Review of L. Poundie Burstein and Joseph N. Straus,Concise Introduction to Tonal Harmony(W. W. Norton, 2016)
Mary I. Arlin · Music Theory Online · 2016
The past ten years have seen a proliferation of undergraduate music theory textbooks-most of which are revisions of earlier editions-that fall into two categories: those that integrate written work, listening, and ear training, such as The Complete Musician by Steven Laitz or The Musician's Guide to Theory and Analysis by Jane Clendinning and Elizabeth Marvin, and those devoted solely to tonal harmony such as Revisiting Music Theory by Alfred Blatter, Harmony in Context by Miguel Roig-Francolí, or Harmony and Voice Leading by Edward Aldwell, Carl Schachter, and Allen Cadwallader.[2] The newest music theory textbook devoted exclusively to tonal harmony is Concise Introduction to Tonal Harmony (hereafter CITH) by L. Poundie Burstein and Joseph N. Straus.The authors' purpose is made clear in the Preface: "no frills and no nonsense-just the essentials. . . .This is a text that students will be able to read and comprehend" (xiii).Within the 370 pages, the authors succeed in focusing on general underlying principles in a way that is both precise and concise yet without diluting the material or seeming to condescend.[3] I do not mean to imply that this book is flawless; I do not agree with all the musical and pedagogical choices.The big picture is good, however.For the remainder of this review, I will write more specifically about the book's content.[4] CITH is divided into five parts: Fundamentals (4 chapters), Overview of Harmony and Voice Leading (5 chapters), Diatonic Harmony (16 chapters), Chromatic Harmony (10 chapters), and Form (5 chapters).Each chapter (Example 1) is divided into between two and five sections, some with subheads; each closes with "Points for Review" (a concise chapter summary in list form) and a "Test Yourself " activity.The answers for the "Test Yourself " activity are provided in the back of the textbook, followed by a glossary and an index of musical examples.[5] CITH is in an attractive format with the main topics in the chapter captioned in orange type; the subheads are in bold face, as are the key terms.Boxed annotations above and below the musical examples draw attention to key features in each example.