A BRIEF NOTE
on the

SCHILLINGER SYSTEM
·The Scientific Way
•

To Success i11 Music

By LYLE DOWLING

•

•

THIS PUBLICATION ISSUED IN FEBRUARY, 1942. COPY•�••t
RIGHT 1942 BY JOSEPH SCHILLINGER.

THE SCHILLINGER I

•

system is. a set of exact techniques and procedures for the com­
position of n1usic of any style, to any desired degree of perfec­
tion, for any musical combination-from the choruses of
Pal�strina or the drums of African caru1ibals, through the
scores of a Wagner> Strauss or Hindemith, tlp to the most
advanced hot jazz orchestra. It is unjversal in its range and
i11fallible in its results.
Although it is based 011 wholly scientific procedures-and
he11ce it rests on a highly mathematical approach-the
Schillinger system is not taught, as many wrongly believe, as a
branch of mathematics. Instead, it is taught as a set of easily
learned, easily understood exact process.es requiring only 11or­
mal intellige11ce and a grade-school ttnderstanding of arithn1etic
to master.
The success of the system does not rest on the clain1s of its
originator or of its many practitioners, but on the demonstra­
ble results attained by the Schillinger system.
In the field of applied, or so-c.alled "commercial," music,
the results arc phenomenal. The work: of Schillinger-equipped
composers a11d arrru1gers in radio, in motion pictures, as co1n­
posers or arra11gers for leading dance orchestras, is notable not
only for its perfection, its popular appeal and freshness of
1

Developed by

,Joseph Schillinger.
3

See biographical note on Page 9.

ideas, but also for the extraordinary speed and volume i11 which
such work can be •produced.
The Schillinger system thus places its practitioners quite
above ordinary competition, as shown by the fact2 that i11 at
least one-half of the national radio programs in which music
is an ingredient, the system is used.
In the field of so-called "pure" music, the ,vork of
Schillinger equipped composers in symphonic, operatic and
chamber-music forms is comparable to the best music of any
period.
DURING THE MANY CEN'l'URIES IN WHICH THE ART OF

music has bee11 practised, investigators since the time of Pytha­
goras have sottght to work out systems or theories of music.
The last century produced highly complicated and ingeni­
ous theories of both the "musical" and the "scientific'' kind.
These theories have been a11d now are ,videly taught in music
schools, universities and conservatories.
But these theories have become a11 isolated subject to them­
selves, with little or no correspo11dence to the actual facts of
music. One system has developed out of another sy�tem,
rather than out of the real art of music.
As a result, 110 011e expects such theories to be of much
actual value in the compositio11 of music. Eve11 the most
ardent exponents o f such theories do not prete11d that their
methods, for example, in counterpoint would enable a student
to write, let us say, a fugue in the style of J. S. Bach. It is weJ]
known that such theories do not produce any st1ch results
whatever.
Students of such theories have necessarily become aware
0£ serious shortcomings in the systems. They have lear11ed
from their own experience that even whe11 st1ch pseudo-systems
are fully mastered, the student is still unable to compose music.
The main practical defect of such pseudo-systerns has been
that they simply do 11ot work.
2 See partial list of students of Schillinger system, on Page 9.

4
•

The student learns an elaborate set of cor1cepts wl1ich do
not enable him actually to compose--or even to "arrange"­
music. To make up for the gross failures of such pseudo­
systems, the student is told that he must piece out the system
,vith a mysterious quality called "taler1t" or "genius.''
In tlus way, the assertion that the student "lacks talent"
conceals tlie fttct that the theory itself is a failure. The blam.e
-is thus put, not where it belongs, on the theory, but on the
student.
Such defective theories not only fail to produce practical
results; they take a long time to learn. Being basically
unscientific and unsystematic, such theories are hard to learn;
and because they do not correspond to the actual facts of music,
neither their many "rules" nor their even more numerous
''exceptions to the rules" have any useful practical application.
•

THE

SHORTCOMINGS

OF

THEORIES

PRIOR

TO

THE

Schillinger system precipitated the art of music into a predicament jn which the theory and the facts of the art had 110
corresponde11ce to each other. The theories were to a substan­
tial extent misinformative and valueless.
It became obvious that either music was in fact a phenome­
non that could not be explained or produced by rational means,
or else that music could be so explained and produced, but that
no one had yet found the key to the method.
011e of the ma11y composers aware of this predicament into
which the practice and theory of music had fallen was Joseph
Schillinger.
By chance, there had beer1 con1bined in Schillinger much
ability and experience in music along with a strictly scie.ntific
and mathematical ed1.1cation. Schillinger determined to solve
the problem, if it could be solved, and was able to utilize his
scientific equipme11t ir1 the task.
His first task was to determine, 011 a basis of facts rather
than speculation, whether the music of the concededly great
composers-Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Wagner, and scores of
others-was co11structed on rational principles or not.

5

•

•

Schillinger applied to thousands of actual works of these
concededly great composers the powerful instrument of
advanced mathematical and scientific analysis.
Schillinger discovered that great 1nusic was, i11deed, con­
structed according to accurate and precise prin€ip1es.
These principles, he found, were for the 1nost part entirely
\tnsuspected by such theories as were then (and are still) in
vogue. Just as Einstei11 successfully solved with a superior
analytical equip1nent problems which had bee11 thought insolu­
able, so did Schilli11ger discover the fundamental and infallible
procedures underlying the co1nposition of music.
Schillinger's next task was to carry this process to its con­
clusion and to work out carefulJy not only all the procedure
which the great composers had used, but to systematize the
many additional procedures which the great composers had
either not used at all, or had used in 011ly imperfect forn1s.
The final and decisive step was to determine whether these
prin<;iples could be reduced to exact procedures, comprehe11si­
ble to pers011s not trained in scien.ce or mathematics, so that such
persons• •might successfuJly apply the pri11cip1es in actual
compos1t1on.
This final step was also a success.
THE QuESTION REMAINED:

How CouLo THE PRACTICAL

value of the Schillinger system be proved beyond any doubt?
True, Schillinger's own compositions had received wide
acclaim for their merit and originality. But this could not
be regarded as a definite test, for such acclaim in the field of
�a-called "pure" music depends 011 a great many casual, acci­
dental and subjective factors.
It was necessary to find some test which would not depe11d
for its outcome on accidental likes and dislikes, but on pt·actical
and factual conditions.
Observing that the art of music has its closest connections
with the real world in the form of its so-called popular musicsuch as radio music, cinema music, popular songs, dance music,

6

-

I

etc.-Schillinger determi.t1ed that this, and not a handful of
specialized ctitics, would provide the most exacting test of his
system.
Composers a11d arrangers in the so-called "commercial"
field of music work in a highly competitive field. Their
incomes depend on whether they can "deliver the goods" or
not. rfhe success of a musicia11 in this field does not depend on
whether someon.e thinks a system is good, or not; it depends
on the results achieved i11 the form of actual n1usic composed.
THus MADE AvAJLABLE To
n1usicians and arrangers in this field his own system, students
equipped with the Schillinger system suddenly found them­
selves able to produce so much more, with so vast a range of
ideas, to any desirable ( or saleable) degree of originality, that
they quickly rose to the top of their profession.
Ma11y went further, and used the Schillinger syste111 not
simply to earn their livu1gs, but to branch out of the com­
merci�l field to compose so-called "pure" music of a high
degree of perfection.
Schillinger-equipped musicia11s, either .in commercial or
pure composition, do 11ot have to depe11d o.n imitations of other
composers for their origi11ality; instead, they have inexhausti­
ble sources of ge11uu1ely novel musical ideas.
Today, most of the leading radio stations, chains, a11d
numerous top-11otch dance bands and motion picture 1nusic
departme11ts have musicians 011 their staff who use the
Schillinger system.
The results of the systen1 do 11ot depe11d in any way on
the emot.io11s, the ''mood," or the "talent" of the practitioner.
Procedures are provided for a11y possible musical result; and
when the procedures are applied, the results infallibly follow,
regardless of how the co,nposer may be feeli11g at the time.
\VHEN

ScHILI.rNGER

Po1N·r OF VIEW, THE SCHILLINGER
system is remarkable because it solves all musical problems,
u1cluding many problems the existence of which was not
FROM A Mus.1cAL

7

hitherto known. It is 11ot uncommon for Schillinger-equipped
students to use in tl1eir radio and motion picture work technical
devices entirely urtknown in other systems, but easily 111._astered
u11der the Schillinger system.
Co1nposers using the Schillinger system 6.11d that, i11 addition to its practical and commercial usefulness, it enables thern
to become gent1inely creative musicians.
Some who are not acquainted with the Schillinger system
erroneously believe that it is rigid, ((cut and dried" and inelastic. But the co11trary is the case. The Schillinger syste1n,
by making in1mediately available all possible musical procedures, does 11ot restrict the composer but, 011 the contrary,
sets the composer free by enabling him to master the e11tire
range of musical procedures.
With the Schillinger system, the co.mposer is 110 longer
limited by his own personality. He gains access 11ot merely to
the fullest reaches of his own personality, but to the furthest
advances in 1nany 1nusical personalities.
HIS1'0RICALLY, THE SCHJLLINGER SYSTEl\11 CLOSES ONE
•

epoch in music a11d marks the beginning of another .
The Sdiilli11ger iystem closes the epoch in which the theory
of music did not correspond to, 11or make any valuable con­
tribution to, the practice of the art.
Henceforth, musicians who do not avail themselves of the
exact and successful techniques embodied in the Schillinger
system put themsel'7es at a serious disadvantage; they are, in
effect, trying to practice their professions without equippi11g
themselves with the scientific knowledge w11ich is readily avail­
able. It is as if a machinist tried to 1nake an aeroplane without
using moder11 n1achine tools.
The Schilli11ger system opens aJ1other epoch-the epoch in
,vhich the fullest mastery of the means of musical composition
is for the first time brought within the reach of any normally
intelligent man or woman). without regard to subjective factors
-such as those commonly called tale11t or genii,s.

8

I

l

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

J lecturer,SCHD,LINGERcomposer,
author. Bern in Khar­

seurn of Columbia University. B e ­
came citizen of United States in
1936.
Evolved first scientific theory of
the arts (individual and compound
forms based on the five senses�
space and time) : "The Mathen1ati­
cal Basis of the Arts."

OSEPH

ko:v, Russia, September 1, 1895.
Head of music department, Board
of Education, Ukraine ( 19181922) . Consultant to U. S. S. R.
Board of Education (1921-1926).
Consultant to Leningrad Board of
Education (1922-1926) : Professor
and member, State Institute of
History of Arts (1925-1928) .
Came to United States in 1 928
on invitation of American Society
for Cultural Relations with Russia,
to lecture on contemporary Rus­
sian music. Collaborator with Leon
Theremin, 1929-32. Lecturer and
instructor, 1932-36, at David Ber­
end School of Music, Florence Cane
School of Art, New School for So­
cial Research, New York Univer­
sity, and in Mathematics, Music
and Fine Arts departments of
Teachers College, Columbia Uni­
versity. Has exhibition of geomet­
rical design in Mathematics Mu•

FURTHER REFERENCES:

See Coniposers in America, by
Claire Reis (Macmillan, 1937) t
Com1Josers of Todc,y, by Davia
Ewen ( H. W. Wilson Co.J 1934) ;
Mac»niUan Dictionary or Music
and Musicians (Macmillan, 1936 ) ;
International Gyclcpedia of Music
and Musicians, by Oscar Thomp­
son (Dodd, Mea Our Day, by Lazare Saµiinsky
( Crowell, 1932) ; Our Contempor­
ary Contposers, by John Tasker
Howard ( Crowell, 1941 ) ; and En­
cyclopedia of American Biography
(American Historical Co., Inc.) .

SOME SCHILLINGER STUDENrfS
In Musical Composition
Leith Stevens, Eddie DeLange,
Claude Thornhill.
B1·acken, Rt. Rev. il1sgr. L. H. �
conductor, C atholic Diocesan
Choristers of Brooklyn.
Bradley, Will-band-leader, trom­
bonist.
Brodsky, Irving- composer, pian­
ist, arranger.

A.
Andre, Fabia,n-arranger, Horace
Heidt; staff, NBC, Chicago and
New York.
Alexander, M
, yer-composer, con­
ductor, arranger, CBS.

B.

Bave, Edwin-saxophonist, clarinetist, WOR.
Bay, Victor-conductor, CBS.
Benda, Richarcl-teache1·.
Berk, Larry-a1·ranger, Emery
Deutsch ; Dick Gasparre, Joe
Rines.
807•den, William H.-arranger,

C.

9

Ca1·lisle, Margaret - compose1·,
pianist.
Ch,allis, Willia1n-arranger, Don
Voorhees, Nat Shilkret, Bobby
Dolan.

Clozitier, N NBC.
Coppola, Car1nine - compose1·,
flutist, Detroit Symphony Or­
chestra.
Co:r;, Clarence-teacher, arranger.
Crawfo1·d, Jesse-o1·ganist, NBC.

D.

