[Menvi-discuss] post-tonal theory/braille music?

[Gillespie, Jeffrey]

Dave:

I'm not blind but I teach music theory and I teach a course like the one you describe.  I also have taught quite a few blind students.  The two texts that have been mentioned to you by others don't have very much at all in the way of 20th century material..

Tonal Harmony, by Kostka and Payne
Techniques and Materials of Music, by Benjamin, Horvit, and Nelson.

Whatever they do offer is not going to be nearly enough for a course in 20th century theory.

However, in 20th-century music analysis, the methodology often transcribes pitches into set-class numbers, so that every pitch is represented by a number from zero through 11.  This would lend itself quite easily into braille transcription, by simply brailling the numbers.    So as long as you know what the braille represents... numbers, or pitches, you should be able to manage.  Often the pitch C is represented as zero, C# or Db as 1, etc.  However, this does not account for rhythm as part of the analysis.  But, for set analysis and for serial analysis, rhythm is really viewed separately from this pitch methodology anyway.

I would suggest talking with someone in depth about the methodology that will be involved, such as what I describe, and then figure out a way to best get things transcribed in a way that's helpful.  Unfortunately, you aren't likely to find much in the way of post-tonal music already transcribed into braille music.  I'm sure that will be the big challenge, and it's not the sort of music that can be easily absorbed just from listening.  I would find out from the instructor what repertoire will be central to getting transcribed, and then work to get that done before the class starts.

Jeff Gillespie
Associate Professor, Music Theory
Butler University
________________________________________
From: menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org [menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org] on behalf of Dave Bahr [david.c.bahr at Colorado.EDU]
Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2011 2:20 AM
To: menvi-discuss at menvi. org
Subject: [Menvi-discuss] post-tonal theory/braille music?

Hi List,

It appears that I am going to be taking a post-tonal (20th century)
theory course next semester. It's required, can't get out of it. I'm
wondering if anyone has either a. transcribed any post-tonal music or b.
knows anyone who works in the field of 20th century music and is blind
or has taught a blind student. Braille music was obviously not meant to
represent sets of pitch classes, but has there been some sort of way to
deal with serialism and tone rows and the like? I know that there is
Nymeth code for working with a matrix but I used it only once years ago.
I have not seen the Joseph Straus post-tonal theory book in braille but
do have a copy of it in pdf from the publisher.  Any help or suggestions
about this topic are greatly appreciated.
--

Dave C. Bahr

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