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William Caplin and Analyzing Classical Form

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In Episode 13 of the Art of Composing Podcast, I talk to William Caplin, author of two of my favorite books on form and music theory in general. This is a great interview where we go into all sorts of

What is in this episode:

  • What is form?
  • How did great composers like Beethoven actually think about form?
  • How can you apply it to your own compositions?

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About William Caplin

William Caplin is the James McGill Professor of Music Theory at the Schulich School of Music at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. He is author of two of my favorite books, Classical Form: A Theory of Formal Functions for the Instrumental Music of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven, which won the Wallace Berry Award from the Society for Music Theory, and the more recently published, Analyzing Classical Form: An Approach For the Classroom.

Dr. Caplin studied Music Composition at the University of Southern California and then followed on with Graduate Studies at the University of Chicago working with Leonard Meyer and others, as well as further studies at the Berlin Technical University where he studied with Carl Dahlhaus.

Dr. Caplin served as President of the Society for Music Theory from November 2005 to November 2007 and continues to serve on the editorial boards of Eighteenth-Century Music, Indiana Theory Review, Rivista di Analisi e Teoria Musicale, and Eastman Studies in Music.

William Caplin’s Books

Book cover of Classical Form, by William Caplin.


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About Jon Brantingham

I am a film composer, and lover of music theory. I have spent many years figuring out the tools and techniques that actually work for composers, and now I want to teach them to you.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Christian Fischer

      Great Interview Jon!
      Which of his two books are best to start out with? To me it looks like his newer Analyzing classical form is better structured (according to table of content) Will it cover harmony and resolannce as well as form?

      Kind regards
      Christian

      Reply

    2. Paul O

      Such a wonderful interview! I really appreciate that you go to the greatest scholars in the field and share their insights with us. Thank you so much, and thanks to Dr. Kaplan!

      Reply

    3. aaron aragon

      Wow. Another homerun. A common thread with these giants are how accessible and humble they are…Caplin was awesome.

      Reply

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