Theoretical background

Well constructed orchestral music, with a particular eye on conterpoint, has always been of particular interest to me. So it felt natural from a composer's standpoint to write my PhD on this subject.

In my dissertation I focused on fundamental constructional aspects related to Tchaikovsky's symphonic style. It focuses on the fact that his style relies heavily on thematically based counterpoint, a finding running counter to the majority of previous musicography.

You can read it online here.

The importance of thematic counterpoint is not just valid for his symhonies, but for his orchestral, chamber and operatic production in general.

The dissertation also has a brief introduction which deals with the circumstances that for more than a century led to an insufficient, even misleading,