The Complete Musician: An Integrated Approach to Tonal Theory, Analysis, and Listening. By Steven G. Laitz

Abstract

The Complete Musician is a comprehensive theoretical training text for undergraduates. The main volume, containing the principal text and exercises, with a disc of recorded examples, is accompanied by a workbook of supplementary exercises with its own CD. The main volume has four appendices: these either offer further material on basic subjects for less experienced students or they extend various sections of the text, with such topics as intervals, sequences, and invertible counterpoint. Appendix 3, subtitled ‘The Motive’ (pp. 768–803), provides a useful analogue to Part 7, on ternary, rondo, and sonata forms. The book was first published in 2004, a second edition appearing in 2008. Under present review is the third edition. This includes a number of revisions listed in the Preface (pp. xv–xvii) such as: a reduced number of chapters; more material on musical fundamentals; solutions to certain exercises in Appendix 6; many new examples from the repertory, and a new companion website (www.oup.com/us/laitz).