Cook N.

Schenker’s Theory of Music

as Ethics

The Journal or Musicology

Volume VII -
Number 4 - 1989
 Schenker's Theory
of Music as Ethics
NICHOLAS COOK

W e l l we ,ead Schenke,', writi"g' loday, IVe

tend to pick out lhe plums and ignore lhe resl. We appropriate his
analytical techniques ami accept his insiglus imo musical slrUCLUre,
performance and editorial practice, while ignoring the broader COIl-
texl of his philosophical and political views, or al bes t relegating them
lo lhe occasionai footnote.
Until recently, published editions of Schenker's wrilings embod- 415
ied this selective, or even censorious. approach to the extenl of actu-
ally deleting passages of the originai lhat were considered unneces-
sary or undesirable. Some or these delelions were concerned with
pllrely technieal issues; in his 1954 edition or Harmolly (lhe fìrsl vol-
ume of Schenker's "New Musical Theories and Fantasies"), Oswald
Jonas omiued a few seclions lhat were inconsislenl with the later
development of Schenker's theories, including, for inslance, a disclIs-
sion of lhe sevemh-chord. Jonas presumably did this in order lo trans-
form "New Musical Theories and Fantasies" as a whole into lhe state-
menl or a fully consislenl dogma; this also explains his fierce defense
of canonieal Schenkerian theory against lhe extensions and adapla-
tions of Schenker's ideas proposed by Felix Salzer and, later, Roy
Travis.' BUl when, in lhe following year, he ediled Free Composi/io"
(lhe final volume of "New Musical Theories and Fantasies"), Jonas
extended his policy of deletioll lo Schenker's fre(luent ex(:ursions imo
metaphysics, religioll and pulitics. Be justified this on the grounds

Volume VII • Numhcr <l' Fall 19H!1

The JOllrnal or MU5icology C 1989 by lhc RCgCII15 or Ihc Ullh'CISi,y or Calirlll'lIia

, s"c 1/(/11/11111.', '1"01115. Elisah':lh M;1II11 UClI'KCSC (Chk"K", 1!1!1.Jl, l'. \'iii. l'III' .1"11"5'
ICIIIIIIII'IIIS 1111 S;,I(cl"S S'I1I,'"ralll,"";"/!: ,11111 .J"II:I~' 1"'1'1)' III T",,'i,' "T'"~'II·t1~ a Nc'w
Co .. e C'p' .. f ·1'"u~llil\··· iII I,.un",/.,/ .\I"", "/1'1""" IV (tq(inL Hr,