Music Theory

Fundamentals
What is Theory?

by Derek Remeš

derekremes@gmail.com
derekremes@gmail.com
www.derekremes.com

www.derekremes.com

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 Contents
Notice Regarding Audio 2
What Is Music Theory? 3
1. Theory is how music works. 3
2. Theory is the grammar of the musical language. 3
3. Theory is a bridge between sounds and symbols. 4
Why Study Music Theory? 5
1. Theory improves hearing by improving understanding. 5
2. Theory answers what and why through description and analysis. 7
3. Theory solves problems. 7
4. Theory helps make informed performance decisions. 9
5. Theory develops one’s vocabulary. 9
What Is Music Theory Not? 10
1. Theory is not busy-work. 10
2. Theory should not make you feel inferior. 10
3. Theory is not a substitute for intuition or originality. 11

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WHAT IS MUSIC THEORY?

1. Theory is how music works.

Theory is the study of the musical patterns that define a particular style. A classical era
symphony differs from a jazz standard because each style organizes its melody, harmony,
rhythm, and form in different ways. Music theory helps us understand these patterns, how they
have changed over time, and ultimately develop informed opinions about performance and
composition.

2. Theory is the grammar of the musical language.

Music, like any language, is composed of sounds and symbols which carry meaning. Theory
attempts to explain how all the parts work together, so it is like the grammar of the musical
language. Other analogies between language and music are numerous.

LANGUAGE MUSIC

Reading Sight reading

Writing Composition

Speaking Improvisation

Acting / Oratory Performance

Directing (stage, film) Conducting

Grammar Music theory

As professional musicians, you must become fluent in the language of music. Musicians of the
past, like J.S. Bach, could often perform, compose, and improvise at a very high level on
multiple instruments. Regrettably, our culture emphasizes specialization in only one or two of
these areas. Yet this is understandable, given the sheer amount of knowledge required to be an
expert in any of these areas today. This requires specialization.

Still, to be a fully formed musician, you must acquire at least rudimentary knowledge in areas
like conducting, improvisation, and composition, even if your primary emphasis is performance.
Similarly, composers and conductors must gain proficiency as performers. Theory is an
essential component to a musician’s education, just as grammar is essential for those who work
with words. You would have little respect for a poet or an actor who didn’t know the parts of
speech!


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3. Theory is a bridge between sounds and symbols.
On the one hand, theory helps the performer translate symbols on the page into a meaningful
performance. On the other, it helps a composer notate a melody or chord progression that had
only existed in his or her mind. Theory is a two way street, a bridge between sounds and
symbols. Strong theory skills help us become more better “speakers” of music by helping us
translate between sounds and symbols fluently.

For example, the music below began as a mere melody in Beethoven’s mind, which he then
translated into musical symbols, and eventually one of the most famous symphonies in history!
An orchestra, in turn, translates Beethoven’s written symbols (the score) into sounds, which, like
spoken language, carry meaning. In this case, the music is meant to recall pastoral images of
the German countryside. Below is the first page of Beethoven’s original score for the Sixth
Symphony, showing his handwriting. Click on the speaker symbol to hear the audio.

BEETHOVEN, SYMPHONY NO. 6, OP. 68, “PASTORAL,” MOV. 1, OPENING (AUTOGRAPH SCORE)

Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra; Karl Böhm, conductor


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WHY STUDY MUSIC THEORY?

1. Theory improves hearing by improving understanding.

“You must get to the point that you

can hear music from the page…
A perfect musician should be able to
picture a piece at first hearing as though
he had the score in front of him.”
-Robert Schumann

Robert Schumann
(1810-1856)

The dual process of translating between sight and sound is often described as the “hearing eye”
and the “seeing ear.” Of course, “ear training” is really “mind training,” because our ears are
useless without our mind to perceive music in meaningful patterns. Theory gives us knowledge
of the expectations—that is, the patterns—inherent in a particular style or composer’s output.
This aids our ability to recognize patterns, and in turn, improves our hearing.

