Writing in Tonal Forms I
MIT OpenCourseWare shares this music theory and composition course focused on 18th- and 19th-century small forms and harmonic practice. Written and analytic exercises draw on the chorale preludes of Bach, minuets and trios by Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven, and songs and character pieces by Schubert and Schumann. Students work through harmonic analysis and short compositional exercises modeled on these forms, developing fluency in period voice-leading and phrase structure. A musicianship laboratory component is required alongside the written work, reinforcing theory with ear training and performance practice. Materials include assignments and course notes as published by MIT, suitable for self-study by anyone with basic music reading skills. The course offers no certificate, only the open materials, but it gives a structured path into common-practice tonal composition through direct engagement with canonical repertoire rather than abstract rules alone.