Fred Lerdahl
Biographic Data
| ID | 1379152 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Fred Lerdahl |
| GIVEN NAMES | Fred |
| FAMILY NAME | Lerdahl |
| SIGNATURE | LERDAHL F |
| AFFILIATIONS | Columbia University |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 11 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 20 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 11 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1983 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2015 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
Concepts and Representations of Musical Hierarchies
This paper undertakes a comparative study of concepts and visual representations of hierarchical aspects of musical structure. After consideration of the rhythmic components of grouping and meter, the discussion turns to pitch-event hierarchies and the tonal hierarchy (or pitch space). Contrasting notations are evaluated in terms of the efficacy of the concepts they exemplify
On Teaching Composition
I address composition instruction at the graduate level in terms of both intuitive guidance and the teaching of craftsmanship, with illustrations from lessons with recent students. I stress the importance of traditional training, review strengths and weaknesses of Columbia University's graduate composition program, and discuss a seminar that connects composition to relevant issues in psychoacoustics and music cognition. Keywords: OriginalityCraft…
Looking into the eyes of a conductor performing Lerdahl's “Time after Time”
The eye movements of a conductor were tracked during a performance of Lerdahl's “Time after time”. The analysis of the data revealed that, for most of the time, the conductor was looking at the score, rather than the performers. Most of the score-reading was in anticipation of the music to be played. Micro- and macro-anticipations could be defined, the former being between 2 to 5 seconds in advance, the later being more than 5 seconds in advance.…
Prolongational structure and schematic form in Tristan's “Alte Weise”
The “alte Weise” melody for solo cor anglais from the beginning of Act III of Tristan und Isolde is submitted to a double analysis. First, it is treated by the techniques of Jackendoff's and my A Generative Theory of Tonal Music, yielding a prolongational structure that resembles a Schenkerian analysis even though it is based on contrasting principles. In the course of this analysis connections are made to other passages in Tristan. Second, the m…
Note from the USA regional editor
With this issue we join our European and Japanese counterparts in the international venture of Contemporary Music Review. The way the journal works is unusual. The regional editorial board selects both a special theme and an appropriate guest editor for a forthcoming issue. Rather than consider submitted articles, the guest editor invites contributed articles suitable to the theme. (To a limited extent, interviews and reprints are also included.)…
Cognitive constraints on compositional systems
In this article I explore the relationship between composing and listening. I begin with a problematic story, draw some general conclusions, introduce relevant concepts from Lerdahl and Jackendoff (1983) and related work, propose some cognitive constraints on compositional systems, discuss “pitch space”, and explain why serial (or 12-tone) organizations are cognitively opaque. Most of these topics deserve fuller treatment than is given in these p…
String Quartet
Atonal prolongational structure
The early atonal music of Schoenberg and his school is emblematic of the difficulties in comprehending twentieth-century music. Music theorists have tried to analyze this music either through a modified Schenkerian approach or through pitch-set theory. After discussing limitations in these approaches, this paper develops at length a different theory for atonal music, one that adapts Jackendoff's and my A Generative Theory of Tonal Music in approp…
Timbral hierarchies
Using generative music theory and related work in music psychology, this paper proposes that timbre can be organized hierarchically. Notions of timbral consonance and dissonance are developed along a number of timbral parameters. The argument proceeds through timbral prototypes, intervals, and scales, to the construction of multidimensional timbral arrays. Examples employing IRCAM's CHANT sound‐synthesis program are discussed. The paper closes wi…
A Generative Theory of Tonal Music
An Overview of Hierarchical Structure in Music
After reviewing their theoretical approach, the authors present four kinds of hierarchical structure in music: grouping structure, metrical structure, time-span reduction, and prolongational reduction. A musical analysis is given to illustrate these structures. In the ensuing discussion, comparison is made with Schenker9s theory, the nonoverlapping condition on hierarchies is considered, and relationships among the hierarchical, associational, an…
Atonal prolongational structure
The early atonal music of Schoenberg and his school is emblematic of the difficulties in comprehending twentieth-century music. Music theorists have tried to analyze this music either through a modified Schenkerian approach or through pitch-set theory. After discussing limitations in these approaches, this paper develops at length a different theory for atonal music, one that adapts Jackendoff's and my A Generative Theory of Tonal Music in approp…
Timbral hierarchies
