Editor’s Message

[1] Our MTO issue 9.2 includes the first in a series of articles we hope to release on topics in music theory pedagogy. In “Post-Tonal Improvisation in the Aural Skills Classroom,” Peter Silberman presents an improvisation-based approach to aural training in materials of post-tonal music. The article includes analysis of transcribed student improvisations supported with graphic and audio examples.

[2] Alfred Cramer’s contribution to this issue draws from the methodology of auditory streaming analysis to study perceptual grouping in the early atonal music of Schoenberg and Webern. In “The Harmonic Function of the Altered Octave in Early Atonal Music of Schoenberg and Webern: Demonstrations Using Auditory Streaming,” he models perceived psychoacoustic grouping through synthesized audio and schematic graphic renderings. Also included are graphic and audio examples from music literature.

[3] Judy Lochhead reviews Ellie M. Hisama, Gendering Musical Modernism: The Music of Ruth Crawford, Marion Bauer, and Miriam Gideon (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001) in this issue. Also provided are listings of recently completed dissertations, job opportunities, and general announcements.

[4] I wish to take this opportunity to announce the availability of the founding issues of Music Theory Online, Volumes 0 and 1, in a newly prepared html format. These pioneering volumes edited by Lee Rothfarb were previously available only through FTP download. The eleven issues from 1993–1995 comprise a rich resource of articles and commentaries. I invite you to explore these volumes, now available for the first time with the convenience of html hyperlinks. All MTO volumes can be accessed from the contents page at http://smt.ucsb.edu/mto/issues/issues.html.

[5] Submissions to MTO are welcome at any time. We encourage readers to post their reactions to this issue's articles and review. The mto-talk email list is available to MTO subscribers (subscription is free) for online discussion of any MTO-related topic. To post to mto-talk, simply send an email message to mto-talk@societymusictheory.org. Longer responses may be submitted for publication in the Commentary section of the next issue. These should be formatted and submitted according to MTO Author Guidelines.