Music Theory Spectrum· 2026Q1
SMT at 50: Notes, Queries, and a Plea for More (Topical) Analysis
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- 2026year
Short summary
A reflection on the Society for Music Theory's (SMT) 50-year history argues for a greater emphasis on topical analysis, integrating structural and expressive musical dimensions.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- The 1977 split between AMS and SMT was less absolute than often portrayed.
- Interest groups have emerged, and SMT retains a strong structuralist orientation.
- Topical analysis is proposed as a method to integrate structural and expressive musical elements.
- The author calls for increased focus on topical analysis in music theory.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
ABSTRACT This reflection begins by observing that the 1977 rupture between AMS and SMT was not as total as some accounts have implied. I then comment on the inevitable but somewhat problematic rise of interest groups, SMT's enduring structuralist priorities, and the practice of music analysis. I end by making a case for topical analysis, a mode of analysis that facilitates inquiry into both the structural and expressive dimensions of music.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Music Theory Spectrum, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Music
MusicArts and Humanities