Using generative music theory and related work in music psychology, this paper proposes that timbre can be organized hierarchically. Notions of timbral consonance and dissonance are developed along a number of timbral parameters. The argument proceeds through timbral prototypes, intervals, and scales, to the construction of multidimensional timbral arrays. Examples employing IRCAM's CHANT sound‐synthesis program are discussed. The paper closes wi…
Cognitive constraints on compositional systems
In this article I explore the relationship between composing and listening. I begin with a problematic story, draw some general conclusions, introduce relevant concepts from Lerdahl and Jackendoff (1983) and related work, propose some cognitive constraints on compositional systems, discuss “pitch space”, and explain why serial (or 12-tone) organizations are cognitively opaque. Most of these topics deserve fuller treatment than is given in these p…
An Overview of Hierarchical Structure in Music
After reviewing their theoretical approach, the authors present four kinds of hierarchical structure in music: grouping structure, metrical structure, time-span reduction, and prolongational reduction. A musical analysis is given to illustrate these structures. In the ensuing discussion, comparison is made with Schenker9s theory, the nonoverlapping condition on hierarchies is considered, and relationships among the hierarchical, associational, an…
A Generative Theory of Tonal Music
Timbral hierarchies
Using generative music theory and related work in music psychology, this paper proposes that timbre can be organized hierarchically. Notions of timbral consonance and dissonance are developed along a number of timbral parameters. The argument proceeds through timbral prototypes, intervals, and scales, to the construction of multidimensional timbral arrays. Examples employing IRCAM's CHANT sound‐synthesis program are discussed. The paper closes wi…
Atonal prolongational structure
The early atonal music of Schoenberg and his school is emblematic of the difficulties in comprehending twentieth-century music. Music theorists have tried to analyze this music either through a modified Schenkerian approach or through pitch-set theory. After discussing limitations in these approaches, this paper develops at length a different theory for atonal music, one that adapts Jackendoff's and my A Generative Theory of Tonal Music in approp…
String Quartet
Note from the USA regional editor
With this issue we join our European and Japanese counterparts in the international venture of Contemporary Music Review. The way the journal works is unusual. The regional editorial board selects both a special theme and an appropriate guest editor for a forthcoming issue. Rather than consider submitted articles, the guest editor invites contributed articles suitable to the theme. (To a limited extent, interviews and reprints are also included.)…
Cognitive constraints on compositional systems
In this article I explore the relationship between composing and listening. I begin with a problematic story, draw some general conclusions, introduce relevant concepts from Lerdahl and Jackendoff (1983) and related work, propose some cognitive constraints on compositional systems, discuss “pitch space”, and explain why serial (or 12-tone) organizations are cognitively opaque. Most of these topics deserve fuller treatment than is given in these p…
Prolongational structure and schematic form in Tristan's “Alte Weise”
The “alte Weise” melody for solo cor anglais from the beginning of Act III of Tristan und Isolde is submitted to a double analysis. First, it is treated by the techniques of Jackendoff's and my A Generative Theory of Tonal Music, yielding a prolongational structure that resembles a Schenkerian analysis even though it is based on contrasting principles. In the course of this analysis connections are made to other passages in Tristan. Second, the m…
Looking into the eyes of a conductor performing Lerdahl's “Time after Time”
The eye movements of a conductor were tracked during a performance of Lerdahl's “Time after time”. The analysis of the data revealed that, for most of the time, the conductor was looking at the score, rather than the performers. Most of the score-reading was in anticipation of the music to be played. Micro- and macro-anticipations could be defined, the former being between 2 to 5 seconds in advance, the later being more than 5 seconds in advance.…
On Teaching Composition
I address composition instruction at the graduate level in terms of both intuitive guidance and the teaching of craftsmanship, with illustrations from lessons with recent students. I stress the importance of traditional training, review strengths and weaknesses of Columbia University's graduate composition program, and discuss a seminar that connects composition to relevant issues in psychoacoustics and music cognition. Keywords: OriginalityCraft…
Concepts and Representations of Musical Hierarchies
This paper undertakes a comparative study of concepts and visual representations of hierarchical aspects of musical structure. After consideration of the rhythmic components of grouping and meter, the discussion turns to pitch-event hierarchies and the tonal hierarchy (or pitch space). Contrasting notations are evaluated in terms of the efficacy of the concepts they exemplify
Art (8 works) · Computer Science (6 works) · Music Technology and Sound Studies (6 works) · Neuroscience and Music Perception (6 works) · Psychology (6 works) · Visual arts (6 works) · Linguistics (5 works) · Music and Audio Processing (5 works) · Musical (5 works) · Musicology and Musical Analysis (5 works)