For example, imagine that you are preparing to sing Schumann’s “Widmung” (German for
“devotion”), shown on the next page. This song cycle was written as a wedding present for his
wife, Clara, who was a famous concert pianist in her own right. If you don’t have absolute pitch
(I don’t—most people don’t—you’re not expected to), you need a reliable method for hearing the
first pitch of the vocal part. Using your knowledge of music theory, you notice that the first pitch
of the piano is the same as that of the voice—B-flat. You also notice the key signature of six
flats, shown by the arrow, which you know to be that of G-flat major. B-flat is the third scale
degree of G-flat major, which, through practice, you can find by referencing the lowest pitch in
the piano, or tonic pitch. With a strong background in theory, you can find your first pitch reliably.


Translation of “Widmung,” by Friedrich Rückert (1788–1866)

Du meine Seele, du mein Herz, You my soul, you my heart,

Du meine Wonn', o du mein Schmerz,
Du meine Welt, in der ich lebe,
Mein Himmel du, darin ich schwebe,
O du mein Grab, in das hinab
Ich ewig meinen Kummer gab!
Du bist die Ruh, du bist der Frieden,
Du bist der Himmel, mir beschieden.
Daß du mich liebst, macht mich mir wert,
Dein Blick hat mich vor mir verklärt,
Du hebst mich liebend über mich,
Mein guter Geist, mein beßres Ich!
you my bliss, o you my pain,
you the world in which I live;
you my heaven, in which I float,
o you my grave, into which
I eternally cast my grief.
You are rest, you are peace,
you are bestowed upon me from heaven.
That you love me makes me worthy of you;
your gaze transfigures me;
you raise me lovingly above myself,
my good spirit, my better self!

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SCHUMANN, MYRTHEN, SONG CYCLE FOR VOICE AND PIANO, OP. 25, NO. 1, “WIDMUNG"

Kirsten Flagstad, soprano; Edwin McArthur, piano




B-flat

Voice
B-flat

Piano

key signature

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2. Theory answers what and why through description and
analysis.

Description comes first, followed by analysis. Do not

mistake the two when it comes time to write a theory
essay. You might make several detailed observations
about a piece of music, but to become true analysis,
observations must answer the question of why.
Description is like the majority of an iceberg that
remains submerged, whereas analysis is the truly
valuable insight that emerges because of all the
background work. Description without analysis is just
information without a purpose.

3. Theory solves problems.

Imagine you are performing or conducting the notoriously difficult first movement of Brahms’s
Symphony No. 3, shown on the next page. The orchestra is having problems staying precisely
together, and valuable rehearsal time is being wasted. They need a solution quickly. Using your
knowledge of music theory, you know that the problem likely has something to do with the meter
signature, shown by the red arrow. Your solution is summarized in the table below.


Description (what): 6/4 is a duple meter signature, which means it divides the measure into
two parts. However, mm.3-6 divide into three parts, and only from m.7
onward does the measure into two.

Analysis: (why): Brahms knows that by establishing a pattern in m.3 and then breaking it
in m.7, he can create interest by writing against expectations. He plays
these rhythmic tricks all the time! That is, this is a pattern that you
should expect in Brahms’s music. The orchestra is probably not playing
together because they haven’t realized that Brahms is switching
between 6/4 (duple) and 3/2 (triple) time signatures without indicating it
with a change in meter signature.

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 BRAHMS, SYMPHONY NO. 3 IN F MAJOR, OP. 90, MOV. 1, OPENING (PIANO REDUCTION)

Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra; Herbert von Karajan, conductor

measure divides into three

3

meter signature measure divides into two

5 7

11

15

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4. Theory helps make informed performance decisions.
Through description and analysis, we acquire information to make choices which effect our
performances and compositions. The way you answer the questions of what and especially,
why, makes your interpretation unique. Remember, all the famous works by every major
classical composer—Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, Bach, Wagner, Mahler, etc.—have been
recorded numerous times by the best players in the world. The world doesn’t need another
recording of the Chopin Études, Mozart’s Symphony No. 41, or Bach’s Suites for Solo Cello. For
you to make a mark on the music world, you need to distinguish yourself. One way to do so is to
make different choices than everyone else. “Different” in itself is not necessarily good, but if you
have a good reason and can defend your choices with evidence, then someone will want to
listen to you!

