Tonality and Transformation

"With an inventive and expertly developed theory, eye-opening analyses, and a lively, wide-ranging exposition, Rings makes the most compelling case yet for the application of transformational techniques to the study of tonal music."--Julian Hook, Associate Professor of Music Theory, Indiana University "Tonality and Transformation illuminates key ideas of transformational theory and presents a subtle philosophy of tonal hearing through entertaining analyses that are both musically satisfying and easy to follow. Upon reading this book, those who think the last word on tonality has already been written will be awakened from their dogmatic slumber."--Ramon Satyendra, Associate Professor of Music Theory, University of Michigan "Tonality and Transformation is the first large-scale demonstration of the applicability of Lewinian transformational theory to the canon of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century musical masterworks. Drawing on a wide range of sources in music theory, philosophy, cognitive science, mathematics, and literary theory, as well as his encyclopedic knowledge of the musical repertoire, Rings shows how Lewin's analytical technology can clarify and enrich a broad array of nuanced tonal experiences. This book breathes new life into the field of transformational theory."--Ian Quinn, Associate Professor of Music and Cognitive Science, Yale University "An engaging study...Rings provides useful analytical charts and a glossary...Recommended." --Choice "Provides an indispensible mediation between the mathematical and musical, while also defining the essence of analytical pluralism...Rings's original contributions provide unique tools that have the potential to yield novel perceptions in a familiar repertoire." --Notes "A remarkable scholarly achievement, and a valuable contribution to the Oxford Studies in Music Theory series...This reader highly recommends T&T to specialists in both tonal theory and transformational theory, as well as to music scholars whose areas of expertise lie in other areas." --Music Theory Online "Simultaneously a substantial theoretical contribution, a valuable exposition of existing transformational ideas, and an exhilarating case study for creative, interdisciplinary music theorizing. --Mosaic: Journal of Music Research "This book is succesful for the myriad reasons that have propelled it to its current position within our discourse ... Rings distills difficult formal concepts into their component parts and steps readers through what might otherwise be thorny and prohibitive concepts, and I can think of no author that does this better than Rings ... [T]his book is succesful because its formal methods represent and capture multifaceted and subtle musical relationships in an efficient way. In the words of Kofi Agawu, music analysis is best when it 'does not explain or teach,' but rather when its goal is to 'overwhelm, entertain, amuse, challenge, [and] move.' By that yardstick, Tonality and Transformation certainly succeeds."--Music Theory Spectrum