From Scratch

Writings in Music Theory

James Tenney author Michael Winter editor Robert Wannamaker editor Larry Polansky editor Lauren Pratt editor

Format:Paperback

Publisher:University of Illinois Press

Published:16th Feb '19

Should be back in stock very soon

This paperback is available in another edition too:

From Scratch cover

This collection showcases the pioneering writings of James Tenney, exploring his insights into music perception, tuning, and composition methods, particularly in From Scratch.

One of the most influential musical thinkers of the twentieth century, James Tenney made groundbreaking contributions across various domains, including computer music, tuning theory, and algorithmic composition. His innovative ideas have shaped contemporary music and continue to inspire musicians and composers today. In From Scratch, readers are presented with a carefully curated collection of Tenney's writings, many of which have been hard to find until now.

From Scratch compiles and revises Tenney's thoughts into a single volume, focusing on his central concerns about auditory perception. The selections delve into the intricacies of what the ear hears, offering insights into the relationship between sound and listener experience. This collection presents Tenney's explorations of tuning systems, particularly just intonation, as well as his investigations into information theory and harmonic space.

Additionally, the book addresses stochastic procedures in composition, highlighting Tenney's innovative approach to chance-based music-making. The themes presented in From Scratch are essential for anyone interested in the intersection of music theory and practice, making it a vital resource for musicians, composers, and scholars alike. By bringing together these writings, the book not only honors Tenney's legacy but also serves as a foundational text for understanding modern musical thought.

"This collection of essays propels Tenney studies into the next critical stage, making publicly accessible the writings of one of the most compelling musical thinkers in the American contemporary music scene. In their well-selected diversity, these writings are a marvelous expression of the breadth of Tenney's aesthetic and theoretical thinking; surely this book will serve as an essential cornerstone to scholars for decades to come."--David W. Patterson, contributing editor of John Cage: Music, Philosophy, and Intention, 1933–1950
"If you want to encounter one of the major thinkers of twentieth century music, James Tenney's writing is worth getting to know, and if you're at all interested in the history of music technology and its development, his writing is essential."--Sound Bytes Magazine
"This new book is without doubt a landmark publication for those involved in Tenney scholarship,. . . . This collection of writings provides a superbly revealing insight into Tenney's work, and the couching of prominent texts alongside much less well-known ones helps to enrich the understanding of him and his work." --Tempo
 
"A testament to avant-garde musical thought from the 1960s until the advent of postmodernism in the 1980s, and it also raises questions that are in many regards perennial. Recommended."--Choice
"The intellectual and creative path chronicled here is inspiring, particularly as Tenney's questions about the experience of music-making remain deeply relevant today."--Computer Music Journal
"Enables us to hear anew Tenney's deep musical resonances, and offers us the gift of Tenney's insights about music."--Notes
"Tenney's writings provide an invaluable model for artists interested in connecting aesthetics to scientific understandings of human perception and the material world."--Chris Brown, composer and co-director of the Center for Contemporary Music at Mills College

ISBN: 9780252084379

Dimensions: 235mm x 156mm x 23mm

Weight: 708g

504 pages