Downloadable pdf Files of Texts by Robert Morris

(As Yet) Unpublished Papers and Talks


"Sets, Scales, and Rhythmic Cycles: A Classifications of Talas in Indian Music," Delivered at the University of New Mexico, Feb. 14, 2006; Music Colloquium, University of Madras, Chennai, India, Jan 17, 2000; the National Convention of the Society of Music Theory, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Dec. 2, 1998.

"Towards a 'Buddhist Music': Precursors East and West," Delivered at Alfred University, 2005 Sibley Lecture, April 26, 2005; New York University Composition Symposium, April 13, 2005.

Course Information and Schedules


CMP 212/412 (Fall 2020) "Compositional Practices circa 1925-55" (formerly "Current Practices I").

Basic Bibliography for Compositional Practices

CMP 213/413 (Spring 2021) "Compositional Practices circa 1955-85" (formerly "Current Practices II").

CMP 590/MH 590 (Spring 2015) "Classical Music of India"

Bibliography for Classical Music of India

Various Handouts


Compositional Tutorial. A supplement to my book, The Whistling Blackbird: Talks and Essays on New Music (Rochester, NY: University of Rochester Press, 2010).
To go to the Press's website, click here.

Readings for Composers. A list of books on various non-music topics that may be of interest to composers.

Set-Class Table.

Bob's Atonal Theory Primer.

Messiaen's Modes and Tn-Invariance.

Temporal Hierarchy Types.

Rhythmic Symbols, Duration, Tempo, Metric Modulation.

Elementary Twelve-Tone Theory.

The Row Matrix.

Invariance Matrices for two pcsets.

Comparing Twelve-Tone Rows: Hadamard Matrices.

Invariance Matrices and Twelve-Tone Rows.

The Melakarta Scales of South India.

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