Benjamin Cutter · section 2 of 7

Preface

This book is designed, primarily, for those who have studied Harmony and would apply it in their every-day musical life,—in other words, in their playing and in their teaching. It is planned—although no premium is hereby placed on superficiality—as much for those people who have made poor work of their harmony, so far as turning out a good-sounding product is concerned, as for those to whom the difficulties were as naught. Furthermore, it is planned for him who, living in some place inaccessible to the best performances, would fain review what he has learned,—if possible, in a manner other than that of laboriously writing exercises,—would broaden his musical horizon and thus increase the gift Heaven has given him, and appease, in a measure, that hunger for chords and for things harmonic which characterizes so strongly this present day.

By not a few observers it has often been thought that the ordinary course in harmony ceased before its rightful end, and that there was no connection, or not enough connection, made between harmony and playing; i.e., between harmony and practical musicianship. Harmonic Analysis, it has been held, would give the ordinary non-composing student an opportunity to make his harmony a live thing; and experience has justified this idea.

The Course of Instruction in the New England Conservatory of Music, Boston, Massachusetts, from which this book has grown, was planned for forty class lessons. After canvassing the field, the following representative works were chosen, and have been held to with gratifying success: Schumann, Scenes from Childhood, Op. 68; Bizet, Suites, L’Arlésienne, Nos. 1 and 2; Chopin, Preludes; Wagner, Selections from Tannhäuser, Lohengrin, Tristan; and, in some cases, Grieg, Humoresken, Op. 6. Absence of a text-book made imperative, however, from the beginning, not only the dictation of principles, but also constant discussion, time-robbing, and, because more or less was naturally forgotten, unsatisfactory. A text-book became necessary; a book comprehensive and up to date. On studying his subject for the recitation and for this book, the writer confesses that he was dismayed by its dimensions and by the very multitude of conditions he was forced to consider and to explain. The number of harmonic phenomena, of tone combinations, complications, which occur in modern music, although they admit of a reasonable classification, goes well-nigh into the infinite. More than this, not a few are extremely subtle in nature. Things which the composer absorbs unwittingly, and accounts for in an off-handed manner, if at all, may to the layman, when he comes to define them, present very considerable difficulties. Furthermore, these subtleties occur in every-day modern music. For these reasons a certain breadth of scope and entrance into detail has been observed from necessity in the general plan of this book.

As will be noted, examples have been drawn from the most varied sources. The page-limits of a work of this sort forbade, however, the use of many quotations which might have been used and which suggest themselves, no doubt, to the connoisseur. But it is thought that this presentation will be found ample enough for practical purposes,—provided the student applies what he has acquired here.

It is believed by men generally, that the understanding of a thing heightens its enjoyment. We read “Hamlet” with care, that not a point of stage-craft may be lost, and our emotions are moved the more powerfully because of our knowledge. In the same way, it is believed that by a careful study of this book, one may learn not only to analyze and to understand anything in the way of harmony that he may chance to meet in musical literature, classical or modern, but—what is far more important—through his heightened powers of comprehension he may be enabled to hear with greater understanding, to read at sight with more facility, to play and to sing with more intelligence, and consequently may have his musical perceptions—those gifts of delight to man—quickened and made more responsive, whether he act as player, as singer, or as listener.

And, lastly,—and this is not the least consideration,—the author believes, and by experience knows, that the student of composition may be benefited by a study of this subject; that, instead of spending more or less valuable time in finding out the many minutiæ of modern harmony, he may behold them here stated for his examination and possible application.

BENJAMIN CUTTER.

Boston, June 12, 1902.