FREE COMPOSITION (Der freie Satz) Volume III of New Musical Theories and Fantasies Heinrich Schenker ‘Semper idem eodem modo ‘Translated and edited by Ernst Oster LONGMAN New York and London Published in cooperation with the American Musicological Society‘Te Bagh language ec has been ‘thre by Unter Ban AC. Copyright© 197 by Langman Ie. All ight reserved. No par of tha polation may be ‘prodiced sed in srl apo, or ened Than form or y a ana, elacroie metas, stots no erent ee Developmental tar Gordon TR Anderton Teteror Desig: Abert Ct ‘over Design: Dap Serio Manatacrng and Producto Superior: Lia Gaber ‘Compo: Kingpot Pros Printing The ray Prati Company ining: Te Book Pree ‘Ubeary of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Scheer, Hire, 168-1085. re cmpoaton (Det fee Sat) (Congenan use sce) “Publ in coperton withthe America Mast colo Sey. "Toe tex based maint on the secod German eon (et Oovald Jonas, Vien 1050), bot te it etna (Wiens, Rw alse comma” ‘lds bogrepie references, 1 Masie—Theory 2 Comtroist, 1 Oster, art TL Jonas, Old Tie IW ie Der le Ste Miasweis Ter toaror DManatctred in ha Unie Sates of Amarin oeresaenyHEINRICH SCHENKER was bor in Podhyce (Podgsey), Gali cia, on June 19, 1868. (His birthplace lies in what is today the ‘western region ofthe Ukraine, near L'vor.) As youth he dem- ‘onstrated great talent as pianist and received encouragement from Cari Mikuli, «student of Chopin. He emigrated to Vienna ‘where, in the late 18805, he studied at the Conservatory and also earned the Dr. Jur. degree at the University Before the appearance in 1906 of his frst major theoretical work, Harmonielehre, Schenker was ative chiefly a «practical smusician—as a pianist, a conductor, an editor, and a composer. He toured as accompanist to one of the greatest singers of the period, the Dutch baritone Johannes Messchaert. In connes- tion with his activity asa conductor, he made continuo realiza- tions and arrangements of musie of earlier periods, including Bach cantatas, piano concerti by C.P.B, Bach, and organ con ‘erti by Handel. His compositions gained the approval of Brahms, who recommended them to his publisher, Simrock. Bu: soni also took an interest in Sehenker's musie and programmed several of his works on a concert series in Berlin beginning sround 1906. During the 18908 Schenker wrote essays in musical ert for various periodicals in Berlin, Leipig, and Vienna. It was partly the desire to establish « more precise foundation for criticism, both of eompasition and of performance, that moti vated Schenker to embark upon the path’ that led to the con- nected series of original theoretical works culminating. with Free Composition. Dissatisfied with the prevalent approsch ‘tm musie theory with its abstract speculations (for example, the question of harmonic "duaitm") and rigid formal schemata, Schenker set out to discover and formulate the principles of tonal art as they were manifested in the greatest products of that art. For Schenker, it was theie intimate connection to the ‘musical artwork that et his theories apart from all others then in vogue, Thus the cover of Harmonielehre attributes the work merely to “einem Kiinstler, "without further specification of the artis’ identity