De Maria, Rosolino - composer,
'cellist.
Duke, Vernon-co1uposer, pianist.
Dukelsky, Vladi1nir - see Vernon
Duke.

Hathwway, Charles-composer; ar1·ange1·, Leo Feist; Bregman,
Vocco & Conn, Inc.
Hayton, Lennie - conductor, ar­
range1·, pianist, composer, music
director MGM.
Hell1nan, Ale:r;ander - co1nposer,
pianist.
Holgui1i, David-violinist, Chicago
NBC.
K.

Koshetz, Nina, - formerly, Prin1a
Donna, Imperial Opera (Mos­
cow) ; Victor Red Seal records;
composer.

E.
Evan.a, Alfred Lewis - saxophon­
ist; arranger, NBC.

•

•

L.

F.
Fenatock, Belle--songwriter, Wa1·­
ner Brothers.

G.
Gellert, Ha,rry-t1·u1upeter, Artie
Shaw; arranger, RKO, Para­
mount Pictures ; CBS, Lo.s An­
geles.
Genner, RusseU-tro1nbonist.
Gersckefski, Edwin - composer,
pianist, teacher.
*Gershwin, Geo1·ge--composer.
Giardina, Felix-trombonist.
Goetschius, MMjorie - pianist,
compose1·.
Goodman, Benny - bandleader,
clarinetist, songwrite1·.
Gordon, Ralph--see Gus Levene.
Gorman, Ross-woodwinds,
Gross, Dr. Jeronie-violinist.

H.

Hallenbeck, Ralf.Ii A.-arranger,
Hal Kemp, ' Skinnay" Ennis,
Judy Garland.
• Writes uon,,rd uibling io the Musical

Cc.,,i,r, Novtmb,,r I, 1940: "After Georg•
GtrJhwin had writt•n ovu 700 song,, he felt

at the tnd of his irrve.ntive r�sourcu and went
10 S.:6illingor for advice and ,tudy. He m1Ut
havt valuNI borh, for ht «maintd • pupil of
tht theiorist for four and a half yurs."

Laval, Paul--see Joe Usifer.
Lefl_eur,._ �eo - composer, pianist,
,
with JVI1sha
Borr orchestra.
Leeman, George B. - arranger,
CBS, Guy Lombardo, Andre
Kostelanetz, Rubinoff, Rudy
Vallee, Leith Stevens Gus Haen­
schen orchestra, Felix Knight,
Paul Whiteman, Lud Gluskin,
Jerome Kern, James Melton,
Alice Cornett, Wilfred Pelletier.
Le'Vant, Oscar-composer, pianist,
conductor, music director.
Le'Ve1ie, Gus (Ralph Gordon) -ar­
ranger, Little Jack Little, Bobby
Dolan orchestra, Je1·ome Kern,
CBS (staff), Andre Kostelanetz.
Lilley Joseph - arranger, NBC,
Andre Kostelanetz ; pianist, con­
ductor, choral director.
M.

Malneck, Matt--eomposer, concert­
meister, Paul Whiteman's Or­
chestra; songwriter ; conductor,
Matty Malneck's
Orchestra,
Hollywood.
Mar.ks Franklyn-staff arranger
NBC; arranger, Cloutier, Joe
Usifer (Paul Laval) , Bobby
Dolan, Patricia Gilmore, Dinah
Shore, Red Nichols, Henry Lev­
ine, Meyer Davis.

10

arranger,
Jimmy Dorsey, Lennie Hayton,
Freddie Rieb, Kay Thompson,
Leith Stevens, Paul Whiteman,
Andre Kostelanetz, Tommy Dor­
sey, Adelaide Moffat, Phil Napo­
leon.
Jl!cGee, John-trumpeter, Richard
Himber Orchestra ; band-le,ader.
Mcinerney, Jame8 J.-composer.
Mei/!, Albe1·t - violinist; faculty
member, Curtis Institute, Phila­
delphia.
*Miller, Glenn,-trombonist, bandleader, conductor, songwriter.
Jl!Iiller, Jack--conductor, composer.
Mondello, Toots-saxophonist.
Montg01nery, Lee- arranger, CBS.
Mooney, Harold - arranger, Hal
Kemp, NBC, CBS.
Mu1-ray, Lyn--choral director, 01·­
ganist, pianist, composer, con­
ductor, CBS.
Jl!layers,

Bernard

o.

Olman, Val- violinist, arranger,
conductor.
P.

Paul, Charles-composer, organist.
Powell, Edwar·d-arranger, orches­

trator for United Artists.
P1·evin, Charles - music director,
Universal Pictures.
R.

Raitz, Saniuel-violini�t.
Rey, Alvino - guitarist, Horace

l:Ieidt; band leader.
Royal. Ted-clarinetist, arrange�1
Wayne King Orchestra, Emu
Coleman, Jerome Kern, Hans
Spiale�, Cole Porter, Rodgers
and Hart.

• Miller's song bit, 0·Moonlight Sutnade,''
was first written u an tz.ttc..ile wb�n h� was
otadyina tJ,� Sc:hillineer srst•m.

lI

s.

Schaeffer, Dr. Myron - faculty

membe1·, Western Reserve Uni­
versity ; head of music depart,.
ment, University of Panama.
Schrarnrn, Rudolph - composer;
conductor, NBC.
Sharples, Winston - composer;
conductor ; music director, Van
Beuren Motion Picture Corpora­
tion, Max Fleisher studios.
Shaw� Milton-- violinist; arranger,
E'daie Duchin, Buddy Rogers Or­
chestra.
Simeone, Harry - conductor, ar­
ranger, CBS, California; Di.rec­
tor, Simeone Chorus; arranger,
Fred WarinL
Skinner, Fran• ar1·anger for nu­
merous publishers and for Uni­
versal P1ctures.
Spencer, Herbert--arranger, CBS;
arranger and composer, Twen­
tieth Century Fox.
Ste,·1·ett, Pauz_._.:._arranger and com­
poser, CBS, NBC, Cloutier
Bobby Dolan, Joe Usifer (Pauf
Laval) , Paul Whiteman.
Stevens, Leith - conductor, c<>m­
poser, arranger, CBS, music di­
rector, RKO.
Stulce, Freddie--saxophonist, a r ­
ranger, Tommy Dorsey Orches­
tra.
T.
Torbett, Dave - arranger, Isham
Jones, Rubinoff, Freddie Rich.

u.

U8ifer, Joe (Paul Lava�) - com­

poser, arranger, clarinetist, con­
ductor, NBC.
V.

Van Cleave, Nathan £.-arranger,

Stevens,
Kostelanetz,
Leith
Whiteman, Mark Warnow, Gus
Haenschen, Lawrence Tibbett,
Grace Moore, Jerome Kern,
Bobby Dolan; Wilfred Pelletier.

Welch, Willia1n A., Jr.-arranger,
CBS, Leith Stevens.
Wingert, Ralp�arrange1·, Horace
Heidt; b:umpetet.
Winters, John-organist, arrange1·,
NBC.

w.

Warburg, Gerald F. - 'cellist,
Stradiva1·ius Quartet, conductor,
B1·ooklyn Symphony.
Weiner, Lazar-composer, conduc­
tor., Workmen's Circle Chorus.
l-Veinstein, Milton - pianist, ar­
ranger, Richard Himber.

z.

ZimbaHst, Samuel-violinist, com­
poser.

A FEW EXAMPLES

The following is not a co1nplete list, but is in.tended to illustrate the
wide 1•a,nge of 1nusica,l activities of Schillinger-equipped musicians.

LEVAN'!' (Oscar) - Oaprice for
Orchestra, Russell Bennett's
Notebook, WOR, . 1940; Piano
Concerto, 1942.
ROYAL (Ted) -Louisia?UJ, Suite,
Russell Bennett's Notebook,
WOR, 1942.
VAN CLEAVE-Etude for Or­
chestra, Russell Bennett's Note­
book.I. WOR, 1941. Improvisation
in .:,cherz'o, CBS String En­
semble, 1940 .
WEINER-Legend of Toil {can­
tata) at Town :a:all, 1935. Man
in the World (cantata) , Work­
men's Cir-cle Chorus, Town Hall,
1940.

OPERA

GERSHWIN - Porgy and Bess,
Guild Theater, 1935; revived,
1942.
MURRAY - Esther, CBS, radio
opera, 1941.

•

SYMPHONIC
COPPOLA-Danse Paoane, Rochester Philharmonic (Iturbi) ,
1939, Detroit Symphony, 1942.
DUKELSKY- End of St. Pet6!1·s­
burg (cantata) , Schola Cantor­
um and New York Philharmonic
at Carnegie Hall, 1938. Dedi­
caces, by Boston Symphony
{Koussevitsky) , 1939.
GE'RSCHEFSKI - ,Classic Over­
ture, at Yaddo Festival, 1937.
Discha1·ge in E, at commencen1ent
Northwestern University, 1937.
1939 World's Fair Fanfare, by
League of Composers, annual
1·adio broadcast WABC, 1939.
Save the Saugatuck, by CBS
Symphony (Barlow) on WABC,
1938.
GERSHWIN - Cuban Ove-1·twre,
reorchestrated by Van Cleave
(q. v.), Lewissohn Stadium,
1932.
LAVAL (Paul) - Syniphonic
,flhumba, N Y A
Symphony,
WNYC, 1940, and NBC Sym­
phony (Frank Black), 1941.

CHAMBER MUSIC

12

COPPOLA - George Bernard
Shaw, fo.r male quartet and
chamber orchestra, CBS (Sime­
one).
LeFLEU R - Nocturne Arabe, at
concertina i-ecital of Raphael,
Town Hall, 1936.
LEVANT (Oscar)-String Quar­
tet No. 1, annual broadcast of
League of Composers, WABC,
1988.
WEINER-To the Worke1·, Work­
men's Circle Chol'us, Town Hall,
1936.

•

SHOWS (ARRANGERS)

POWELL-Let 'Em Eat Cake
(Gershwin), 1933.
BRODSKY (Irving) - George
White's Scanda,ls, VTCE. Ziegfeld
Follies (songs by Vernon Duke),
1936.
.
LEVANT (Oscar)-The A1neri­
ca,n Way, 1939.
MONTGOMERY--Virginia. (1987).
ROYAL (Ted) - Keep Off_ the
01·lea_ns
Grass,
Gay .New
(World's Fair), I Wa,lk With
Music, DuBarry W Too Many Girls, Hellzapoprnn
(with Lyn Murray) , Let's Face
It.

MISCELLANEOUS-Ve,-y Warm
Fo'r May (1939) by Ke1·n was
arranged by Ted Royal, Gus
Levene, Nathan Van Cleave,
George Leeman, all Schillinger
students.
MOTION PICTURES

•

DUKE-Goldwyn Follies, 2 songs
and ballet scenes.
LEVANT-Nothing Sacred, 193_7;
Ch,a;rlie Can at the Opera, 1987;
True Confession, 1938.
POWELL (Edward) - Footlight
Parade, 1934i Top Hat, 1986;
Strike Me Pink, 1986; Modern
Ti1ne,s (Chaplin ) , 1936; Broad-­
way Melody of 1996, Born to
Dance, 1938, Prisoner of Zenda,
1938; Topper Ta,kes a Trip, 1939,
and others.
PREVIN (Charles)-Life Takes a
Fling, 1938, and others.
SKINNER (Frank) - The Great
Ziegfield, 1938; Son of Frank­
enstein, 1939, and others.
SPENCER (Herbert) - On the
Avenue, 1937.

Bltte Velvet-CBS ( Ster1·ett, Lee­
man, Van Cleave, Montgomery,
Warnow) .
Leith Stevens Har1runiies-CBS
(Stevens, Van Cleave, Sterrett,
Leeman, Montgomery) .
Saturday Night Swing Club­
CBS (Stevens, Sterrett, Van
Cleave, Leeman, Mayers, Bor­
den, Glenn Miller) .
Si1neone Chorus- CBS Hollywood
(Simeone).
.Joe Us·ifer Orchestra-WJZ (Us1fer (Laval) , Leeman, Mayers,
Marks, Sterrett).
Basin Street Chaniber Music So­
ciety - NBC (Laval, Marks,
Mayers,
Sterrett,
Leeman,
Evans).
Metropolitan At{ditions of the Ai1·
(Pelletier) Leen1an, Van Cleave.
Colu.nibia, W01·ksho1>--Van Cleave,
Levene, Stevens, Sterrett.
28 By Corwin-Lyn Murray
Ad11entu1·es of Ellery Queen,­
NBC and CBS (Murray, Paul).
Manhattan at Midnight - NBC
(Paul) .
.
A.ldrich Farnily- NBC (Jack Mil­
ler).
City_ Desk-CBS (Paul).
Michael and Kitty-NBC (Mur­
ray).

BACKGROUND MUSIC
STEVENS and STERRETT - for
Alice in Wonderland, WABC,
1937. For Alice Tlvrougk the
Looking Glass, WABC, 1987. F(?r
Tish, WABC, 1937. For Bio
ToW?h OBS Holly-wood, 1939.

