Harmonic Experience: Tonal Harmony from Its Natural Origins to Its Modern Expression

by William Allaudin Mathieu

An exploration of musical harmony from its ancient fundamentals to its most complex modern progressions, addressing how and why it resonates emotionally and spiritually in the individual.

W. A. Mathieu, an accomplished author and recording artist, presents a way of learning music that reconnects modern-day musicians with the source from which music was originally generated. As the author states, "The rules of music--including counterpoint and harmony--were not formed in our brains but in the resonance chambers of our bodies." His theory of music reconciles the ancient harmonic system of just intonation with the modern system of twelve-tone temperament. Saying that the way we think music is far from the way we do music, Mathieu explains why certain combinations of sounds are experienced by the listener as harmonious. His prose often resembles the rhythms and cadences of music itself, and his many musical examples allow readers to discover their own musical responses.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Classical Music, Theory, Philosophy, Textbooks, Art

576 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1997

About the author

William Allaudin Mathieu (born 1937) is a composer, pianist, choir director, music teacher, and author. He began studying piano at the age of six, and began recording his music and compositions in the 1970s on his record label, Cold Mountain Music. Mathieu has composed and recorded solo piano works, chamber pieces, choral music, and song cycles, and he has written four books on music, music theory, and how to live a musical life.

Reviews

[Derek Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have not finished this book. This book is amazing. The author studied Western Classical music, jazz and finally Classical Indian music with high-level instructors. This book explains just intonation and the theory of Indian music better than any book I have found. This book made music and why it works make logical sense to me, instead of it just being something I accepted. I only read the first few chapters of the book. It goes into much more detail. I need to pick this one up again. I'm sure I'll gain some great insights. This is an awesome book.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book and one you can read at many levels. If you're a relative novice when it comes to music theory like me then the first part of the book (~130 pages) is likely to be the only part that is valuable to you on your first read through since the rest will go over your head (at least it went over mine), but even the first part by itself is a good enough reason to read this book. It is the best explanation I've ever seen for what makes music WORK. I can tell that there's a lot to gain from later chapters as well and I'm eager to revisit them once I've developed my musical abilities a bit more.

I'd say the minimum amount of knowledge required to get something from this book is the ability to play the keyboard (not necessarily well) and read music (again, not necessarily well). If you can play a few pop songs on the piano from sheet music you know enough to benefit from the first part of this book and as you learn more you can revisit it.

[Micah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Biblical.

[Gilmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought I understood music before I read this, but I was wrong.

[Nate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a glorious music book. It strikes a rare balance as a warm, personal voice that is equally aphoristic and analytical. And it does plunge the analytical music theory rabbit hole. The harmonic dimensions of just intonation and equal temperament are abstracted and mused upon as a sonic yin yang. All pertinent topics are discussed like modality, dronality, modulation, tonal harmony, equal temperament, symmetrical harmony, and atonality. There are many chord lattice diagrams to be re-read and provided exercises to try that I will be coming back to.

"The study of music is the study of one’s own ear. That’s why it is not enough to simply listen to a harmony (such as a major second) and say, “I hear it.” You have to go so deeply into your experience that you hear yourself hearing it."

"The problem with music theory is that it tends to make the simple and direct seem complex and remote. Instead of simply playing music over a C drone, we now seem to have a pile of off-putting problems. Don’t let that be. Play. Music theory won’t get interesting until you have a musical sensibility, and music theory won’t give you that sensibility, it can only refine it. You have to acquire it by making music. So play—play freely, and then compose."

"The rules of music—including the rules of counterpoint and harmony—were not formed in our brains but in the resonance chambers of our bodies."

[Jatniel Delgado · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a musician, this is for you to sink into. The textbook on how harmony works.

[David V Montoya · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE book on harmonic understanding. A must for composers in particular but an amazing reference for all who want to understand music better.

[Rajhesh Panchanadhan]

An exploration of musical harmony from its ancient fundamentals to its most complex modern progressions, addressing how and why it resonates emotionally and spiritually in the individual. W. A. Mathieu, an accomplished author and recording artist, presents a way of learning music that reconnects modern-day musicians with the source from which music was originally generated. As the author states, "The rules of music--including counterpoint and harmony--were not formed in our brains but in the resonance chambers of our bodies." His theory of music reconciles the ancient harmonic system of just intonation with the modern system of twelve-tone temperament. Saying that the way we think music is far from the way we do music, Mathieu explains why certain combinations of sounds are experienced by the listener as harmonious. His prose often resembles the rhythms and cadences of music itself, and his many musical examples allow readers to discover their own musical responses.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book, years of work to get through. Really interesting look at eastern and western harmony.

[Jamie Tea · Rating 5 out of 5]

No where near the end of this book but it’s one of the most delightful reading experiences I’ve had so far.

[Andrew Pitkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great resource.