Books like Harmonic Practice in Tonal Music by Robert Gauldin

Arnold Schoenberg’s Fundamentals of Musical Composition presents a systematic, practical guide to the compositional process, drawing on over forty years of teaching experience across Europe and America.

Tonal Harmony with an Introduction to 20th-Century Music is intended for a two-year course in music theory/harmony. It offers a clear and thorough introduction to the resources and practice of Western music from the 17th century to the present day. Its concise, one-volume format and flexible approach make the book usable in a broad range of theory curricula. The text provides students with a comprehensive but accessible and highly practical set of tools for the understanding of music. Actual musical practice is emphasized more than rules or prohibitions. Principles are explained and illustrated, and exceptions are noted. In its presentation of harmonic procedures, the text introduces students to the most common vocal and instrumental textures encountered in tonal music. Traditional four-part chorale settings are used to introduce many concepts, but three-part instrumental and vocal textures are also presented in illustrations and drill work, along with a variety of keyboard styles. To encourage the correlation of writing and performing skills, we have included musical examples in score and reduced-score formats as well as charts on instrumental ranges and transpositions. Some of the assignments ask the student to write for small ensembles suitable for performance in class. Instructors may modify these assignments to make them most appropriate for their particular situations. - Preface.

Tonal Harmony by Stefan Kostka and Dorothy Payne is a foundational musical theory text that elucidates concepts from basic consonance to advanced harmonic analysis, featuring exercises, score analyses, and a historical perspective.

Designed as an introductory text for upper-level undergraduates and beginning graduate students, Analysis of Tonal Music: A Schenkerian Approach explains the fundamental principles of Schenkerian analysis by focusing on the music itself. Intended for use in one- or two-semester courses on Schenkerian theory, this text will also appeal to individuals interested in Schenker's work. The book assumes no prior knowledge of the subject, but it does require a background in harmony and voice leading; a familiarity with species counterpoint is also desirable. The authors develop Schenkerian techniques through the practical analysis of specific compositions, an approach that parallels the evolution of Schenker's work. The book explains structural principles in actual composition rather than through models and formulas, and teaches students how to think about and critically examine compositions in ways that will inform their understanding and performance of great compositions of Western art music. The first part of the volume provides the foundation for the analysis of complete pieces and includes chapters on melody, bass-line structures, linear techniques, and the essential properties of the Ursatz and its basic elaborations; the presentation of complete compositions in Part II is organized by formal category. The concluding chapter summarizes the main theoretical issues of Schenker's approach. The book includes over 200 analytical graphs, musical examples, and a bibliography. Analysis of Tonal Music: A Schenkerian Approach provides a unique and accessible introduction to Schenkerian analytical ideas and shows how they can be applied toward a better understanding of tonal music.