RECORDS
(A few records on which _origi1ial
music, and/or orchestr·ations of
various kinds by Schillinger stu­
dents rnq,y be heard)
KOSTELANETZ ORCHESTRA--Colum­
bia Maste1·works Set M-430.
MEYER DAVIS ALBUM OF VINCENT
YOU?ifAN'S SONGS-Columbia 0-

A FEW RADIO PROGRAMS

Around Ne10 York-OBS (Leith
Stevens, Sterrett, Geo,rge Lee­
man, Gus Levene) .
This Is War- Government Pro­
gram (Lyn Murray) .

77.

13

BASIN STREET CHAMBER l\'lus.ro So­
CIETY- 2 albums by Victor (P56,
P86).

BIRTH OF TllE BLUES - Henry
Levine Oi·chest1·a (Victor Album
P-82).
ADVENTURES OF MARCO Pow-Vic­
tor Albun1 P-90.
"OAHu"-Wayne King Orchest1·a,
Victor 27588.
PORGY AND BESS selections (Gershwin) on Victor 11879, -80,
-81, and 26359.
CuaAN OVERTURE (Gershwin)
Decca, 29053-54.
LET 'EM EAT CAKE---Victor 24,
429.
MOONLIGHT SERENADE - (interest­
ing example of successful popu­
lar song fu·st written as exercise
in S.c,hillinger systen1 by Glenn
Miller), Glenn Miller's Orches­
tra, Bluebh·d B-10214.

•
•

El.ect1"ic· ity, the, Liberator of Music
- Modern Music, Volume 8, 1931.
Excerpts from a Theory of Synchrotiization - Experimental
Cinema, No. 5, 1934.
The Destiny of the Tonal Art­
Proceedinga, Music Teache1·s'
National Association, American
Musicological Society, 1937.
KALEIDOPHONE: Pitc'h,.Scales it� Re­
lation to Chord Structures - M.
Witmark & Sons, 1940.
Plain, Talk on Musical Gen-ius­
"Tomori·ow" magazine, March,
1942.

SCHILLI GE.R SYSTEl\11
Course of Study

ECAUSE THE SCHILLINGER SYS­
tern teaches the successful com­
position of 1nusic, the Course of
Study (Composition of Music:
General Course) follows the actual
p>·ocesses of composition, 1·ather
than clinging to traditional and
unsu.ccessful 1·outines.
Actual composition of music con­
sists, not in specialized techniques
called "harn1on,y," "form," etc., but
in the accurate coordination of the
various elements of musical struc­
tnre. Hence, in the Schillinger sys­
tem Course of Study, there is no
rigid and artificial segregation of
these elements. As in great music
itseli, these techniques overlap
each other and are accurately co­
ordinated.
In ordinary courses, actual com­
position of real music 1s invariably
"deferi;ed" until so1ne years after
graduatio_n. In the Schillinger sys-

B

PUBLICATIONS
BY JOSEPH SCHILLINGER

teu1, however, con1position of in­
tricate sco1·es ))egins from the very
start.
The student first learns how to
form, quickly and accurately.
rhythmic patterns of endless- vari­
ety and any conceivable length.
The student then learns to coor­
dinate these ,vith their own vari­
ants. What has been learned is
next applied to the theory of
pitch- scales, the various tech­
niques of composing melodies f1·om
given sets of pitch-units. .U:al'monic
developments inherent in such
scales are then studied, along ,vith
such orchestral and contra,Puntal
techniques as grow out of pitch­
scales. As in actual music, so in
the Schillinger system melo�y is
c-ompletely integrated with other
musical elements. Procedures for
writing successful melodies of all
types, and coordination of n1elodies

14

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•

they are able to do easily by using
the technics for evolution of styles.
The student ends the Course of
Study a finished composer, com­
pletely equipped 1.vith all necessary
techniques in all branches of com­
position.
SPECIAL COURSES, not in­
cluded in the GENERAL COURSE
OF STUDY, are available in: In­
ter_p1·etation for Performance;
Conducting· Song Writing; Ar­
ranging ; Methodology of the Sys­
tem (analysis of music, criticism
of music) ; Methods of Teaching
tne Systen1 ; Philosophy of Music ;
Mathematical Basis of Music; and
Imp1·ovisation.

in any nun1be1· (counte1·point) are
fully taughl Melodization of har­
mony, part-melodizatiou, l1armoni­
zation of melody, part-harmoniza­
tion, correlation of any specified
number of melodies, construction
of musical forn1s, along ,vith dia­
tonic, symmetrical chromatic, and
strata harmony. Means of evolv­
ing one or more "styles" (whether
in in1itation of old styles, 1nodern
styles, or to develop hitherto un­
known styles) a1·e learned.
As this work proceeds, the stu­
dent is , actually co1nposing real
n1usic, ,vith a proficiency in co1n­
plex score-writing astonishing to
the student hi1nself. The Course
of Study also includes instrument­
ology (musical acoustics : the indi­
vidual and combinatory character­
istics of instruments) and orches­
tration.
Innumerable
techniques
are
learned which a1·e unknown out­
side the Schillinger system but
which are comn1only used in suc­
cessful ·radio and cine.n1a music.
Students easily learn to repro­
duce exactly the styles of any clas­
sical or modern co:mposer, includ­
ing hot jazz, ethnic music, etc.
Naturally, however, students be­
come interested in developing one
or more styles of their own, which

'

EQUIP!l1EN'l' AVAILABLE

Mr. Scbillinger's studio is fully
equipped for the investigation of
sound and music, and these facili­
ties are invaluable not only for
ascertaining the facts about music,
but £01· testing musical procedures.
In addition to the usual musical
instruments, the studio is equipped
with a Hammond electric organ,
sound recording system by MP
Concert Installations, a rhythmi­
con, an oscillograph, and other
acoustical and optical instruments.

.
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15

•

THE SC.I:11LLINGER $YSTEM IS TAUGHT BY JOSEPH SCHilr

linger, 875 Fifth Avenue, Ne,v Yol'k, N. Y., to selected
students.

. , No previous theoretical instruction is necessary. No
special knowledge of mathematics is necessat·y beyond
ordinary, sin1ple arithmetic.

Schedules and consultations n1ay be arranged by writing
the above address or telephoning BUtterfield 8 -2107.

-

BY CORRESPONDENCE

The syste1n is also taught entirely by correspondence. Or,
for those ,vhose ,vork may 1·equire them to leave town
for periods of time, their study 1nay be continued by
co1·1·espondence.

Mr. Schillinger is also available for technical co·nsulta­
tions on problems in coinposition, inte1·pretation, 01·ches­
tration, analysis, the "styling" of orchestl'as or radio
productions, background music, lectures, developmept of
rhythms for drumme1·s and so-called hot jazz "impi-ovisa­
tions."
Schilling-er students who will be qualified to teach the
Schillinger system will possess certificates of authoriza­
tion. Pe1·sons claiming to teach the "Schillinger system,'"
but not possessing such certificates, are not entitled to
do so.

The Destiny of the Tonal Art
JOSEPH SCHILLINGER

•
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(Reprinted by permission from the Music Teachers National
Association Jlolu1ne of Pr<>ceedings for I9'.>7)

THE DESTINY OF THE TONAL ART
Jos£PH Sc:HrLLlNC£R

New York City

•

THE program co1nmittee of the American Musicological Society has done n1e a great honor in submitting to me the
theme, "The Destiny of the Tonal Art." This necessitates my be­
ing qualified both in the matter of destiny as well as in that of
the tonal art itself. And though I personally find the life span
too long to be devoted to the tonal art exclusively, it seems to be
entirely too short for the investigation of fatal matters.
"The Destiny of the Tonal Art" seems to incorporate two
major problems : one, the problem of destiny ; and, t\VO, the prob­
lem of tonal art.
The span of the human race is an insignificant episode in
world history. The span of arts is only an insignificant episode
in the history of the human race.
The hu1nan race is confined to five senses and associative
orientation. Art forms are perceived through five senses and stim­
ulate associative i1npulses. Senses impose li1nitations on the art
materials. The material of tonal art is limited by low fre­
quencies and lo,v amplitudes. Amplitudes may be magnified but
the range of frequencies depends entirely on the evolution of the
sense of hearing. The amount of "tonal matter" is very scarce
in the sensory continuum.
Scientific laws make prediction possible. Such is prediction
from the law of gravity. ,!\rt being an evolutionary group must
function through the laws of evolutionary groups. Differentia­
tion of art forms corresponds to differentiation of senses. Struc­
tural and associative patter n -making is universal. Art forms con­
sist of structural as well as -associative patterns.
All evolutionary groups reveal the tendency of acceleration.
Evolution of the human race as well as of our planet presents
such evidence. Art is no exception to this law.

32

M. T. N. A.

PROCEEDINGS,

1937

A structural evolutionary group may be expressed in the fol­
lowing concept-series : in1petus, motion, inertia, balance, stabiliza­
tion, crystallization, deposition, disintegration (transformation) .
An associative evolutionary group conforms to the primary func­
tional association, dissociation (abstraction) , the secondary func­
tional association, etc. A pentacle in a starfish is a pattern crys­
tallized for efficient existence. An abstract pentacle ( geon1etrical
pattern) becomes a source of new functional association, that is,
it becon1es a symbol of a fighting unit (Red Army) . It concerns
geological and biological as well as esthetic patterns. The ap­
pearance of new biological as well as neV1r esthetic patterns is
necessitated by readjustment. All pattern making has its general
source in electro-chemical patterns ot the brain functioning.
According to Professor Barr, Yale anatomist, "Physiology be­
comes a branch of electrical engineering." ( 1936) Thus, geometry
of thought becomes the source of universal patternmaking. This
bio-geometrical generator asserts certain tendencies which in turn
produce certain configurations and certain colors. Perhaps in the
near future we will be able to learn that creative experiences are
1nerely geometrical projections of the electro-chemical patterns of
thought on various materials having sensory effects upon us.
Integration of esthetic experience assumes the following evo­
lutionary cycle: mimicry ( passive transforn1ation), magic ( active
transformation), and engineering ( scientific abstraction) .
The transformation of matter into energy and the transforma­
tion of a sensation into a concept (idea) finds its analogues in the
history of music. The development of musical instruments and
performance of music as well as the development of the for1ns of
musical composition and mu�ic theories follows the same process
of dematerialization ; fro!J'l the first intentional sound-production
by means of the body organs, through the highest material instru­
ments (piano, organ), to dematerialized electronic instru1nents;
from reliance upon the organs (lungs, vocal cords, diaphragm,
lips, fingers, arms, etc.) as the agents of performance through
utilization of electrical devices for the development of volume
and tone quality, to elimination of the performer; from uninten­
tional improvisiation and imitation, through highl,y developed

THE DESTil\TY OF THE TONAL A.RT

•

33

artistic creation, to scientific creation and engineering with auto­
matic production of music and elimination of the compos-er ; from
spontaneous forms induced by the biological pattemmaking,
through scholastic theories of rules and exceptions, to scientific
theory dealing with laws of intentional creation and developing
in accordance with general science ( that is, from biological forms
to numbers).
Motion is the source of patternmaking. Muscular tension
and release is the first source of organic sound. This has been
emphasized philosophically by Aristotle : "Rhythms and melodious
sequences are movements quite as much as they are actions." Ani­
mal sound contains all the components of tonal art: intensity,
frequency, and duration.
• The biological factors of sound are : ( 1 ) Reaction of an
organism on sound as a signal of movement. (2) Connection be­
tween the increase and decrease in intensity of sound with anal­
ogous variations of intensity in the organism.
Movement itself is the first source of music: periodic vibra­
tions occurring in nature produce sound - the 1r1aterial of music ;
organic moven1ents ( breathing, locomotion, expansion, contrac­
tion ) produce the forms of music.
Music is an expression of the forrns of 1novement abstracted
from electro-physiological experience.
The meaning of music
evolves in the terms of physico-pbysiological correspondences.
These correspondences are quantitative, and quantities express
form.
Our physiological experience combined with our awareness of
it through our sensory and mental apparatus makes it possible for
us to understand the meaning of music in terms of "actions."
Thus, regularity means stability and si,nplicity means relaxation.
Thus, the satisfied organism at rest is comparable to simple har­
monic motion. The loss of stability is caused by powe,rful ex­
citers affecting the very existence of the organism. Sex and dan­
ger are the exciters, love and fear are the expressions of instabil­
ity. The awareness of instability comes through the variation in
blood circulation sensed through heartbeat and in blood pressure
resulting in respiratory movements. The whole existence of an

34

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M. T.

