Editor’s Message
Dear MTO readers,
Spring Greetings! I am pleased to announce the publication of Music Theory Online 18.1, a special issue on the analysis of performance with an introduction by Nicholas Cook. Contributors approach performance with empirical and non-empirical methods; with computer-aided analysis and close listening; with studies of individual performances and performance corpora; with consideration of interacting sonic and visual effects, cognition, pedagogy, aesthetics, ontology, and the history of recorded performance. Readers will find MTO’s multimedia capabilities in full use; articles include recordings, video, and graphs with flash animation. This special issue on the analysis of performance was the brainchild of Peter Martens with encouragement from Matthew Shaftel (my predecessor); it has been my pleasure to work with Peter and all the authors in bringing it forth.
Here are the contributions to MTO 18.1, Analyzing Performance:
- Nicholas Cook (University of Cambridge), “Introduction: Refocusing Theory”
- Daniel Barolsky (Beloit College) and Peter Martens (Texas Tech University), “Rendering the Prosaic Persuasive: Gould and the Performance of Bach’s C-minor Prelude (WTC I)”
- Alan Dodson (University of British Columbia), “Solutions to the ‘Great Nineteenth-Century Rhythm Problem’ in Horowitz’s Recording of the Theme from Schumann’s Kreisleriana, Op. 16, No. 2”
- Daniel Leech-Wilkinson (King’s College London), “Compositions, Scores, Performances, Meanings”
- Peter Martens (Texas Tech University), “Tactus in Performance: Constraints and Possibilities”
- Mitchell S. Ohriner (Shenandoah University), “Grouping Hierarchy and Trajectories of Pacing in Performances of Chopin’s Mazurkas”
- Michael Schutz and Fiona Manning (McMaster University), “Looking Beyond the Score: The Musical Role of Percussionists’ Ancillary Gestures”
I am also pleased to announce four timely book reviews with thanks and appreciation to our reviews editor Steven Rings:
- Gregory J. Decker reviews Andrew Davis, “Il Trittico,” “Turandot,” and Puccini’s Late Style (Indiana University Press, 2010)
- Clare Sher Ling Eng reviews Peter Kaminsky (ed.), Unmasking Ravel: New Perspectives on the Music (University of Rochester Press, 2011)
- Andrew D. Robbie reviews Brian Hulse and Nick Nesbitt (eds.), Sounding the Virtual: Gilles Deleuze and the Theory and Philosophy of Music (Ashgate, 2010)
- Chris Stover reviews Keith Waters, The Studio Recordings of the Miles Davis Quintet: 1965–68 (Oxford University Press, 2011)
We warmly welcome Karen M. Bottge in the new position of Associate Editor for MTO. Karen is Assistant Professor at the University of Kentucky; her research interests include historical music theories and pedagogies, nineteenth-century music, and the history of ideas. She has published articles in 19th Century Music and MTO and has provided wonderful service on the MTO board prior to this appointment. Karen comes to music theory via a career as a violinist and orchestra teacher in the Minnesota public schools. I am grateful to President Harald Krebs and the SMT Executive Board for approving the new position of Associate Editor and for the appointment of Karen Bottge.
The MTO editorial board provides careful, constructive, and timely reviews of submissions. We welcome Leigh VanHandel (Michigan State) as a new member, replacing Karen Bottge on the board. We thank the continuing board members: Kyle Adams (Indiana University), Mark Anson-Cartwright (Queens College, CUNY), Stephen Brown (Northern Arizona University), Dora A. Hanninen (University of Maryland), Gary S. Karpinski (University of Massachusetts Amherst), Jonathan Kochavi (Swarthmore College), and Catherine Losada (CCM, University of Cincinnati), Nancy Rao (Rutgers), Joti Rockwell (Pomona) Stephen Rodgers (University of Oregon). Our managing editor, Brent Yorgason, provides expert leadership on formatting and all things technological. We are also grateful for the dedication and hard work of our editorial assistants: Sean Atkinson (UT Arlington), Sean Curtice (Wesleyan University), Michael McClimon (Indiana University), and John Reef (Indiana University).
We would like to encourage new and creative submissions to MTO. Although we are especially well suited for the publication of articles that incorporate recordings, videos, and other media, we also welcome submissions in any number of formats, including full-length articles, shorter essays and commentaries, conference reports, and entire special volumes.
Comments in response to this issue’s articles may be submitted to the Editor for publication in the next issue. Also, please refer to our submission guidelines, if you are interested in submitting.
Listings for upcoming events have moved to the SMT site (upcoming events). We continue to host job listings and a dissertation index; please submit announcements for both to MTO.
All MTO volumes dating back to our first issue in 1993 can be accessed from the contents page at http://www.mtosmt.org/issues/issues.html. Thank you, as always, for your support of MTO - a Journal of the Society for Music Theory.
