PT Journal
AU Elschek, O
TI MUSIC THEORY AS A NORM AND REFLECTION OF MUSIC
SO Musicologica Olomucensia
PY 1997
BP 65
EP 77
VL 3
IS 1
AB The history and development of music theory begins in the 19th century as a modern scientific discipline. Nevertheless, it is one of the oldest musicological branches with antic traditions, continuing as a prescriptive theory for music composition in the Middle Ages. In the 17th century acoustic aspects change the concept of music theory; later H. v. Helmholtz enlarges its scope by physiological and psychophysiological methology. The most important development is closed with the synthetic history of music theory edited by F. Zaminer (1984-1989). Music theory has different aims as a propaedeutic discipline, one reflecting in an analytical way the structure, function, semantic and sound phenomenon and the influence of music on man. Twentieth century music theory especially became the crucial discipline of systematic and fundamental music research. The definition, aim and function of music theory is mirrored as it is expressed by Ernst Erhardt, Joseph Kerman, Uwe Seifert, Marc Leman, Constantin Floros, etc. Analytical procedures are discussed as they are quoted in the studies by Jonathan Dunsbey, and influenced by Heinrich Schenker, as a form of reduction of music structure. Cognitive aspects are the most important ones, with cognitive "sounding" models of decisive influence on music. Less influentially characterized are the graphical, symbolic and verbal principles often in contradiction with music reality. Computer aimed methods replace the older logical, mental and subjective interpretation of music structure. As an empiric and reconstructive music theory is described mainly the theory gained in folk music analysis, analysis of non-European music without a clear verbal theoretical framework. Music theory has to reconstruct the theoretical principles, e. g. in African and Asian music (as it was done by Gerhard Kubik, Simha Arom, Steven Feld, August Schmidhofer and others). Hans Oesch has ethno-music theory characterised in the "high"-music area of culture as the Indian, Chinese, Arabian, and Persian, expressed in an independent music theory. The foremost problem of music theory is always as in Europe- and so in non-European music, the written or oral "theory", the terminological framework, the adequate concepts which serve for the characterization of the sound and logic structure of real music. Speculation and empiric aspects are always two interpretative procedures used in music theory throughout its entire history.
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