N. A. PROCEEDINGS, 1937

organism is a variation of stability, fluctuating between certain
extremes of restfulness and restlessness. The constitution of mu­
sic is equivalent to that of an organism. It is a variation of the
stability in frequency and intensity. Music expresses the actions
we know and feel through our very existence in the forms of
sound waves.
Now we come to the intentional biomechanical processes. Effi­
ciency of action in relation to its goal is the foundation of evolu­
tion. The forms of action by which living organisms adapt them­
selves to the goal of survival in the existing medium may serve as
a fundamental illustration. This efficiency comes through "in­
stinct" among the lower species and through the conscious utiliza­
tion of previous experiences leading to deliberate efficiency among
the higher. Muscular tension and release is the first instrument
for the intentional action.
The mechanical constitution of music varies with times and
places, yet the patterns of it are familiar to us from our bio­
mechanical experiences.
The "contemplative" and the "dramatic'' become t\vo poles of
our esthetic reactions. They grow out of the same biomechani­
cal diads: restfulness - restlessness and stability - instability.
Dramatic patterns evolve out of two sources. The first is fear
(defence) [ dispersed energyJ and is caused by danger or aggres­
sion. It results in cornpression patterns. The second is aggres­
sion (attack) [concentrated energy] and is caused by an impt1lse
or a resistance. It results in expansion patterns. The confusion
o.f the patterns of compression and of expansion (aberration of
perception caused by instability) explains why the same music
sounds "passionate" to one listener and "weary" to another. This
is a typical confusion observed by Professor Moore of Columbia
in the tests performed with the students of non-musical depart­
ments at various universities on Wagner's "Isolda's Love- Death."
When we arrive at a conception of patternmaking as an ex­
perience general to all the perceptible world, a musical phenome­
non becomes merely a special case of esthetic phenomena in gen­
eral. Its distinction from other esthetic phenomena depends not
as much on the actual pattern as on the material in which th�e

THll DESTINY OF THE TONAL ART

35

patterns are realized. Musical patterns do not necessarily signify
the art of music. They may be created by a group of circum­
stances and not by the intentions of an individual or a collective
artist. Thus, musical form may result from personal as well as
impersonal expression.

•

The natural sources of music are in sounds as well as in the
patterns of organic and inorganic worlds. In the early life of
mammals, sound probably was a spontaneous reflex of vocal cords
induced by fear and stimulated by the compression pattern as a
geometrical expression of fear. This sound crystallizes into a
signal of approaching danger. The process of crystallization it­
self is the result of repeated experiences through which the mam­
mal could learn of its efficiency. Evolution of the art of music
from a signal has been substantiated by Karl Stumpf's "The Ori­
gin of Music." Sound signal coordinates the group reactions.
This is the origin of the organizing power of music. Efficiency
( order, organization) results from the two opposite processes:
aggression (attack) and fear (defence). Thus, we acquire all
the organizing forms of music: hunt, regimental, emergency and
labor signals. Hence, the deification of music as an organizing
power. Music becomes a magical factor. By means of a sound
signal an animal tries to induce fear into another animal. This is
the first source of the incantation of evil. If a sound signal can
counteract the unfavorable and the evil, it probably can attract
the favorable and the good. Evocation -0f the favorable is the
first religious function of music.
Primitive incantations dissociate from their original magical
connotations and disintegrate at the end of their evolutionary
cycle in operatic, pseudo-mystical, and nursery-rime forms.
If music has an influence upon the evil in the surrounding
world it may have the power to influence this evil in human
bodies. Henc;e, the medicinal application of music through a
course of many centuries. Music as a healing device penetrated
not only into such fields. as psychotherapy, hut into gynecology as
well. Even today forms of treatment by means of sound waves
are practiced. Scientjfically speaking, the difference between the

,

36

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M. T. N. A.

PROCElllDING-S,

1937

treatment by means oJ low frequency waves (sound waves) is
only quantitatively different from the treatment by means o.f
waves of high frequency (x-rays).
Music as an idea-forming factor has been known since Plato,
Aristotle, and Aristoxe.nes. Plato in his Politeya discusses music
as an ethical factor stating that the purely emotional enjoyment
of music is inherent �vith slaves as well as with animals. It was
a part of the school curriculum at that time to know which mu­
sical scales stin1ulate virtues. Some of the scales \Vere rejected
because they had a bad influence upon the young generation. We
have not progressed much since then1 We meet people in society
today who believe that certain patterns in musical scales have bad
influences on 01:1r generation. They have in mind certain hybrids
between the ecclesiastic and religious music of England and the
music of African cannibals. This ethically injurious music is so
alluring that it does not affect only the "ethically drifting" young
generation but some of the greatest composers of our time as well.
Conten1plative n1usic has its origin in the disintegration of la­
bor processes. It is a form of movefnent by inertia or minute
stimuli. Such are pastorals, barcarolles, cradle songs. This is the
music of satisfaction and of contemplati.on, that is, the lyrical
form of ordinance. What is an obsession - caused by fear of
the unknown mysterious forces - to a primitive man assumes the
form of obsession by the forces that still contain a certain amount
of mystery to the civilized man. Love is one of such forces. The
active and passive forms of this obsession are nocturnes, love
songs, and serenades. Form� of dissatisfaction and unbalanced ex­
istence stitnulate readjustment. Readjustment calls for organiza­
tion and sometimes revolt. The expressions of dissatisfaction and
revolt are revolutionary hymns and songs.
The evolution of ecclesiastic music into pure music assumed
the following pattern: crystallized ecclesiastic dogmas influenced
music patterns directly and indirectly, thus becoming esthetic
dogmas. 'I'he admiration of divine harmony as a form of p·erfec­
�on resulted in admiration of musical harmony that \VOuld sound
perfect to the human ear of that time. Thus, the cult of concord
was created. The evil of the primitive man assumed the form of

THE DESTINY OF THE TONAL A.RT

•

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37

dissonant chords with the civilized man. Music begins to seek
formal purity and becomes art for art's sake. From the bewitch­
ing concept through the glamorous, beautiful, charming, pretty1
elegant, gallant, neat, and orderly stages goes the disintegration
of magical patterns. Form be.coi:nes a crystallized sche,me. De­
position and disintegration are the outcome of this evolutionary
group. The cult of craftsmanship transforms into formalism
and scholasticism and leads to a dead end of musical the-0ry and
practice.
There has always been an extensive speculation on the nature
of music structures. Pythagoras transferred the meaning of mu­
sic to the motion of celestial bodies. Saint-Martin in the eight­
eenth century compared the tones of a major triad with a doubled
root, with the four elements. Schopenhauer, Novalis, Spencer,
and others tried to link music with architecture, poetry, and the
p rocesses of life itself.
There is a great variety of views on what music is supposed
to represent. From its original medi.cinal connotations, music
deviates into various influences in the field of psychology. Music
often serves as a release of psychological obsessions. In other cases
music itself beco1nes an obsession. It i$ very frequent that n1usi­
cal abilities develop on account of other abilities. There are
many musicians with subnormal mentality as well as people who
are insane, in the n1edical sense of this word, "V:ho possess extra­
ordinary musical abilities and almost supernaturally retentive mu­
sical me1nory. Musical trends in relation to both instruments and
esthetic fonns are dependent upon sociological, economical, and
technical forms. These often determine the velocity makeup of
the music of a corresponding era.
The educational value of music lies in the field of technical
routines. In learning to play an instrument, an individual ac­
quires the ability and the coordination of his muscles and respira­
tory technique. By ,vri.ting or analyzing music, or studying in­
tellige ntly music theories, an individual acquires similar agility
and coordination of bis mind. Rational musical education is
more important than the immediate acquisition of one type of rou­
tine which may be useless ten years later. The education of a

38

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M. T. N. A.

PROCEEDINGS,

1937

professional n1usician must include all the technical training pos­
sible, combined with a thorough knowledge of sound as material
and a co1nplete understanding of the general methods involved in
all musical procedures. Musical instruments as well as musical
forms go through iheir continuous evolution. It may happen that
in the near future neither finger agility nor sound production \\·ill
be necessary any longer.
It is the varieties of creative experience in n1usic that make
the art of musical composition so intangible. Music may be con1posed in a rational as well as irrational way. The extreme of
the latter is n1usic appearing in a dream, where the elen1ent of
intention is zero. There is enough evidence a1nong composers to
subst-antiate this method of creation as not being uncon11non. The
intermediate form would be a semi-rational intuitive process, and
the extreme a complete rationalization - the engineering of mu­
sic. Since the engineering requires mathematical technique the
entire approach to music patterns must become mathematical.
Scientific analysis of n1usical composition reveals that all the
processes involved in creation of a musical composition are ele­
mentary mathematical procedures. Philosophers for a number of
centuries have suspecte·d that there are unconscious mathematical
procedures behind the conscious rnusical in_ tentions. Music be­
comes "the mathematics of soul." The raw material of the math­
ematics of music begins with the atomic structure and the life of
living cells. It is quite simple to solve all the problems of mu­
sical creation ,vith the mathematical equipment we possess at the
present. All musical procedures are only special cases of the gen­
eral scheme of pattern making. There is even an absolute iden­
tity among the series pertaining to the forms of organic growth,
to crystal formations, to the ratios of curvature of the celestial
trajectories an d orbits and the forms of musical rhythm. Thus,
we come to the end of the cycle. Music is one of the phenon1ena
of human experience. The integration of these experi. ences leads
back to the fundamentals. We learn through music what we learn
through astronomy and biology. We arrive at an idea. Music is
one of the embodiments of the idea. In the remote future of the
hu 1nan history through the continuous process of abstraction, this

•

THE DESTINY OF THE TONAL ART

39

idea will emancipate itself from its functional associations the
way a pentacle emancipated itself from a starfish or a sea urchin.
This will be the logical end of music.
Before music disintegrates it will acquire greater functional
expedience. It will be manufactured and distributed the way
other industrial products are m·anufactured and distributed. Be­
fore music disintegrates it will influence the allied arts and come
int-0 fusion with them. The compound art of a primitive man in
his ritual ceremonies progresses into individual art forms which
later develop and acquire their independence. At the end of this
evolutionary cycle the gravity between the allied arts increases
anew and they begin at first to influence each other, and later to
fuse with each other. A dance with musical accon,paniment is
one of the most trivial forn1s of such fusion. Not long ago it
was entirely paradoxical to admit the fusion of photography ,vith
speech and music which is the commonplace entertainment of to­
day. Last year's International Exposition in Paris presented the
transformation of liquid masses combined with a variation of pro­
j ected color and accompanied by music. Not mentioning the in­
fluence of musical forms upon the dance, music has influenced
literary forms as ,vell as painting. The patterns of musical
composition take place in the new art of projected light {lumia).
"The music of visible images," that is, the abstract cineina, one
of the recent developments, calls fo r a greater precision for both
design and music. The most recent and most successful of the
new art forms is a new realism based on the fusion of the two
arts: music and design. It is a mechanical realism as we ob­
serve it in animated cartoons. These cartoons are the end of the
cycle, beginning with the ancient puppet plays. The art of cinema
has not reached its climax yet. On the contrary, it is too young
to disintegrate in the near future, and yet the amount of engineer­
ing technique employed in all phases of this art production is in­
con1parable with the amount of acoustical engineering that ,vas
necessary during the time of Bach or the amount of chemistry
that was necessary in the time of Leonardo da Vinci. As physiol­
ogy becomes a branch of electrical engineering in the study of the
brain functioning, esthetics becomes a branch of mathematics•
•

M. T. N. A.

40

PROCEEDINGS,

1937

To sum up all the evolutionary groups pertaining to art forms
I offer the follo,ving scheme of morphological zones. These
zones may follow each other chronologically as well as overlap
each other, and may be different in different localities.
HISTORY OF THE ARTS IN FIVE MORPHOLOGICAL ZoNES
Zone One.

Biological. Pre-esthetic.
The struggle for existence. Defence reflexes. Tactile orien­
tation. Adaptation to the medium. Automatic self-protection.
Automatic self-destruction. Mimicry. Motor reflexes. Signaling.
Zone Two.

Religious. Traditional-Esthetic.
Intentional mimicry. Reproduction. Performance.
Ritual art. Incantation. Religious art.

Magic.

Zone Three.

Emotional- Esthetic.
Emotion. Artistic expression of emotions. Self-expression as
an unconscious m1m1cry. Origination of an esthetic idea. Art
for art's sake.
Zone Four.

Rational -Esthetic.
Growth of esthetic ideas. Rationalizing. Rationalization.
Experimenting. Novel art. Modernism. Experimental art.
Zone Five.

Scientific. Post-Esthetic.
Analysis and synthesis of an art product. Scientific experi­
ment. Art with a scientific goal. Scientifically functioning art.
Manufacture, distribution, and consumption of a perfect art prod­
uct. Fusion of the art materials and of the art forms. Disin­
tee-ration of the art. Abstractio.n and liberation of idea.

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workshop for pianists/guitarists/drummers/arrangers/composers

BY JOSEPH SCHILLINGER .

•

INSTRUMENTAL FORMS OF HARMONY
a massive collection of rhythm patterns
(evolved according to the Schillinger
theory of interjerence)
arrang,ed in instrumental form
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
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■ e
8

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8
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8

■ a
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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

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...

