Downloadable pdf Files of Texts by Robert Morris

(As Yet) Unpublished Papers and Talks


"Sets, Scales, and Rhythmic Cycles: A Classifications of Talas in Indian Music," Delivered at the University of New Mexico, Feb. 14, 2006; Music Colloquium, University of Madras, Chennai, India, Jan 17, 2000; the National Convention of the Society of Music Theory, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Dec. 2, 1998.

"Towards a 'Buddhist Music': Precursors East and West," Delivered at Alfred University, 2005 Sibley Lecture, April 26, 2005; New York University Composition Symposium, April 13, 2005.

"Composing Each Time," Delivered at the Eastman Composition Department Symposium, Feb. 9, 2006.

"SOUND/PATH/FIELD in Winter," Delivered at the Music Department of SUNY Geneseo Sept. 18, 2006, the Eastman School of Music Composition Symposium Sept. 21, 2006, and the Setnor School of Music, Syracuse University Sept. 22, 2006.

Course Information and Schedules


CMP 212/412 (Fall 2008) "Compositional Practices circa 1925-55" (formerly "Current Practices I").

Basic Bibliography for Compositional Practices

CMP 213/413 (Spring 2009) "Compositional Practices circa 1955-85" (formerly "Current Practices II").

CMP 590/MH 590 (Winter 2007) "Classical Music of India"

Bibliography for Classical Music of India

Various Handouts


Readings for Composers. A list of books on various non-music topics that may be of interest to composers.

Set-Class Table.

Bob's Atonal Theory Primer.

Messiaen's Modes and Tn-Invariance.

Temporal Hierarchy Types.

Rhythmic Symbols, Duration, Tempo, Metric Modulation.

Elementary Twelve-Tone Theory.

The Row Matrix.

Comparing Twelve-Tone Rows: Hadamard Matrices.

Invariance Matrices and Twelve-Tone Rows.

The Complement Theorem.

The Melakarta Scales of South India.

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