معرفی
William Caplin is the James McGill Professor of Music Theory at McGill University's Schulich School of Music. He has been at McGill since 1978 and holds the prestigious title of James McGill Professor since 2005. His research focuses on musical form, particularly in classical-era instrumental music, with significant contributions to theories of formal functions in Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. He has authored landmark works like Classical Form and Analysing Classical Form, which have reshaped music theory pedagogy globally.
Caplin's academic work spans form-functional analysis, cadence studies, and the history of music theory. He has held visiting professorships at the University of Rome and the University of Oregon, and served as President of the Society for Music Theory. His awards include the Royal Society of Canada Fellowship and the Killam Research Fellowship. He teaches courses in tonal theory, analysis, and history of music theory, and actively contributes to editorial boards of journals like Eighteenth-Century Music and Indiana Theory Review.
His research explores cadence theory, formal structure evolution, and interdisciplinary approaches to music analysis. Recent projects include studies on 'fantastical forms' in classical improvisation and cadential closure in early Romantic music. Caplin’s work bridges historical analysis with contemporary pedagogy, emphasizing practical applications for classroom teaching.
Key areas of expertise include: Sonata Form, Cadence Analysis, 18th-century music theory, form-functional classification, and thematic structure analysis. His teaching and research have been supported by SSHRC and Canada Council grants.