CHARLES COLIN - 315 West 53rd St., New York, N. Y. 10019 I PRICE $7.50
•

•

-

J O S E P H

S C H I L L I N G E R

New Resources
•

o f M e lo d y a n d H a r m o n y

•

P I T C H

S C A L E S

I N R E LA TI O N T O

C H O R D STRUCTU R E S

•
A n A ; d to
CO M POSERS • PERFORMERS • ARRAN G ERS • TEACH ERS
S O N G -W R I T E R S • ST U D ENTS • C O N D U CTORS
CRITICS • AND ALL WHO WORK
WITH MUSIC
PISQ

$3.00

Name.................... ...................................... .. ......, ...
..................
'

Addre.ss.......................................................�:............................

City......................................................... State..........................

JOSEPH SCHILLINGER

1895-1943

1 . PUBLICATIONS
Books:
The Sch i l l i nger System of Musical Composition
( 2 vo l s . , 1664 pp.) $37.50 Carl F i scher, Inc.
The Mathematical Basis of the Arts
(706 pp.) $25. . P h i l o sophical L i brary. Reprint by Academic Press

Kaleidophone: P i tc h Scales in Relation to Chord Structures
(95 pp.) $3. M . Witmork Son s . Reprint by Charles Colin
Encyclopedia of Rhythm
(250 pp.) $5. Charles Co l i n
Joseph Sch ill inger: A Memoir by h i s Wife
(225 pp.) $5. Greenberg Co.

•

Musical Compositions:
Morch of the Orient, Op. 1 1 , orchestral study score
$2. Leeds Music Corp.
Five Pieces, Op. 12, for piano. $ 1 . 50. A s sociated Music Co.
Excentriade, Op. 14, for piano. $ 1 . 50. A s sociated Music Co.
Dance Suite, Op. 20, for cello. 75¢. Leeds M u s i c Corp.
Little Woltz, for piano. 50¢. Leeds M u s i c Corp.

2.

COLLECTIONS IN MUSEUMS
Lincoln Center Music Li brary and Museum: S c h i l l inger Archives Notebooks, music manuscripts, correspondence, special recordings,
memora b i l i a , and other soutce materials in music
Lincoln Center Li brary, Dance Collection:
Sch i l l inger Graph Method of Dance Notation
Archives of American Art: Notebooks, drawings, photographs, documents,
and other source materia l s in art
British Museum: Russian Concert Programs and Posters, 191 7-28

3.

PAINTINGS IN MUSEUMS
c. 1934, Seri e s developed from the sy stem presented i n the
Mathematical Basis of the Arts, i n permanent collections of:
Brooklyn Museum
Cooper Union Museum
Finch College Museum
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Whitney Museum of American Art
Art Gallery of Toronto

4. INSTRUMENT In Smithsonian Institution: ''Rhythmicon", the first
modern instrument for c-omposing music automatically.
Constructed by Theremin and developed by Schi ! l inger for
the study of rhythm.

*
Mrs. Joseph Sch i l l inger

*

*

*

340 East 57 Street

New York, N . Y . 10022

•

J O S E P H SC H I LL I N G E. R
1 8 9 5 -1 943
1 . PUBLICATIONS
Books:
THE SCH ILLINGER SYSTEM OF MUSICAL COMPOSITION
(2 vols., 1 ,664 pp.) $37.50. Corl Fi scher, Inc.
TH E MATHEMATICAL BASIS OF TH E ARTS
(706 PP.·) $25.00. Phi losophi col Library. Reprint by Johnson Reprint Corp.
KALEIDOPHONE: Pitch Scol es·in Relation to Chord Structures
(95 pp.) $3.00. M. Witmork Sons. Reprint by Charles Colin.
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF RHYTHMS
(260 pp.) $7.50. Charles Colin.
JOSEPH SCHILLINGER: A Memoir by h i s Wife
(225 pp.) $5.00. Greenberg Co.
Musical Compositions:
MARCH OF THE ORI ENT, Op. 1 1 , orchestral study score
$2.00. Leeds Music Corp.
F I VE P I ECES, Op. 1 2 , for piano. $ 1 . 50. A'ssociated Music Co.
EXCENTRIADE, Op. 1 4, for piano. $1 .50. Associated Music Co.
DANCE SUITE, Op. 20, for cello: 75¢. Leeds Music Corp.
LITTLE WALTZ, for piano. 50¢. Leeds Music Corp.
2. COLLECTIONS IN MUSEUMS
Lincoln Center Music L i brary and Museum: Schi I I inger Archives Notebooks, music manuscripts, correspondence, special recordings,
memorabilia, and other source materials in music.
Lincoln Center Library, Dance Collection:
Schi II inger Graph Method of Dance Notation.
Archives of American Art: Notebooks, drawings, photographs, documents,
and other source materi als in art.
British Museum: Russi on Concert Programs and Posters, 1 91 7-28.
3. PAINTINGS IN MUSEUMS
c. 1 934, Series developed from the system presented in the
MATHEMATICAL BASIS OF THE ARTS, in permanent collections of:
Brooklyn Museum
Cooper Union Museum
Finch College Museum
Solomon R. Guggenheim Mu seum
Whitney Museum of American Art
Albri ght-Knox Art Gall ery, Buffalo
Art Gallery of Ontario
Smithsonian lnsti tution: Notional Collection o f Fine Arts
4. INSTRUMENT In Smithsonian Institution: "Rhythmicon'', the first
modern instrument for composing music automatically.
Constructed by Theremin and developed by Schi II inger for the
study of rhythm.

*

Mrs. Joseph Schi l l i nger

*

*

*

340 East 57 Street

New York, N . Y. 1 0022

•

•

•

•I

by
Joseph Sehillinger in,er-

na,ionau� reno\\ ueJ tea<.-her of n111t1ical con1po,;ition
"·ho,-e t·orrelal ion of ,-('it·n<·e and art pre::lent:,, a ue"'
approach to lht> :-tudy of 11111sic. Hit1 co,uplete ,.;yste1n
of n,usical theory and <"On1po,;i1io1_1, pre\·iou,;ly kno"·n
only to the li111ited group of outt1tanding co,uposer;. "·bo
,;tudied with hiin, i,; no"· available to the large audi •
ence that ha,; a,�aited 1he publiration of thici "·ork with
Kt't'll i11 tt'rf:-1 .
•

CARL FISCHER
J N C.

62 Cooper Squore, New York 3
165 West 57th Street, New York 19
252 Tremont Street, Boston 1 6
306 South Wabosh Avenue, Chicago 4

JOSEPH
SCHILLINGER
Jo$cph Sc-hillinger po..,:essed one
of the brillian L analv
• tical ruindi:
of our ti111e. .\
. c-o,nposer. a 1·on­
d11<·tor and a teat·l1fr of rnu:'ical
<"oniposition, he ...•a:; acli\'e also in
ph y,airal ,:;cirnces and rnathe­
rnatic,;, and in thr field or 1he ,·i,:;1111 1 arts. Born in
Kharl..o\'. Ru,:;,::ia. in 1895, ht' ri'cri\'ccl hi� first forn,al
trai11i111r in n,u�ir at the St. Petc.'r.:burg Conr;erv atory.

s

1M

When it co111es to 111usic, is there anything that ha,; been
left unsaid? There are still the same eight notes to the
diatoruc scale, and for centuries con,posers have worked
them and reworked them in an in6rute number of com•
binations. 1'here may be new variations on old themes,
but haven't the really basic things been said long ago?
'fhis 1,ounded quite reasonable until the SchilJinger
System appeared to sweep away old patterns of thought
and open up vast new fields of theory and practice.
Out of a lifetime of studying, composing and teaching,
Joseph SchitJinger created a system that is no mere
musical novelty . It is rather a new fundamental con­
cept-the application of the scientific method to the
problem of writing music.
Of course, there have been many atte1npts to establish
a system for producir)g music. None of them, however,
bas been as con1prehensive and practical as the Schillinger n1ethod .
"'J'he Schillinger System of Musical Composition"
covers every phase of musical theory and practiet>,
coordinating them �·ith a set of exact principles, lt
is comprehensive and universal. It includes pitch
scales, melody writing, counterpoint, harmony, the
evolution of musical styles, arranging and orchestra·
lion. It presents an exhaustive summary of rhythmic
ideas and pitch scales, definite rules for writing mel •
od1es. counterpoint, a ne.,.· systen1 of harmony and
orchestration, and combinel' these to form a complete
musical ensemble.

2

"'

•I

I It· lu·l1I ,;e\'cral i111porta111 11,11,.ical posts in his nati\'c
co1111try before he "· a,- i11, itc :--talt'i' i11 1928. In thii< rountr�· ht· 1·ontinu<-d hi:< in­
, 1•,.tigation,- in niu;;iral 1hrory and also rollaborated
"ith Leon ' l' hl't1'1nin. 1':\pt>rin1t'nting in the ph)·,-ics of
11\ui leading $ytnphon� or1·hfi. Tfe
l<•.-iurrd on 1n11i'iC i11 thr l'Olleg«-s and uni,·cr,aitie" of
:'\t·\\ York. frt·1111t·11tly ((ivin{! «-ouri't>>' in 1natht·n1atic�
and lin1· art,- a .. \\rll. Heforc hi,. drath in 1913, Jo>'eph
S1·hilling1•r had 1·:\t•rt1•d a ,-1rong inAut'nre in conte,npor­
ar�· 1n11,-ical rtHnpo�ition through 1hr ron1po�rrs and
11111,-i1·al tlin•1·1or, ,, ho \I err hi,- :-I udcn I>'.

Modern Composers

Call the Schillin1er System

·� Pr11c!f i••a I �·

-

"With all this emphasis on the Lecbnical side of music,
Schillinger never denies the importance of talent and
inspiration. He only maintains that with the aid of
methodical study, the talented musi.cian will attain a
complete and satisfying fruition of his gifts. He also
bolds out an encouraging promise to the student whose
creative powers are in the latent stage. He teaches
the unskilled musical worker how to master the science
and the technique of bis craft and bow to become a
practical composer. The choice of individual estbetice
SchiUinger leaves to the aspirant. He gives him the
tools and the knowledge necessary to meet the challenge
of the higbly developed art of rnusical composition at
the end of the first half of the 20th century."

NICHOLAS SLONIMSKY

•• I 11e,•i f able ...

"The idea behind the Schillinger System is simple and
inevitable: it undertakes the application of mathe•
matioal logic to all the materials of music and to their
functions, so that the student may know the unifying
principles behind these functions, may grasp the method
of analyzing and synthesizing any musical materials
which he may find anywhere or discover for himself,
and may perceive how to develop new materials as be
feels the need for them. Thus the Schi]linger System
offers possibilit ies, not limitations; it is a positive, not
a negative approach to the choice of musical materials.
Because of the universality of the esthetic concepts
underlying it, the System applies equally to old and new
styles in 1nusic and to 'popular' and 'serious' com­
position."

DENBY COWELL

3

\

A �ompreh ensl v e C o u rs e
"The Schillinger System of Musical Composition",
embodying the final results of Schillinger's years of
research in the art and science of music, presents a
complete, practical course of musical study. It covers
all the traditional elements of musical theory, but it
breaks sharply "'ith the traditional methods of approach.
.. .
.

(

:'

l

.
•. "'
·
i,;

.

'

Srstem is formal!,· divided .
twelve branches of $ Ludv : '

•

�

Theory of Rhytl,m
Tl,eory of Pitcl,-Scales
r ariation,� (,y l'tfeans of
Ceo11ietrical Projection
Theory of Melody
Speeial Tl,eory of Harmo11y
Correlation of Harl?JOll_r
an,/ Mel0tly
Tl,e-0ry of Cowrterpoinl
Instrun1e11tal Porn1s
General Theory of Harn1011y
(Strata

Harn,on_y)

lt110lutio11 of Pitch-Families
7'heor_y of Con,11ositio11
7'/uior_y of Orchestratu,11

These are correlated so that the
student does not look upon them
as isolated phenomena.

Each branch comprises a book of several chapters,
first expounding the fundamental theory and then
applying it to the whole range of music development,
past, present and future. The first book, the basic
"Theory of Rhythm", introduces the idea of graphic
representation of music on a simple algebraic principle,
and develops it to achieve synchronization of three or
more rhythmic patterns. Schillinger then applies the
theory to instrumental forms, discussing counterpoint
and variations, finally arriving at the emergence of
modern music.

4

..

o f M u s i c a l Study
Other branches of study are simiJarly developed with
the stress aJways on the actual processes of writing
music, the natural interests and equipment of the

l

students and the modern applications of general
concepts.

Despite the profound scientific research that went into
the development of the Schillinger System, it requires
little previous instruction in the sciences to appreciate
and apply it. The system is ll() integrated and 80
comprehensive that no previous work in musical com­
position is required. Yet, the student with a complete
understanding of the basic Schillinger techniques and
procedures should be a fully equipped composer
of music.

The compl�e. new system of musical compo•
silion is conta ined in these two vol umes.
Here is o compreh ensive stu dy of all aspects
of musica l theory. But, more than this, the Schillinger System of
M usical Composition is boskolly o procticol system. Whil e it
offers o theoretic a l background sufficient for the understanding
of musical moteriols, it provides you with work a bl e techniqu es
for handling these materia ls.

