an easy read. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Harmony-W-Piston/d...4256&sr=1-1

For jazz you can't do better than The Jazz Theory Book by Mark Levine. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jazz-Theory-Book-M...4169&sr=8-3

If you're interested in something a little more "off the wall" The Harmonic Experience by W A Matheiu is one of the best books I've ever read on harmony. It's by no means a traditional treatment but provides some very deep insights into the way music works. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Harmonic-Experienc...5300&sr=1-3

Here is a pretty decent website too. http://www.jacmuse.com/Default.htm

Hi Dibbs,

Thanks for your suggestions (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) - they sound really interesting. I'll take a look and start to work my way through them. I'm more classical than jazz, but all sound interesting.

[linda.ff]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Harmony-Melody-Com...n/dp/0521569087

Harmony Melody and Composition by Paul Sturman - a book I've found very thorough, with good examples and plenty of exercises. And when you finish it, there's Advanced Harmony Melody and Composition by the same author

[Kai-Lei]

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Vincent Persichetti's book. Helps if you're a keyboard player to play through his examples.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Twentieth-Century-...5105&sr=1-1

Modern harmony is something only gained by practice and experiment.
Even with simple triads a lot can be done with appoggiaturas (accented passing notes) but learning to add 6ths 7ths, 9ths, 11ths and 13ths to the main chromatic triads in a "key" builds up quite a repertoire.

Don't forget the diminished chords that can produce easy modulations to remote keys. There are only three basic dim 7ths, the rest are inversions. c-eflat-f#-a, then c#-e-g-bflat, and d-f-g#-b.

And don't get too bound by the rules as in Theory Grade 6. If your composition needs parallel 5ths, use them! Your ear is more important than rules as the harmony gets more complex.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[AndyD]

Hi linda.ff and Kai-Lei,

Thanks for your suggestions (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) - they look really interesting. I'll start on them after I've finished the books I've just bought (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Kai-Lei, thanks as well for the advice. I may get back in touch if I get stuck when experimenting if you don't mind - I get the feeling I'll need some help (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

If anyone else would like to post their suggestions on books that have helped them, it would be nice to continue the thread and build a source of information.

Cheers.

Andy.