Musical Composition: Craft and Art Paperback – June 19, 2018

The book titled "Musical Composition: Craft and Art" by Alan Belkin is an excellent supplement to Schoenberg's "Fundamentals of Musical Composition". Alan Belkin provides many clearer examples of each form and teaches how to compose artistically using the forms. The book is highly recommended as it offers a comprehensive overview of musical composition, covering sonata form, phrasing, and motif/motif development. Each chapter can be read on its own, and the material is presented in an intelligent, interesting, and enlightening format. The book is suited for composers of all stripes and genres, and the author encourages readers to run down snippets of his examples in the vast catalogue of music literature. One reviewer, however, lamented that supporting cassettes were not included with the book. Despite minor issues with packaging and delivery, the book is a treasure for musicians who want to learn composition from a very wise and experienced teacher.