MUTH 6680 "Schenkerian Rhythm"
Stephen Slottow
Fall 2007
A frequent criticism of Schenker’s theory is that it downplays rhythm, and, indeed, Schenkerian graphs are usually arhythmical. However, there is an extensive lesser known rhythmic side to Schenkerian theory and analysis that doesn’t usually make its way into Schenker I or II courses. Schenker frequently included rhythmic considerations in his analyses, but had not fully developed and integrated this aspect into the theory during his lifetime. The further theory and analytical practice, taking up from where Schenker left off, began with three foundational articles by Carl Schachter and was further developed by William Rothstein in his doctoral thesis and book Phrase Rhythm in Tonal Music. More recently, Charles Burkhart, Frank Samarotto, and Channan Willner (among others) have continued to develop the rhythmic side of Schenkerian theory. Schenkerian rhythmic analysis begins with surface rhythmic reductions and then proceeds into deeper levels, always aligned with the pitch aspect and tonal structure.
This course will use the Schachter articles and Rothstein’s book as basic texts, and combine these and other readings with practical analytical work in phrase rhythm and constructing multilevel rhythmic (paired with the more traditional arhythmic) Schenkerian graphs.