Glossary of Schenkerian analysis


This is a glossary of Schenkerian analysis, a method of musical analysis of tonal music based on the theories of Heinrich Schenker. The method is discussed in the concerned article and no attempt is made here to summarize it. Similarly, the entries below whenever possible link to other articles where the concepts are described with more details, and the definitions are kept here to a minimum.

A

Anstieg
Arpeggiation
Ausfaltung
Auskomponierung
Außensatz

B

Background
Bass arpeggiation
Bassbrechung
Brechung

C

Chord of nature
Composing out
Compound melody
Coupling
Cover tone

D

Deckton
Diminution
Divider

E

Elaboration

F

Fernhören
First-order arpeggiation
Foreground
Free Composition
Fundamental line
Fundamental structure

H

Headnote
Hintergrund
Höherlegung

I

Initial arpeggiation
Initial ascent

K

Klang
Kopfton
Koppelung

L

Level
Linear progression

M

Middleground
Mischung
Mittelgrund
Mixture

N

Neighbour note

O

Octave transfer
Obligate Lage
Obligatory register

P

Primal line, Primal structure
Primary tone
Prolongation, Composing-out, Elaboration

R

Reaching over
Register transfer

S

Scale-step
Schicht
Stimmtausch
Strata
Structural hearing
Structural level
Stufe

T

Teiler
Tieferlegung
Tonal space

U

Übergreifen
Unfolding
Urlinie
Urlinietafel
Ursatz

V

Voice exchange
Voice leading
Vordergrund

Z

Zug