Subject Guide: Theory & Composition

These are some books that might be useful:

• New Grove Dictionary of Jazz.  Barry Kernfeld, ed.  London:  Macmillan Reference, 2001.
  [Music Reference ML102.J3 N48 2001]
• Adler, Samuel.  The Study of Orchestration.  New York:  W.W. Norton, 1989.
  [MT70.A3 1989]
• Hindemith, Paul. Craft of Musical Composition. New York: Associated Music Publishers, 1941-42.
  [MT40 H66 v.1-2]
• Swain, Joseph P.  Harmonic Rhythm:  Analysis and Interpretation. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.
  [Electronic book; click title to view]
• Tinctoris, Johannes.  Dictionary of Musical Terms.  An English translation of Terminorum Musicae Diffinitorium together with the Latin text.  New York:  Free Press of Glencoe, 1963.
  [Music Reference ML108.T58]
• Williams, J. Kent.  Theories and analyses of twentieth-century music.  Fort Worth, TX:  Harcourt Brace College Pub., 1997.
  [MT6.W54 T53 1997]

These titles may be of special interest.  Some are available in print form, some in electronic form.  Browse by title in PacifiCat for print holdings, and the Pacific eLibrary for electronic holdings.  To locate other music titles, browse Pacificat for the subject "Music Periodicals".

• Computer Music Journal
• Journal of Music Theory
• Music Analysis
• Music Perception
• Music Theory Online
• Music Theory Spectrum
• Perspectives of New Music

Music Theory

• College Music Society  - The Society’s homepage includes information on
• Music Theory Online Dissertation Index (UC-Santa Barbara).
• Music Theory Resources – A list of useful links, maintained by the University of Washington.
• Music Theory Web – This site includes tutorials, exercises, articles and references sources for music theory.
• Society for Music Perception and Cognition (SMPC)
• Society for Music Theory (SMT)  - The homepage of the Society includes information on
• Society for Music Theory - Boethius Server (UC-Santa Barbara).
• Thesaurus musicarum italicarum (TMI). An electronic corpus of Italian music treatises from the Renaissance and early Baroque in facsimile and multimedial transcription.
• Thesaurus musicarum latinarum – A database for Latin music theory, maintained by Indiana University.
• Traités français sur la musique (TFM) – Another Indiana University site, this one covers historical music treatises.

Composition

• American Composers Alliance – In addition to information about the organization, this site has a searchable composer database and provides you the option to rent or purchase scores online.
• American Composers Forum - The ACF connects communities with composers and performers, encouraging all aspects of new music. This site includes information and links about programs, chapters, opportunities, composer home pages, and guidelines for various commission deadlines.
• American Music Center - Founded in 1939, the AMC now has over 2,500 members. Their home page has information about its reference services, referrals, publications, lending library of over 55,000 scores and recordings, artist member home pages, and relevant internet links.
• Arsis Press: Concert Music by Women Composers - Lists publications and biographical information about many women composers. Includes links to other sites useful to women in music.
• ASCAP - Home page for the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.
• BMI - Home page for Broadcast Music, Inc
• Electronic Music Foundation - Provides information about electronic music concerts, festivals, conferences, workshops, and products. Includes a directory of educational institutions, artists, and other useful sites.
• Furore - Catalog of music by women composers. Includes printed music, CDs, books, and news.
• IRCAM - Provides access to their online library/archives catalogs; biographical information about contemporary composers; articles and analyses of music; their calendar of events; useful internet links.
• Mozart's Musikalisches Würfelspiel - Compose a minuet by using dice and Mozart’s set of “rules.”
• Society of Composers, Inc. - The society's home page contains information about their conferences and performances, publications (including their monthly newsletter), CD series, member websites and email addresses, and student memberships, competitions, and chapters.

In PacifiCat, there are two ways to find items on a particular subject:  by Searching, or by Browsing. 
Searching (by keyword) is useful for finding items about a specific topic when you don't have a specific author or title.

1. To SEARCH by Subject, go to PacifiCat , and select Advanced Search.
2. Select the Format and/or Material Type you are looking for.
3. Under Field to Search: choose Subject.
4. Under Words adjacent? click Yes
5. Enter search term(s) from the following list in the first blank box:
   • Composition music
   • Musical analysis
   • Music theory
   • Schenkerian analysis
   • Twelve tone system

Browsing by subject is useful when browsing for music for specific instruments, ensembles, or genres (e.g. sonatas, symphonies, operas, etc.) when the composer or title is not known.

To BROWSE by Subject, go to PacifiCat, and select “Browse” from the left-hand menu.
Under Index to Browse: choose Subject.

• Counterpoint
• Harmonic analysis
• Melody
• Music theory history and criticism
• Musical form