“Rules”

In nearly all facets of our lives, actions are dictated or influenced by rules. There are the natural laws of the universe. Some musicians feel that rules are most detrimental when they impede the creative process. One of the most ardent believers in the value of theory and analysis was Robert Schumann, who in 1848 wrote a booklet entitled “Advice to Young Musicians: Musical Rules for Home and Life”. A musician from our times, Murray Perahia, expressed similar sentiments about analysis for its own sake. In a radio interview, Perahia does not mention Heinrich Schenker by name, but the Austrian theorist’s influence is evident. Sergei Rachmaninoff’s recording illustrates how to convey the difference between structure and ornamentation using rhythmic manipulation. Stable structural tones tend to possess a weight that is amenable to longer rhythms, and ornamental tones tend to feel less anchored, more fleeting, and are matched well with shorter rhythmic values.