Arnold Schoenberg's Structural Functions of Harmony

Abstract

Published posthumously, Schoenberg's Structural Functions of Harmony synthetize his conception of the teaching of harmony. The principles examined here include the harmonie pro­gressions, which Schoenberg classifies in three categories; substitutions and transformations, which he describes as borrowings to the ancient modes; monotonality and regions, classified according to the distance from the tonie; and vagrant harmony (diminished sevenths, etc.) and roving tonality. The paper mentions possible extensions of the theory and replaces the treatise in the context of contemporary writings.