Allen Forte
From Free net encyclopedia
Allen Forte (born December 23, 1926) is a music theorist and musicologist. Professor Forte was born in Portland, Oregon and fought with the Navy at the close of World War II before moving to the east coast. Professor Forte is now Battell Professor of Music, Emeritus at Yale University. He is best known for his influential book The Structure of Atonal Music (1973), in which he elaborates on the set theory of Milton Babbitt, establishing a complete theory of pitch class set analysis or musical set theory. Forte is also known for his analyses of the works of Webern and of Alban Berg's Wozzeck, as well as his writings on American popular song. Now in retirement, Professor Forte is travelling, giving lectures and seminars. He is married to pianist Madeleine Forte.
He studied the theories of Heinrich Schenker, Schenkerian analysis.
He is also the author of
- (1995) The American Popular Ballad of the Golden Era 1924-1950. Princeton: Princeton University Press. ISBN 069104399X.