Complete two-volume sel

$30.00
5

•

SCHILLINGER CENTER
4900 EUCLID A1NUE
CLEVJllLAND , OHIO

Creating Mu�

The novel use of graphs for the notation of rhythmic and

melodicschemes offered in '"fheSchillinl!,'f'rSystem of Music-al

Composition" is both an accurate and an extremely practi­

cal means of organizing and studying thetie three elements.

The usefulness of graphs is easily demonstrated io the
rhythmic field where they may record the initial rhythmic
pattern and actually facilitaie the creation of counter­

cb-ythmic patterns. For example, with two nuu1bers, let us

eay 3 and 4, and a process explained in the'l'heory of Rhythm.
an interesting basic rhythmic pattern for each in$trumcnt in

an enseml!,le can be graphed within a few 01inutes. Since the
transfer from the graph to ordi!lary musical notation requires

only a few moo1e11ts, it is obvious that learning to graph

rhythmic sobemes will be a valuable asset to a composer.

Simple to make, easy to read, the graph may also be used
to show both the duration and the pitches of tbe tones in

any melody. ln reading a graph of this type. the following

points should be ob�erved:

r:-

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The notation of the first theme Crom th

Patlietique, Op. 13. is illustrated by the 1

BERT HENRY

EN. 1-2645

He. 1-8714

Pri¥ate Instnuction

({ hr. $J.OO)

1cal Themes
•

1. One hori:onuil line will be wed as the fixed point or axis.
2. The UMl/est nl)(e C10lue apf)f(lring in the graph will be 11$ed IU the
unil of /IM!Q$W'ffllenr for tluro.tums (excludin& gm« notes or Olher
• similar t!lnbellishments), and will be represented by lhe ..,i,Jtla of
one � on rhe graph paper.
3. The lenp of. the lwri:wntal lines will indicore rhe d,uatwn of the tones.
4. The distance up or down from rhe axis will shoto the pitch let,e/1 of
the tones. 1'he distance £,,,1uwn IWCI horizontal lines will represent
one ha/f-atep. For example, if 1tie wi&hed ta graph tlw folla1<·ing:

JJ IJ J J

,

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,

l"'1 eighth niice would be the 1ime-uni1
1in« it is the smallest nure n1l1«! used.

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axis

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third movement of Beethoven's Sonata

·aph above and the actual musk below :

•

.

,.

•

A Thorough Knowledge of the
Schillinger System

IS

Essential

for the

C O M PO S E R
Men and women wr1t1ng
• •

«>day and those who aspire to
musical composition will find "The

•

Schillinger System of Musical Composition" essential

to their work. The practiced composer will discover
that the Schillinger method helps to sharpen his musical

concepts, offering him precision tools for examination

of his composing problems and valuable suggestions
for their solution.

The student who wants to write

music has a complete guide to successful composition

in the Schillinger System.

The method is applicable to all musical styles, classical

or modern. Unfettered by traditional techniques, the

student should be able to take the raw materials and

methods presented by Schillinger and evolve from them

pieces that are alive rhythmically, melodicaUy and

barmonic,ally, pieces that make mus.ical sense without
being a repetition of form and formulae.

The systern in1plement11 talent, broadens and enriche!l
it. For the musician seeking ne�• forms and untried

avenues of musical expression, it opens up ideas of

genuine originality.

•

8

•

�, the

O R C H E S T R A TOR

There is no more highly competitive field in music
today than that of orchestrating and arranging. no
other field in which so great a volume of work is demand­
ed under great restriction of time. For the arranger, the
Schillinger System is a practical tool, and the two vol­
umes embodying it may well become an essential par1
of his professional equipment. The arranger's prob­
lems are considered by the author along with those of
the composer. The techniques devised by Schillinger
are directed towards increasing his fund of musical
ideas, widening hie choice of procedures and 1,aving hi@
time. After a presentation of the basic theory of or•
chestration, exact mathematical formulae are provided
for specific problems.

"The Schillinger System of

Musical Composition" is in this way a reference book
of immediate commercial usefulness.
Just a glance at the list of arrangers and orchestrator&
of music for motion pictures and radio, who have been
trained in the Schillinger System, should convince the
skeptic of its unusual success in these fields. It has been
estimated that more than half of the ntusic used
on the network programs has
been influenced by Schillinger
students ·working as con1pos­
ers, arrangers, n1usical direc­
tors and orchestrators.

9

Essential

for the

E D UCAT O R

•

For the teacbet of music in
all its branches, "The Schil ·
lioger System
, of Musical
,
Composition is of immeas­
urable value. It embodies a
full course of study in composition, starting
with the fundamental concepts of pitch and
rbytbm, and proceeds to develop techniques
for writing mnsic in an y style. It offers new
techniques for solving old problems. It achieves
an integration of musical elernents not previous­
ly attained in music study. But it is not res·
tricted to any one style or fixed method of
development. The Schillinger System stresses
universal principles and demonstrates their
application throughout the broad field of music
study-interpretation, performance and or­
chestration as weJI as composition.

PERFORMER
'fbe Schillinger Sys �ew,
while directed primarily
to the composer and the
student of composition,
contains stimulating ideas
for the performer. In presenting a scie,ntific
basis for the analysis of musical composition, it
suggests new approaches to inte�retation.
With the Schillinger method, the musical artist
may gain furtherinsight into the intentions of
the composer and achieve a performance that is
representative of the true purpose and spirit of
the music. There are provocative references to
the musical artist through the two volumes
that will stimulate comment and discussion.

Works that illustrate Schillinger techniques

Fantasy for Medium Voice in G with Piano Acc . . . . 50

RUDOLF SCHRAMM

Calculations for Piano .

LAZAR WEINER

. . . . . . . . . . .. . .

Prelude No, 2 for Piano . . . .

ROSOLINO DE MARIA

10

• 1 .25

(In Prepara'ion)

MUSIC
LIB RARIAN
No music library wiU he considered complete
without these two volumes on its shelves.
Shortly before their :publication was announced,
Charles Seeger, Chief of the Music Division
of the Pan American Union, wrote in "Notes",
the journal of the Music Library Association:
uMusic librarians may wish to start preparing
their budgets for a severe shock, since the
monumental work of Joseph Schillinger is
probably the most rigorously rational and
revolutionary overhauling of the traditional
discipline of music composition of our day­
perhaps of any day-and it is therefore to be
suspected that the publication will prove a
required purchase for most music libraries ".

CRITIC
'fhe importance of the Schillinger System
is not confined to persons who produce or
perform music. lt bas become a valued part
of the equipment of those who write about
music. The Schillinger System provides new
criteria for appraisal�£ musical composition and
performance, clear and practical principles that
may he universally applied. The music critic
cannot fail to find a vast amount of stimulating
material throughout the volun1es.

. . • . . . . . . published by CARL FISCHER, Inc.
JOHN SHAFFER SMlTH

Quintet for Oboe and Str ings . , . . . . . (In Preparation)

SAMUEL MAGAZINE

Human Adventure In Three Episodes for Violin
and Piano . . . . . . . . . . . . , . .

1 . Doubt. 2. Hope. 3. Triumph.

11

. . . . , (ln Preparation)

•

Popular Appeal

The Schillinger System is applicable to music
in any style, as its concepts ot musical theory
and composition are funda1nental. Schil ling­
er's own compositions, played by leading
symphonic orchestras in this country and on
the continent, are "serious'' concert music, as
are the compositions of many of bis students.
Yet bis methods were immediately successful
in tbe field of commercial music.

Living in New York where he taught in the Music
Ueparunent of New York University, Schillinger found
an enthusiastic following in tbe musicians of the
metropolitan stage, screen and radio. ln a field where
freshness, quantity and speed are primary req�isites,
the techniques and procedures of the Schillinger System
won early acceptance.

,

Fore.most a'1ong the Schillinger students is
George Gershwin who wrote the music {or
"Porgy and Bess" during bis association
with Joseph Schillinger. Gershwin was a
student for more than four years, finding
in this contact with new theory and tech­
niques a key to fresh inspiration .

Many other !iUCcessful composeni of our day were
trainrd by Schillinger, a,nong the,n Oscar Levan l,
Paul Lavalle, Lyn M urray, Lazar Wl'incr, and Ver­
non l)ukc. Pro,ninent hand leader;, including Benn)
(;ood111an, (;lenn Miller, Stan Krnton and Lrnnii•
l la\l1H1 have found t l1t· Schillinger Syi;tern an inval­
uahlt· asi,t>t t o their y.• ork.

lu addition to thc$C tnen ....·ith a wide public foUo....·ing.
th.-re are others iJl tbe roster of Scliillinger students
who are quite as significant to the con1mercial 1nul!ician.
·rh.-y are the men behind the scene�- the arrangers,
ort·he: steady floy.· of fresh niusical 111aterial lo radio
net,,·ork� and ,notion !)icture$. }Jere Schil­
i nger e:1.ponen t ::t hav t' risen quickl)
Lo the top of their profe: ample, •a than \" an Cleave-, Leith Steven;;
and Franklyn \farks, under contracts with
Para,nount, Univ ersal- I nternational and
otl,er�: 1 'ed Royal, arranger for "Briga­
.
doo11 .. " Make 'i\'f ine i\1 anhattan", etc.;
Rudolf Scbrarnm, conlposer of 1nany score;,
for films.

·rhe:.e nlU$icians have found in the Schillinger Systeru
ans,,.ers to their specific ,nusical problt,ms and have
proved its success in a field �-here 1uethods n1ust be
,iound. practical and rcadil�• applied to be successful.
Litho. in

u· .s.A.

CIR. 181/9/50

MARCH

! (f 4 7

Pti« 1� C-.,.1"

Sloui,u...l..� -Sc-hillin&t••r
of Uu......iu 111ul of du• \\'orld

*
f 'o\\f•II-.Jo...••1•h S•·h illins!••r
,,... ........,.......r

*
Slun,-\\'l1uf i,- •h•·
�rf,illi..st••r s� ...••••n"/

*

l'r,·, iu-Srl1illinU•·r·...
...11.... ,..... uu 1:iln, llu...i,-

The cover, this booklet and the ar­
ticles on Schillinger are from. -the
March, 1947 issue of the "Music
News''. They are reprinted here
with the permission of Music
News, Inc.
•

-

Schillinger of Russia and of the World
by Nicolas

T

Slonimsky

HERE IS NO PARALLEL death of his special theory . ..The

in the history of musical the,
ory to the influence that the
Schillinger System has exercised on
musical thinking after bis death. A
musical theory is kept alive by the
ieal of its protagonist; the death of
a music educator usually marks the

Schillinger System of Musical Com,
position" was published posthu,
mously, and it aroused a contro,
versy and a discussion far beyond
academic circles. The reason for this
is that Schillinger was by educa,
tion, by his ·early experience, and

•

SCHILLINGER with THEREMIN end SOKOLOFF, pleying "First Airphonic
Suite." Clevelend Orchestre, 1929.

1

'l,y

conviction a revolutionary, and
ments that would be free of the
his theories were dictated by bis in• limitations of the piano and oi the
ner conviction that art is basically violin and the rest of man•made
rational and so can be elevated to
musical appliances. In his book on
the position of an exact science.
Schillinger grew in the environ• instrumentation which is part of
ment of the Russian Revolution, the "Schillinger System of Musical
and he spent the early years of the Composition,'' Schillinger charac•
Revolution in Russia. That was the
teristically warns the student that
time when Russian musicians en•
orchestration is at best only a tran•
tertained the grandiose schemes of
sitory discipline, th�.t soon scien•
reconstructing the entire concept of
tilically perfect instruments would
the art; that was the time when
supplant the t.raditional orchestra.
musical analysis was conducted by
statistical methods; that was the
Schillinger's pronouncements
time when Theremin made his first
evoked ironic comments in academ•
experiments with an electronic mu•
ic circles and even among compos•
s:cal instrument that later bore his
ers belonging to the modem school.
name; that was the time when
Indeed, if Schillinger's theories had
Schillinger himself worked at the
consisted merely of his rationalistic .
Jnstitute of Musical Science in Mos•
convictions, he would have passed
cow on the problems of rationaliz•
from the musical scene as have so
ing the craft of musical composi•
many other musical theorists. But
tion.
there was this great difference that
Since those times. many a musi•
Schillinger's System seemed to work
cal revolutionary bowed to, the in•
in practical application; that not the
evitable, and returned to an indi•
vidual solution of the creative sta,rry,eyed moon-gazers, but shrewd
problem. Schillinger came to Amer• Broadway musicians Bocked to his
ica in 1928 and associated himself studio in search of practical formu•
with Theremin, who arrived in the
Jae, and were willing to pay good
United States at about the same
time. Schillinger worked out the Broadway money for the initiation
theory of music as a rational art; into the mysteries of Schillinger
Theremin manufactured the instru• lore.

