Ottman, Robert W(illiam)

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Ottman, Robert W(illiam)

Ottman, Robert W(illiam), American music theorist and pedagogue; b. Fulton, N.Y., May 3,1914. He studied theory with Rogers at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. (M.Mus., 1943). He served in U.S. Army infantry (1943^46), and then took lessons in composition with Alec Rowley at Trinity Coll. of Music in London. In 1946 he was engaged as a lecturer in music at North Tex. State Univ., from which he also received his Ph.D. (1956). Ottman became prof, emeritus in 1980.

Writings

(all pubi, in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., unless otherwise given): Music for Sight Singing (1956; 3rd edv 1986); with P. Kreuger, Basic Repertoire for Singers (San Antonio, 1959); Elementary Harmony, Theory and Practice (1961; 5th ed., 1998); Advanced Harmony, Theory and Practice (N.Y., 1961; 4th ed., 1992); with F. Mainous, The 371 Chorales of J.S. Bach (N.Y., 1966; with Eng. texts); with F. Mainous, Rudiments of Music (1970; 2nd ed., 1987); Workbook for Elementary Harmony (1974; 2nd ed., 1983); with F. Mainous, Programmed Rudiments of Music (N.Y., 1979; 2nded., 1994); More Music for Sight Singing (1981); with P. Dworak, Basic Ear Tuning Skills (1991).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire