Musical Systems

Harvard FAS

Music has always combined inspiration with organization. In fact, inspiration is often spurred by the constraints the composer sets for her/himself, whether they be medieval isorhythm, rules of strict counterpoint, tonal relations, or formal conventions. This seminar will focus on influential and widespread musical systems developed in the 20th century, including pitch collections, ordered sets (including twelve-tone rows), generative systems (such as the Schillinger system), serial…