William Caplin
Encyclopedia
William E. Caplin is an American music theorist
who lives and works in Montreal
, Canada
, where he is a James McGill Professor at the Schulich School of Music
of McGill University
. Caplin served as president of the Society for Music Theory
from 2005 to 2007 and was its vice-president from 2001 to 2003.
Although much of Caplin's earlier work concentrated on the history of music theory (his dissertation was on theories of meter), he is best known for his so-called "theory of formal functions." His book Classical Form: A Theory of Formal Functions for the Music of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven has been widely influential and has been a major factor in the revival of interest in musical form in North-American music theory.
Music theory
Music theory is the study of how music works. It examines the language and notation of music. It seeks to identify patterns and structures in composers' techniques across or within genres, styles, or historical periods...
who lives and works in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, where he is a James McGill Professor at the Schulich School of Music
Schulich School of Music
The Schulich School of Music is one of the constituent faculties of McGill University in Montréal, Canada. The faculty was named after benefactor Seymour Schulich.-History:Music at McGill – The Beginning...
of McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
. Caplin served as president of the Society for Music Theory
Society for Music Theory
The Society for Music Theory is an American organisation devoted to the promotion of music theory as a scholarly and pedagogical discipline...
from 2005 to 2007 and was its vice-president from 2001 to 2003.
Although much of Caplin's earlier work concentrated on the history of music theory (his dissertation was on theories of meter), he is best known for his so-called "theory of formal functions." His book Classical Form: A Theory of Formal Functions for the Music of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven has been widely influential and has been a major factor in the revival of interest in musical form in North-American music theory.
External links
- William Caplin faculty page at McGill University