New compositional paths between Carter’s harmony and post-structuralism

This article attempts to link music theory to compositional practice from an innovative methodological standpoint. The original features of this approach can be found in the attempt to define a new paradigm in music composition. The author investigates if and how the harmony of Elliott Carter (1908–2012) — as systematised in his Harmony Book — can be the driver to explore novel compositional paths by testing the values of a “new humanistic” prospect through the deconstructionist approach. Carter’s harmonic world here assumes the role of a postmodern musical grammar (in the nature of a kind of “Renaissance studio”). At the same time, the research also attempts to innovate creatively by proposing a new compositional paradigm based on the ultimate results of poststructuralism, all within the framework of a transformational-generative approach.

Keywords: Music Theory; Composition; Carter’s Harmony; Music Grammatology; Post-structuralism.