2

T

HE ENDURING QUALITY
of Schillinger's musical think,
ing is akin to the great theories in
other branches of science, even
though errors and inconsistencies
can easily be found in such the,
ones. One does not have to accept
every word of Schillinger as the ul,
timate in musical science. It is the
germinal idea of Schillinger's the,
ory that is bound, to bear fruit even
when Schillinger's practical meth,
ods undergo an inevitable change

by scientific experimentation. His
religion was man's conquering
mind, and in this respect he was
quite different from Scriabin, who
was a mystic first, a musician sec•
ond, and a scientist last.

T

O DEMONSTRATE THAT
PURELY MATHEMATICAL
PROCESSES can be employed to
•
achieve creative results, Schillinger
converted charts and diagrams from
the business section in the newe­
papers into melodies by counting
the horiz.ontal extension as note
values, and vertical rise and fall of
a curve as melodic ascent and
descent. He liked to baffle and con,
fute his audience by playing these
compositions that sounded like
modem polyphony. He had a revo,
lutionary disre11:ard of traditional
opinion, and flaunted his rational,
ism even at the risk of losing prac,
tical advantages in the academic
world.

in the practical revisions of the
future.
The interesting aspect of Schil,
lingu's mental makeup was his
pantheistic conception of the wor-ld.
As a youth of twenty,five, he pub•
lished a poem on the fusion of
senses in the art of the future un,
der the title "Theurgian's Com,
mandments." He also wrote a book
of mystical poetry. In America he
worked on a l?roject of illustrating
music by geometrical designs in mo,
tion, and made a short film of
musico,geometric forms. He tried to
connect human emotions with ten·
sions produced by musi.cal disso·
nance. And he firmly believed that
a practical correlation of all arts
and sciences could be accomplished

It must not be fo,rgotten that
apart from his theoretical pursuits,
Schillinger was also a practicing
composer. His symphonic and in,
strumental works were widely per,
formed in Russia and were regard,
ed by many Soviet critics as

3

ever, was to draw attention to the

embodying the true con cepts of a
revolutionary art. When his pi�no
music was played at the evenings
of the Leningrad Association for
Contemporary Music, a writer re,
marked that the proletarian audi,
ence reacted enthusiastically to this
music that was inspired by the
rhythms of modernity, while the
same audience yawned through per­
formances of classical music. This
was partial appreciation, of course,
but it was significant of the times
an d of Schillinger's place among
Soviet mus.icians in the first decade
of the U.S .S.R.

unscientific way of handling musi­

cal

and

he

felt that

metrical changes were the only
means to rectify the usage.

For a musician-scientist, a sense

of humor is· an indispensable prop•

erty, and Schillinger possessed a
natural appreciation of the comic

element even among the most seri·
ous pursuits. In my many and long
sessions with Schillinger during the
years, I always admired his ability
to listen to a different viewpoint,

his insatiable curiosity for all that
was new in music, i n politics, in Jit,

S

•

duratio.n.,

erature, in life itself. He never took

CHILLINGER WAS THEN
CONCERNED with the prob­
lem of interpretation . He felt that
the conventional expression marks,
particularly
changes of tempi

offense, and he always bad a dis·

arming smile after a particularly
belligerent declaration regardin g
some theoretical or practical. mat,

should not be left to the discretion
of a performing musician . His ear•

ter. Nothing and nobody could
shake him in his fundamental be,

showing ·the gradual retardation or
acceleration. Such bars bore com,

of intellectual give-and-take. He
was a man of reason par excellence,
but he was also a man of burning

ly solution of the problem was to
write out the ell'act note values

liefs, but be liked the atmosphere

plicated time signatures, and Scnil•

emotion, and his dream of uniting

linger was fully aware of the diffi­
culty inherent in such notation .

all arts in one all-embracing for,

mul� was to him a means of ,olvine

The important part to him, how,

a pressing peraonal problem.

4

i

J oseph Schillinger as Com poser
by Henry Cowell
HE PUBLICATION of Jo,
seph Schillinger's "6ysten1 o f
Musical Composition" has cre•
ated a furore and his accomplish•
ment as an extraordinary teacher of
composition is already legendary.
Discussion of his approach to the
teaching of music theory is still live•
ly among musicians, and since no
new works of his have been heard
of since 1930, attention tends to be
drawn away from Schillinger the
composer.

T

Yet when Joseph Schillinger
came to this country in 1928, he
came as a composer. His symphonic
works were performed by the best
orchestras in Europe and the Uni•
kd States. Symphonies were com,
mission·ed by the Persymphans Or•
cbestra of Moscow and by the
Radio Corporation of America. lo
1927 the State Con1mittee for Se,
lection of Symphonic and Chamber
Music of the U.S.S.R. chose his
"Symphonic Rhapsody," Opus 19,
as the best work con1posed in the
Soviet Union during that country's
lirst decade. Enthusiastic reviews of
his works were written by Russia's
then leading conservative composer,

Nicolai Mya:skovsky, by the lead·
ing radical composer Alexander
Mossolov, and by Igor Glebov,
then certainly the best known critic
in Russia. Leopold Stokowski was
one of several distinguished men
in the United States who also spoke
warmly of Schillinger's music at
that time.

Today, a natural curiosity is fre•
quently expressed as to whether
Schillinger himself followed his
"System" in his own creative
works, and those who do not un•
derstand h,is theoretical approach
are bound to inquire whether
Schillinger's music consists of pure
mathematics instead of that mys•
terious thing called inspiration. The
truth is that the pfocesses of Schil­
linger's musical creation are as
much or as little mysterious as those
of any other competent composer.
It seems probable that his explora,
tion of a diversity of musical ma•
terials contributed a great deal to
the skillful construction of his own
unusually dynamic and colorful ma,
terials into musical edi6ces of nota,
bly balanced architecture.

adapted this chord to the piano's
artincial tuning and developed a
style in which, in the end, only
variations on the one harmony
were used, all with the repetitive
and hypnotic solemnity of an East
Indian philosopher. Most of the
young Russians who came under
this very powerful infl.uence made
humorless and unskilled combina·
tions of the Scriabin chord with
more conve.ntional musical ma•
terials.

N

EARLY ALL THE YOUNG
COMPOSERS of the early
l 920's in the U.S.S.R. were strong•
ly infl.uenced by the music of Alex•
ander Scriabin. Schillinger was no
exception, and his early piano mu•
sic has a plainly recognizable basis
in that of Scriabin.
Scriabin was a theosophist and
he regarded with mystic reverence
the "chord of nature," as he called
it, which is produced by the fourth
octave of the overtone series. He

BEETHOVEN
ancf
SCHILLINGER
•
•

SHOSTAKOVICH, a
g o o d f r i e n d of
SC H I L L I N G E R
had this composite
made as a prank,
and sent it to Schil­
linger as e souvenir
of the program in
which only Beetho­
ven and Schillinger
were played.

6

r

•

B

Y THE TIME he came to this
country, Schillinger's style had
developed so far away from Scria•
bin's influence that it is barely dis­
cernible; but those who expect his
new style to be purely cerebral will
be disappointed here too, for Schil,
linger always showed a particular
Jack of feeling for the value of aus­
terity in bis music. The style of his
most important orcheatra works is
characterized by a fuhome richness
which is almost voluptuous, by
much rhythmic contrast and many
shifts of tonal center, by chords
which lie comfortably between ex,
tremes of consonance and disso­

Originality in musical composi,
tion only, rarely consists in the cre­
ation of a majority of the elements
used, out of the whole cloth. It is
more apt to show itself in some
new approach to known elements,
or in new combinations of known
materials and in the extension of
some of them.

S

CHILLINGER'S ORIGIN.ALI,
TY Jay in his approach to
Scriabinesque materials and in their
novel but logical extension. In his
music he carried them through
many distant keys; he explored the
possibiliti« of overtones higher
than those of the fourth octave.
And with that penetrating humor
which was so characteristic of him,
he punctured the solemnity of the
mystics with the injection of sud­
den une,xpected contrast. His dis­
satisfaction with the artificiality of
the system of equal temperament in
J?iano tuninir led to his vital inter,
est in the musical instruments of
Leon Theremin and others, on
which scientifically correct intervals

nance, and by deftly colored instru,
mentation. The lack of a climactic
point in the melodies would appear
to be a weakness--not that they
fail completely to arrive at any
point but rather that they arrive at
so many different points that no
one stands out as a main climax.
Any aimless wandering about is en•
tirely avoided, however, by the fre­
quently humorous jux�position of
highly contrasted materials.

are possible; he composed a num,
ber of works for such instruments.

7

Needless to say, his form is both
line and original. He was one of the
few composers of the 20's to inte.r•
est himself in new ways of achiev•
ing solid structural relationsbjps.
Previously•unheard tone• qu ali ti es
abound in the instrumentation, as
well as curious rhythmjc effects,
through the unique spacing of in•
struments in relation to chords.
Polyphony is usually a secondary
consideration, resulting more from
the harmonic fabric than other•
wise. Yet there is often great inde·
pendence of parts in the harmonic
writing. There is some use of coun•

Critical

•Oft
•

ter-rhythms, but as a whole it
would seem that bis intere8t in
combining rhythmic systems deveJ•
oped at a later period.
His major works combine elCprflV
siveness with wit and a b(oad•fl.ow•
ing and vital rhythm; in them there
is always, moreover, some unex•
pected tonal excitement to be
found. Enterprising orchestra con•
ductors are sure to realize before
long the tremendous interest bound
to be aroused when such scores as
his "Symphonic Rhapsody," Opus
19, and his "North Russian Sym•
phony," Opus 22, are revived.

Comments

Schillin9ers SYMPHONIC RHAPSODY

'.'SYMPHONIC RHAPSODY is a remarkable and most original score."

Leopold Stolcowskl, Nov. 22, 1928

"The SYMPHONIC RHAPSODY of Schillinger I consider
the most noteworthy composition in Russian and Western
music after Stravinsky."
Konstontln Soro/ev, conductor, professor of
the Stof• Conservotory, Moscow, June, 1928

"SYMPHONIC RHAPSODY is most colorful, forceful, full of
pleasant wit, remarkably buile from the orchesiral standpoint,
leaving a powerfu.l impression."
Nicolai Myoslcovslcy, profeuor of tlte
$tote Con,ervotory, Moscow, Jon., 1921

8

W h a t Is t h e S c h i l l i n g e r S y s t e m ?
by Arnold Shaw

Bottom

[1

�

Row:

Top

Ages

Row:

16'

�
•

Ages

24,

23,

31,

27,

32,

33

38,

Years

,.

Old
•

43
Years

Old

SCHILLINGER
character, the originality of its
method, and-not to ovedook a
more mundane matter-the price of
$30.00 for the two volumes.
Any work of such proportions
prompts a search for an easy ex•
planation. As co-editor of the Sys•
tern, I have become quite accus•
tomed to the inevitable imperative
that follows the question: "What is
the Schillinger System?" In fact, I

T 1S NOW A YEAR since the
Schillinger System was published.
As in Schillinger's lifetime, just af,
ter his most famous pupil produced
"Porgy and Bess,'' • this year has
been one of extended discussion
and excited speculation about the
System. Although musical circles
had anticipated much, they were
literally overwhelmed by the bulk
of the work, its comprehensive

I

9

am somewhat astonished if the
query i s not immediately followed
by the request: "Tell me in a few,
simple words."

His own Syste)ll is just such a
logical structure. Each of the
twelve branches builds on the ma,
terial previously presented so that
a student who attempts to begin,
for ex-ample, with Book 5' (Har•
mony) finds inevitably that be must
turn back to Book 4 (Melody),
then to Book 2 (Pitch-Scales) and
finally to Book 1 (Rhythm) in or,
der fully to master the material.

The curious are doomed to dis,
appointment. One can say, as I
have said on occasion: The Schil,
linger System is an application of
the methods of mathematics to the
analysis and composition of music.
But this e,rplanation, deepite ite
brevity and simplicity, only leads to
more questions. What methods of
mathematia;? How are they ap­
plied? With what results?
The Schillinger System cannot
be explained in a few, simple
words - precisely because it is a
system. This is not a play on words.
The two volumes begin with the
presentation of certain basic con­
cepts- primarily, a concept of
rhythm-and these concepts are de,
veloped and applied consistently
throughout the work. Schillinger's
approach to music was a,rchi:tec,
tural. He conceived of a composi,
tion as a structure of such logical
consistenGy that each part was in,
extdcably bound up with the whole.

U

NLIKE MOST THEORETI,
CAL WORKS on the tonal
art, the Schillinger System is not
concerned with any one phase of
composition. It is concerned with
composition itself. Again this is not
a play on words. We have had
many works on harmon,y, on coun•
terpoint, on instrumentation. We
have had occasional works on com•
position. The former are generally
compounded of extremely -detailed
specifications. The latter are gen•
erally quite absLract. For us, musi,
cal pedagogy has followed a pecu.•
liarly bi,furcated road, with theory
and practice p1Jrsuing separate
paths. This division disappears in
Schillinger. The elements of har-

10

mony, counterpoint, instrumenta•
tion, etc., are all treated in terms of
the whole art-namely, composi,
tion. The principles _learned in the
separate branches are not discard,
ed, but lead directly to the major
goal-composing. M�reover, Schil,
linger's aim is not to impart a tech,
nique of composing ,in only one
style, form or mood. His effort is to
rationalize the principles of the art
so that the student may compose in
any vein that is of intere•t to him.