“Students should stop trying to cut to the

finish line and stop drilling audition excerpts
all the time. This will not be good for music in
the long run. First, train yourself to become a
fine interpreter and learn as much music as
possible. Study full orchestral works, not
excerpts, and use a score to develop a view
more like the conductor’s. If the piece has
words, you should know what they are talking
about. Listen to recordings from many
decades to understand the taste of bygone
eras. When the age of literalism has gone as
far as it can, the pendulum will swing back to
something more personal (I hope!). Learn to
think for yourself by hearing many things and
making choices; don’t just copy somebody.”
[emphasis not original]
-Elaine Douvas

Elaine Douvas, Principal Oboist

MET Opera (since 1977)
5. Theory develops one’s
vocabulary.
Perhaps you have had the experience of learning a foreign language. It can be frustrating when
you don’t have the words to express yourself. Music can be the same way sometimes. Often we
have an intuition about how a passage should go, but we can’t describe exactly why. That is ok.
But when it comes time to convince others of our interpretive choices, theory can help. As a
professional musician, you need to be articulate in the concert hall, classroom, studio, and
rehearsal space—wherever your career may lead you. Theory gives you the vocabulary to
express yourself.


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WHAT IS MUSIC THEORY NOT?
1. Theory is not busy-work.
Like facility on your instrument, one of the goals of theory is speed and accuracy, also called
fluency. This is especially true when it comes to fundamentals, which is the very first stage of
theory study. Again, just like in the practice room, the way to acquire speed and accuracy is
through thoughtful repetition. Thoughtful repetition means looking at a problem in a variety of
ways. Theory exercises use this strategy. It’s not busy work, but rather, a means for gaining
fluency

“Every student that I have had

who had trouble with theory was
weak in fundamentals,
fundamentals being thinking in
keys, building intervals and
chords, etc. I have never had a
student who was strong in
fundamentals and weak in
theory. Speed in fundamentals is
imperative. Theory study is like
building blocks—no one block
can be omitted or skipped.”
-W. Francis McBeth

W. Francis McBeth
American Composer (1933-2012)

2. Theory should not make you feel inferior.

Many of you have already achieved much as performers or composers, but you may have less
experience with theory. You may feel that theory class, and specifically aural skills, exists only to
“knock you down a peg.” This is simply not true. Humility is a virtue, because every musician
has some skills that are stronger than others (teachers included). Theory is merely an
introduction to a lifetime of learning about music.

Music is enough for a lifetime,

but a lifetime is not enough for music.”
-Sergei Rachmoninov

Sergei Rachmaninoff
Russian Pianist and Composer
(1873-1943)

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3. Theory is not a substitute for intuition or originality.
Some musicians feel that theory will somehow sour their natural intuition. They feel if they delve
into the details of how a piece of music works, they won’t play it as naturally. This is
understandable, but in truth, naive. Knowledge is like the rabbit hole in Alice in Wonderland—it
goes on forever because you can always understand something better by looking at it in a new
way. Everything you learn relates in myriad ways to what you already know. Keep learning, and
you will keep growing as a musician. If you are worried, remember that every great artist begins
by imitating the masters. (Imitation causes a realistic assessment of what has come before, and
usually strikes out fantasies of originality.) But beware: with knowledge and technique alone,
you can get stuck imitating someone else. You must continue to nurture your own voice
throughout. This part no one can teach you to do. You must find your own way.

“The trouble today with so many

would-be artists is that they see,
quite correctly, that many of the
greatest works are so extraordinarily
free and easy, and think that they
can start off writing like that. But that
sort of grace is the endpoint of a long
process, first of learning technique
(every technique is a convention and
therefore dangerous), and then
unlearning. It is much easier to learn
than to unlearn, and most of us will
not get further than the learning. But
there is no other route to greatness,
even if we get stuck halfway.”
-W.H. Auden

W.H. Auden
American Poet (1907-1973)

“Remember that technique is

valuable only as a means to an
end. You must first have
something to say–something
which demands expression
from the depths of your soul. If
you feel deeply and know how
to express what you feel, you
make others feel.”
-Amy Beach

Amy Beach
American Composer and Pianist
(1867-1944)

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