Stingmusik

In Classical Harmony (Learn from the Masters, by professor Sten Ingelf), including a DVD for computer containing workbook 192 pages, 285 audio examples. I use it when teaching at the Malmö Academy of Music, Sweden and I also know about and use other great books from this author. It's really top pedagogic material and easy for students to get in to! Buy the book!!!

Teaching art is an art in itself, and Sten has written a book that does just that.

The book is really a course. Theory is first learned in the physical book, and then one completes the exercises from the PDF workbook that comes with the DVD. What I like most is the closeness to which one comes to the great composers; in the first chapter one is already harmonizing a Haydn melody! In addition Sten has managed to get Naxos to allow him to use clips from their recordings, so one can listen to all the examples from the book played and recorded by professionals. The book is free from pastiches, the examples are all from great composers, and by working alongside the greats I felt it nurturing mastery in me. The only thing to be aware of is that the answer book to the workbook is on Sten's website, and not on the DVD. Although inconvenient, it is not a big deal when one considers the huge amount of loving work that has gone into making this book. It has made learning harmony a great pleasure for me.

In short, Learn from the Masters is a very good and practical textbook of classical harmony which I would recommend anyone who would want to learn the basic stylistic features of the great masters of our western musical tradition. 

Packed with information

Between them, these two books [Learn by the Masters] set out to develop your ability to harmonise, analyse, compose and arrange music. Their author, Sten Ingelf, is professor of music theory at Malmö Academy of Music in Sweden.

The first book, Classical Harmony, is aimed at secondary and tertiary students. Its small font, dense layout and lack of colour may put some secondary students off, but it is an excellent and comprehensive reference volume, covering every chord, suspension and progression needed for the study of harmony at school, university and beyond.

The book’s unique selling point is its thoroughness, rather than any radical new approach. It begins with simple triads, progressing through inversions to altered chords and expanded tonality. Explanations are always clear, and there are plenty of musical examples, which are also supplied on an accompanying CD for easy printing.

To summarize, Learn from the Masters: Classical Harmony unites selected methodologies from predecessor harmony texts—historical and current, Euro- pean and North American—to present an internally consistent aural approach. Readily purchased through the publisher’s Internet site, it is well worth acquir- ing as a specimen of music theory pedagogy in Europe today. For the sound- ness of its teaching method, it is worthy of consideration for course adoption by North American music departments too, particularly, but not only, those that o er courses in music arranging.

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