Understanding the Fundamentals of Music

Robert Greenberg, composer and lecturer with San Francisco Performances, attempts something unusual in this latest offering from The Teaching Company's “Great Courses” series: to teach music theory by ear alone, without dependence on musical notation (although he does briefly describe how the system works). And he's remarkably successful in this series of 16 lectures, covering all of the major elements of the subject with exceptional clarity. Greenberg begins with timbre, introducing conventional orchestral instruments (a presentation suitable for supplementation with Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra or Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf) before proceeding with rhythm, tempo, meter, pitch, mode, intervals, tuning, tonality, melody, texture, and harmony—presenting challenging material in a reasonably accessible fashion without oversimplification. Greenberg's delivery is a little over-the-top—with flamboyant hand gestures that suggest he's accustomed to working in very large rooms—but he's admirably clear, often humorous, and makes excellent use of musical examples throughout (both orchestral recordings, and his own performances at the keyboard). Greenberg also doesn't shy away from adding his own views, criticizing those who veer too far from a composer's instructions, for example, or commenting on the use of modern vs. original instruments. Featuring separately available course books (with lecture outlines, transcripts, maps, a timeline, glossary, and bibliography), Understanding the Fundamentals of Music is recommended for both high school and university collections, as well as public libraries. Aud: H, C, P. (F. Swietek)