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<quote>
There are those who consider that studies in harmony, counterpoint,
and fugue are the exclusive province of the intended composer. But if
we reflect that theory must follow practice, rarely preceding it
except by chance, we must realize that musical theory is not a set of
directions for composing music. It is rather the collected and
systematized deductions gathered by observing the practice of
composers over a long time, and it attempts to set forth what is or
has been their common practice. It tells not how music will be written
in the future, but how music has been written in the past.

The results of such a definition of the true nature of musical theory
are many and important. First of all, it is clear that this knowledge
is indispensable to musicians in all fields of the art, whether they
be composers, performers, conductors, critics, teachers, or
musicologists. Indeed, a secure grounding in theory is even more a
necessity to the musical scholar than to the composer, since it forms
the basis for any intelligent appraisal of the individual styles of
the past or present.

On the other hand, the person gifted for creative musical composition
is taking a serious risk in assuming that this genius is great enough
to get along without a deep knowledge of the common practice of
composers. Mastery of the technical or theoretical aspects of music
should be carried out by him as a life's work, running parallel to his
creative activity but quite separate from it. In the one he is
following common practice, while in the other he is responsible solely
to the dictates of his own personal tastes and urge for expression.
</quote>

Walter Piston (Intro to the first edition of *Harmony*)

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