Critical Study On Topic Theory

"Music topic theory" is an analytical approach proposed in the 1980 s in the field of Western music theory.As a modern concept,musical topic is essentially named compositional material in the writings of music theorists of the late 18 th century.According to topic theory,musical topics,although only conventional materials in today’s perception,have a specific expression in historical contexts and are agreed upon between composers and listeners.Thus,the concept of "musical topic" has brought new directions and possibilities for exploring theoretical propositions such as the analysis and expressive meaning of purely instrumental works.With the advancement of several generations of music topic theorists,this theory has gradually expanded into a theoretical approach in music semiotics,music hermeneutics,cultural anthropology and other research fields,showing great academic energy and development prospects.In recent years,the academic interest in this theory in domestic academic circles has also continued to gain momentum.This paper takes topic theory as the research object,aiming to critically study its metatheory and methodology,make a theoretical elaboration of the theory’s strengths and weaknesses in practical research,further expand and bring into play the theory’s research orientation and unique value,and also adjust the theory’s research paradigm and academic orientation,try to echo it with domestic disciplinary propositions and theoretical lines,and thus advance the theory.Chapters 1 and 2 are on the metatheoretical and methodological aspects of the theory of the topic,mainly a theoretical inquiry into the historical and aesthetic principles of the theory and the methodology of the study of the work,which is a purely theoretical study;chapters 3 and 4 are on the compositional thinking of the topic and the significance of the topic as a composition of the concerto genre,and a study of the techniques,styles and concepts surrounding the musical topic in the second half of the 18 th century.Chapters 5 and 6 are theoretical and historical studies of composition;Chapters 5 and 6 are practical studies with a theoretical orientation,in which two research propositions related to topic theory,musical narratives and cultural matrices,are put into concrete cases of work studies.