Features
- Cover Type: Paperback with 208 pages
- Published by: Yale University Press September 10, 1977
- Written in: English
- ISBN 10 Number: 0300021208
- ISBN 13 Number: 978-0300021202
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Book Dimensions:
9.8 x 6.8 x 0.8 inches
- Weighs: 1 pounds
Reader Reviews
Forte's book is, as its title suggests, a work on atonal music. In this role, it is regarded as an important and seminal work. While it uses a quantitative language, as does all music theory, and indeed music itself, it is not a treatise on mathematics. A few reviews below have criticized Forte for what are claimed to be mathematical flaws. As a researcher with a PhD in mathematics and a side interest in composition, I'd like to counter this. As long as Forte is analysing music, and not claiming to prove Fermat's Last Theorem, I'm happy to let him use whatever terminology suits his purpose. I am no more concerned about his set theory than I am whether classical harmony is a good number system. Pedantry about mathematical terminology in this context may sound impressive to non-mathematicians but is likely based on shallow knowledge/understanding of mathematics. More importantly, it certainly distracts from the central focus, which is how well Forte's framework contributes to understanding and composing a certain kind of music. In particular, a review titled "quackery" below has been found useful (as of this writing) to 5 of 8 readers. The "quackery" reviewer cites the use of the term "cardinality" as an abuse of mathematical terminology when applied to finite sets. In fact, applying "cardinality" to finite sets is commonplace, about as controversial as using stringed instruments in an orchestra.
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