Unfigured Harmony: A Short Treatise on Modulation, Harmonization of Melodies, Unfigured Basses, Inner Melodies, Canons and Ground Basses

From the PREFACE THIS book is the outcome of a conviction that figured-bass, as a means of teaching harmony, has been allowed to acquire an unwise predominance. Every examiner knows and deplores the fact that, whilst a large proportion of candidates work their figured-basses fairly successfully, only a small proportion show, in the unfigured tests, any signs of musicianship. And even the former tests are treated too often as if they were a kind of Chinese puzzle or jig-saw, the results lacking all those qualities of style which practice at unfigured work is likely to introduce. There being no book that I know of dealing systematically with unfigured harmony, I have tried to provide one. No one will, I think, deny that the first steps in Harmony should be taken in the usual manner, i.e. by means of figured-bass. The nature of concords and discords, their normal relations and resolutions, the value of suspensions, and many other kindred points, must all be mastered if the student is to gain that control of material and tools which will enable him to build ultimately on his own initiative. But such knowledge by itself can only produce a bricklayer, and every worker should cherish the hope of becoming, in however humble a way, a master-builder. In learning such elements by means of figured-bass I would enjoin the strictest discipline, and would exact unbending obedience to the methods of pure part-writing in vogue in pre-modern times. Then the student will be ready to approach work in which musicianship should not only be demanded in every bar, but be held to excuse innumerable lapses from the strict path. Those who are to use this book have arrived, I assume, at such a point as I have described. If they can harmonize a figured-bass without mistakes, even if without merit, then I believe, from experience, that the kind of work I have provided will help them most rapidly to acquire the sense of style they are at present without. They will find the book practical and not theoretical, and the generally accepted names have been given to chords since, from the student's point of view, nomenclature need imply nothing beyond the convenience of a nickname. To my regret I have found myself obliged to keep examinations in view more than I wished to do; but in this instance, at all events, examinations can claim the credit, by retaining questions of the higher and more artistic type, of forcing the teachers of theory to abandon their old and hide-bound methods of instruction. And I may plead that I have studiously endeavoured to keep out of the examples anything that might look like an attempt to be 'clever'. The subjects dealt with have necessarily been treated separately, but I think teachers will be wise to allow them to overlap. Elementary melody-harmonization, for instance, might certainly be begun before advanced modulation is taken in hand; and so with several other chapters. To students I would give the advice that, where the question is printed before the answer, they should think out how they would work it themselves before examining my solution. Any suggestions or criticisms will be very sincerely welcomed.