HUS FAR, I HAVE NOTED
TWO points of departure that
the Schillinger System make, from
other theoretical works. Both o f
these points are formal, squctural.
In this brief survey, let me present
briefly the most basic substantive
difference.
In "The Craft of Musical Com,
position," Paul Hindemith writes:
"The domain of harmony has been
explored from end to end, while
rhythm has escaped all attempts to
study it systematically." It is to be
noted, 6rst, that Schillinger's work
does include a systematic study of
rhythm. Of greater signi6cance is
the fact that the Sy!tem begins
with an analysis of rhythm and that

T

this theory of rhythm forms the
foundation of the entire work. In
this respect, the Schillinger System
mark.s an historic departure f{om all
previous theories of the tonal art.
In Book 1, "Theory of Rhythm,"
Schillinger_ presents a technique for
evolving every conceivable type of
rhythm-and demonstrates inciden•
tally how small a portion o f our
available rhythmic resources have
thus far been ,e:xploited by compo,
sen;. Instead o f expressing rhythmic
patterns in terms o f notu, he ex,
presses them in terms of quantities,
which may be transformed into
note durations (3+1, 2+2, 1+3).
Now, such a series of numbers may
be applied not only to note dura•
tions, but to other elements of the
tonal art: to the intervals between
successive tones in a melody, to the
shifting directions of a melody, to
the sequence of different types of
chords, to the counterpoint and du,
ration of themes, to the successive
use of djlferent orchestral choirs, to
the relationship between the vari•
ous segme11ts of a large work, etc.
Approached in this way, rhythm
is clearly a matter of patterns. And
Schillinger's theory of rhythm is
basically a theory of pattern-making
-a theory of form and style--and

11

therefore to be applied, as it is in
the two volumes, to all phases of
the tonal art.

T

HIS BRINGS US TO A FI,
NAL PbINT of difference be�
tween Schillinger's work and that
of hie predecessors: namely, the use
of mathematic..! techniquea for pur­
pose, of classification, analysis and
synthesis. Schillinger substitutes a
graph method of notation for tra•
ditional notation. This makes pos•
sible, not only the more precise
representation of tonal elements,
but extremely fruitful directional
and quantitative analyses. Through,
out the work, Schillinger subject,
tonal materials- to permutation and

combinatton processe,s. This results
in the most systematic and most ex•
haustive survey of tonal resources
attempted or achieved. Mathematics
also offers interestinll' and novel
techniques, which, when applied to
the elements of composition, yield
fresh and unexplored avenues of
expression.
For a suggestive answer to the
question: What i. the Schillinger
System?-simply put together the
concepts I have presented in this
brief article: 1 ) A system, 2) of
composition, 3) with rhythm as its
foundation, and 4) employing
mathematical techniques of classi,
fication, analysis and synthesis.
That', it.

Schillinger's

Orchestral Compositions
192<1 Op 1 1 MARCH OF THE OR.IENT, for lar9e orchestra
1927 Op 1 6 MERRY GHOST, suite for two vole•• and small
orchestra
1927 Op 19* SYMPHONIC RHAPSODY for lar9e orchestra
•Cbooen •• the beat ,ymr,honJc work compo8ed in tb,c U. S. S. R. in
the fint decade by the State Committee for Selecc,oo ot Sympbooic
and Chamber Mu,ic, 1927.
1929 Op 21 FIRST AIRPHONIC SUITE for RCA Tlleremln
a11d orchestra
1930 Op 22 NORTH RUSSIAN SYMPHONY for lar9•
orchestro

12

•

Schillinger's Influence
on Film Music
by Charles Previn

G

EORGE GERSHWIN and I
were friel)ds from the very be•
ginning of his career. In fact,
I conducted his first New York
musical show, ..La La Lucille," and
later, the Pulitzer pri1,e,winner, "Of
Thee I Sini." In addition, I went
on a nation,wide concert tour, as
conductor, with Gershwin as solo,
ist. It was durinf this tour that I
first became interested in Schi],
linger's work because of George's
tremendous enthusiasm. One day,
on the train, I came upon George
poring over what looked like alge­
braic and mathematical problems.
"What's this?" I asked him. "A
new hobby?"
"It's a hobby all right," he re•
plied, with a smile, . "but it's also
the most rev-oarding music sµidy I
ever engaged in. It's Schillinger."
"Schillinger?" I asked. ••1 hear
everybody talking Schillinger these
days. What in the world is it?"

..I'd find it pretty hard to ex­
plain," said George, "but if you
ever go into it, you'll certainly find
it fascinating."
To his friends and associates,
Gershwin was extremely generous
in giving credit to Schillinger for
bis expanded resources- the conse,
quence o( four and a half years of
hard 5tudy. But those years resulted
in the composing of "Porgy and
Bess," which, after all, remains the
best known American folk opera
today.
My conversation with George,
coming as it did on the heels of
many talks I had had on the sub­
ject with other music directors in
Hollywood studios, resulted in a de­
cision to look into the subject for
myself. And so, in November,
1937, I wrote to Schillinger and be­
gan studying with him by corre­
spondence. The work was fascinat­
ing, as Gershwin had predicted, and
it was a thrill, later, to adapt this
material in scoring for pictures,

13

I would have regretted it very
much had I never had the oppor,
tunity to meet Schillinger in per­
son. Actually, I saw him only once.
But it was one of the most stimu,
lating experiences of my life, and
one I shall never forget.

I

N THE SUMMER of 1940, I

learned that Schillinger planned
to vacation in California. Having
heard rapturous comments about his
theory of harmony, and having by
this time c o v e r e d the earlier
branches of his System, l arranged
for a very special three-hour study
session on harmony. It may seem
incredible, but .in those three hours
the entire field of harmonic ma•
terials was laid before me in the
me.st coordina�d fashion I had ever
encountered.
I don't want to give the impres•
sion that one can study all harmony
in three hours, because that is ob•
viously not so. But what Schillinger
was able to do, through his tech,
nique of mathematical analysis, was
to classify different types of har•
mony, progressions a-nd voice-lead•
ing, in forms so condensed that
they took months of practical work
to elaborate.

14

Since the publication of the two
volumes, students may now study
the course .as it is presented in full

and complete detail. But remember
-you must not jump to the branch
on harmony with the idea that it
will save time: the only way to
study the Schillinger

System is

from the beginning, from Lesson
One, and through each succeeding

lesson of all the branches preceding
harmony. The foundation of the
System is the theory of rhythm­
and the rest of the work is built
on that foundation.

F

ROM THE STANDPOINT
of the composer of film music,
there- are certain branches of
·
Schillinger's work which are of spe­
cial interest. These may be sum·
madzed as follows:
1. Theory of Rhythm
2. Geometrical Projections
3. Theory of Melody

4. Part 3 of the Theory of
Composition

Si.nee Schillinger conceived of
rhythm as a relationship between
pam and the whole, his theory of

rhythm offers immediately usable
materials to the film composer.
Whether a sequence is extremely
brief or quite long, the problem is
one of securing a result that is
organically complete. In this con,
oection, Scbillinger's devices for
balancing, for expanding an'd for
contracting themes are a film com,
poser's gold mine. Through these
techniques, he can always feel satis,
fied that whether a given theme is
suddenly contracted because of the
particular setting--or requires ex•
tensive expansion because of an•
other type of scene-his material
will nevertheless be interesting and
complete.
In Book 3 of the Schillinger Sys,
tern (Geometrical Projections) his
techniques for geometrically alter•
ing, tonal relationships a-gain offer
extremely valuable material. Work•
ing with set thematic materials, a
composer may, through altered to,;i•
al relationships, achieve different
emotional impacts. The value of
this is most apparent when one con,
siders the desirability of using the
same thematic ideas i n' differenti,
ated sequences,

T

HERE A R E NUMEROUS
OTHER ASPECTS of Schil,
linger's work which offer usable
material. For example, suppose a
composer bas a sequence showing a
rapid transition of reminiscences as,
sociated with different countries. He
may find it necessary to express
these associations through a series
of melodies bearing no resemblance
to one another-that is, based on
pitch scales belonging to different
families. Nevertheless, these may be
stylistically unined by a type of har­
monization not previously deve!,
oped by mwic theornt&-<>ne 'that
Schillinger calls "symmetrical bar,
. .
mon1zation..,
The most exciting and the most
extensive applications of music to
films are presented in Pa.rt 3 of the
Theory of Composition. So detailed
are these materials that it is appro•
priate to note that this is the first
real theoretical analysis of film mu•
sic in the literature of music the,
ory.
In the Psychological Dial, first
presented in the Theory of Melody
and later developed in Part 3 of

15

the Theory of Composition, Schil,
linger offers the film composer the
most practical device as yet devel,
oped for correlating music and
emotion. The Psychological Dial
avoids the ..catalogue" approach to
t�e problem. Instead, Schillinger
presents a set of general laws gov,
erning the relationship of sound
and emotional reaction. Once mas·
tered, these make it possible for the
composer· to select the appropriate
r.hythmic, harmonic and melodic
materials to secure the desired re•
sponse.
URING THE TIME in which
I was studying the System by
correspondence, I learned that
there were several other Hollywood
composers who were also students.

D

Among these were Herbert Spen,
cer and Edward Powell of 20th
Century-Pox. Lennie Hayton of
MGM, and Frank Skinner, who is
now music director at Universal.
The group has grown considerably
since those days, especially since it
soon became known that the most
striking and original arrangements
for films were being produced by
Schillinger•trained arrangers and
composers.
Since assuming the post of mu•
sic director of Radio City Music
Hall, I have found the application
of Schillinger's theories oJ inesti­
mable value to me as a conductor,
and also in the writing of special
musical material for our produc,
tions .

,.
•

Translating
one
system
of
proportions
into
another.
(Copyright
Carl Fischer Inc.)

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16

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FULLY AUTHORIZED TEACHERS OF THE

Schillinger System of Musical Composition

CALIFORNIA
Franlelyn Maries, 5 7 1 5 Case Avenue, N. �ollywood, Calif.
Nathan L. Van Cleave, 12180 Laurel Terrace Dr., N. Hollywood, Calif.
CONNECTICUT
Ted Royal Dewar, 210 Turn of River Road, Stamford, Conn.
ILLINOIS
"'John Cordes, 8358 Bennett Avenue, Chicago 1 7 , Ill.
David Holguin, Chicago Musical Col., 64 Van Buren, Chic.ago, Ill.
George V. Oliver, 5737 West Sunnyside, Chicago 30, Ill.
Joseph Palermo, 6 1 1 3 South Troy, Chicago, Ill.
MASSACHUSETTS
Lawrence Berle, Schillinger House, 284 Newbury St., Boston, Mass.
Branch Studios: Springfield and Worcester

NEW JERSEY
Edwin lave, 643 Broad Street, Newark, N J .
NEW YORK
• Richard Benda, 11 3 West 57th Street, New York, N. Y.
Jesse Crawford, 160 West 73rd Street, New York, N. Y.
Rosolino De Maria, 120 East 89th Street, New York, N. Y.
*Lyle Dowling, 67 East 87th Street, New York, N. Y.
Howard Kirn, c/o Michael's Studio, 743 8th Avenue, New York, N. Y.
Rudolf Schramm, 3314 85th Street, Jackson Heights, L. I . , N. Y.
Paul Sterrett, 41 Carver Terrace, Tuckahoe, N. Y.
PENNSYLVANIA
*Clarence Cox, 1613 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, Penna.
SOUTH CAROLINA
*Edwin Gerschefslei, Dean,Sch. of Music, Converse Col ., Spartanburg, S. C .
Additional names ore constantl y being added to the above list. In order to get
an up-to-date list of authoriied teachers of the Schillinger System of Musical
Composition, write lo Carl Fischer, Inc., 62 Cooper Square, New York 3, N. Y.
Please Note: Names marked with an asterisk (•) are those teachers who correct
homework and answer technical questions by correspondence.

,,4 '7),zaat� ?ltetMti � �
1/totie'Ue

e,�

•

A complete, new system of musical COll]PO·
sition is contained in these two volumes.
Here is a comprehensive study of all aspects
of musical theory. But, more thon this, the Schillinger System of
Musical Composition i s basically a practical system. While it
offers a theoretical background sufficient for the understanding
of musical materials, it provides you with workable techniques
for handling these materials.

WHAT ARE THESE TECHNIQUES?
The ability to analyze, creole ond utilize all types of rhythm,
melody and harmony; the ability to adjust material to suit a
particular instrument; and the ability to pion and construct an
original musical com position .

•

The Schillinger approach to musi�ol composition provokes new
ideas and offers the means of using these ideas efficiently and
effectively.

Complete two-volume set $30.00

CARL F I S C H ER,

Inc.

62 COOPER SQUARE , NEW YORK 3, N . Y.

Boston
CIR.

41 ·1· 49

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Chicago

•

Dollas

•

Los Angeles

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