The Schenker Project: Culture, Race, and Music Theory in Fin-de-siГЁcle Vienna

Today we think of Heinrich Schenker, who lived in Vienna from 1884 until his death in 1935, as the most influential music theorist of the twentieth century. But he saw his theoretical writings as part of a comprehensive project for the reform of musical composition, performance, criticism, and education-and beyond that, as addressing fundamental cultural, social, and political problems of the deeply troubled age in which he lived. This book aims to explain Schenker's project through reading his key works within a series of period contexts. These include music criticism, the field in which Schenker first made his name; Viennese modernism, particularly the debate over architectural ornamentation; German cultural conservatism, which is the source of many of Schenker's most deeply entrenched values; and Schenker's own position as a Galician Jew who came to Vienna just as fully racialized anti-semitism was developing there. As well as presenting an unfamiliar perspective on the cultural and political ferment of fin-de-siГЁcle Vienna, this book reveals how deeply Schenker's theory is permeated by the social and political. It also raises issues concerning the meaning and value of music theory, and the extent to which today's music-theoretical agenda unwittingly reflects the values and concerns of a very different world. Today we think of Heinrich Schenker, who lived in Vienna from 1884 until his death in 1935, as the most influential music theorist of the twentieth century. But he saw his theoretical writings as part of a comprehensive project for the reform of musical composition, performance, criticism, and education-and beyond that, as addressing fundamental cultural, social, and political problems of the deeply troubled age in which he lived. This book aims to explain Schenker's project through reading his key works within a series of period contexts. These include music criticism, the field in which Schenker first made his name; Viennese modernism, particularly the debate over architectural ornamentation; German cultural conservatism, which is the source of many of Schenker's most deeply entrenched values; and Schenker's own position as a Galician Jew who came to Vienna just as fully racialized anti-semitism was developing there. As well as presenting an unfamiliar perspective on the cultural and political ferment of fin-de-siècle Vienna, this book reveals how deeply Schenker's theory is permeated by the social and political. It also raises issues concerning the meaning and value of music theory, and the extent to which today's music-theoretical agenda unwittingly reflects the values and concerns of a very different world. Today we think of Heinrich Schenker, who lived in Vienna from 1884 until his death in 1935, as the most influential music theorist of the twentieth century. But he saw his theoretical writings as part of a comprehensive project for the reform of musical composition, performance, criticism, and education-and beyond that, as addressing fundamental cultural, social, and political problems of the deeply troubled age in which he lived. This book aims to explain Schenker's project through reading his key works within a series of period contexts. These include music criticism, the field in which Schenker first made his name; Viennese modernism, particularly the debate over architectural ornamentation; German cultural conservatism, which is the source of many of Schenker's most deeply entrenched values; and Schenker's own position as a Galician Jew who came to Vienna just as fully racialized anti-semitism was developing there. As well as presenting an unfamiliar perspective on the cultural and political ferment of fin-de-siecle Vienna, this book reveals how deeply Schenker's theory is permeated by the social and political.; It also raises issues concerning the meaning and value of music theory, and the extent to which today's music-theoretical agenda unwittingly reflects the values and concerns of a very different world ISBN-13 : 9780195170566 Contents 8 Abbreviations 10 Introduction: Schenker's Contexts 16 Chapter 1 Foundations of the Schenker Project 42 Schenker and the Philosophers 42 Formalists against Formalism 61 Rehabilitating Musical Logic 76 Chapter 2 The Reluctant Modernist 102 Curlicues and Catastrophe 102 Ornamentation and Critique in Fin-de-Siècle Vienna 110 Modernists against Modernism 121 Reinventing the Classics 142 Chapter 3 The Conservative Tradition 153 Schenker’s Politics 153 The Logic of Nostalgia 171 The Anachronistic City 188 Chapter 4 The Politics of Assimilation 212 Schenker’s Project and Jewish Tradition 212 The Logic of Alterity 230 Schenker and Others 242 Chapter 5 Beyond Assimilation 259 Schenker’s Rosenhaus 259 The Posthumous Schenker 282 Conclusion: Music Theory as Social Practice 320 Appendix: Heinrich Schenker, ‘The Spirit of Musical Technique’ (Der Geist der musikalischen Technik) 332 References 346 Index 360 A 360 B 360 C 361 D 362 E 362 F 362 G 362 H 363 I 363 J 363 K 364 L 364 M 365 N 365 O 365 P 365 Q 366 R 366 S 366 T 367 U 368 V 368 W 368 Z 368 # Publisher: Oxford University Press,USA # Number Of Pages: 368 # Publication Date: 2007-08-30 Contents......Page 8 Abbreviations......Page 10 Introduction: Schenker's Contexts......Page 16 Schenker and the Philosophers......Page 42 Formalists against Formalism......Page 61 Rehabilitating Musical Logic......Page 76 Curlicues and Catastrophe......Page 102 Ornamentation and Critique in Fin-de-Siècle Vienna......Page 110 Modernists against Modernism......Page 121 Reinventing the Classics......Page 142 Schenker’s Politics......Page 153 The Logic of Nostalgia......Page 171 The Anachronistic City......Page 188 Schenker’s Project and Jewish Tradition......Page 212 The Logic of Alterity......Page 230 Schenker and Others......Page 242 Schenker’s Rosenhaus......Page 259 The Posthumous Schenker......Page 282 Conclusion: Music Theory as Social Practice......Page 320 Appendix: Heinrich Schenker, ‘The Spirit of Musical Technique’ (Der Geist der musikalischen Technik)......Page 332 References......Page 346 B......Page 360 C......Page 361 G......Page 362 J......Page 363 L......Page 364 P......Page 365 S......Page 366 T......Page 367 Z......Page 368 Cook Interprets The Music Theory Of Heinrich Schenker As Part Of A Project Encompassing Social And Political Critique. It Sets His Work Into The Contexts Of Viennese Modernism, German Cultural Conservatism, And Schenker's Position As A Jewish Immigrant To The City Where Modern Anti-semitism First Developed. Foundations Of The Schenker Project -- Schenker And The Philosophers -- Formalists Against Formalism -- Rehabilitating Musical Logic -- The Reluctant Modernist -- Curlicues And Catastrophe -- Ornamentation And Critique In Fin-de-siècle Vienna -- Modernists Against Modernism -- Reinventing The Classics -- The Conservative Tradition -- Schenker's Politics -- The Logic Of Nostalgia -- The Anachronistic City -- The Politics Of Assimilation -- Schenker's Project And Jewish Tradition -- The Logic Of Alterity -- Schenker And Others -- Beyond Assimilation -- Schenker's Rosenhaus -- The Posthumous Schenker -- Conclusion : Music Theory As Social Practice. Nicholas Cook. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 333-345) And Index. Foundations of the Schenker project -- Schenker and the philosophers -- Formalists against formalism -- Rehabilitating musical logic -- The reluctant modernist -- Curlicues and catastrophe -- Ornamentation and critique in fin-de-siècle Vienna -- Modernists against modernism -- Reinventing the classics -- The conservative tradition -- Schenker's politics -- The logic of nostalgia -- The anachronistic city -- The politics of assimilation -- Schenker's project and Jewish tradition -- The logic of alterity -- Schenker and others -- Beyond assimilation -- Schenker's Rosenhaus -- The posthumous Schenker -- Conclusion : music theory as social practice -- Appendix : Heinrich Schenker, 'The spirit of musical technique' (Der Geist der musikalischen Technik) / translated by William Pastille