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21M.011

Introduction to Western Music

4-0-8 units. HASS-A; CI-H · Undergraduate

Provides a broad overview of Western classical music from the Middle Ages to the 21st century. Designed to enhance the musical experience by developing listening skills and an understanding of diverse forms and genres. Major composers and works are placed in social and cultural contexts. Weekly lectures feature demonstrations by professional performers and introduce topics to be discussed in sections. Enrollment limited.

Fall 2024

Topics

  • Music from Continental Europe in the Middle Ages
  • More Music from the Middle Ages: Court and Complexity
  • Music from Continental Europe in the Renaissance: Building on the Past and Creating New Sounds
  • More Music from the Renaissance
  • Music from Continental Europe in the Baroque: Vocal Genres
  • More Music from the Baroque: Instrumental Genres
  • Codifying and Pushing the Boundaries of the Classical Style
  • Late 18th Century Music for the Church and Concert Hall
  • Music from the 19th Century: Music and Story-Telling
  • More Music from the 19th Century: Music for and Inspired by the Voice
  • The Early 20th Century and Modernism
  • More 20th-Century Music: Inspirations
  • Thanksgiving Break and Team Presentations
  • The Early 21st-Century
  • Where Do We Go from Here?
Spring 2006

This course gives a broad overview of Western music from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, with emphasis on late baroque, classical, romantic, and modernist styles (1700-1910). It is also meant to enhance students' musical experience by developing listening skills and an understanding of diverse forms and genres. Major composers and their works will be placed in social and cultural contexts. Weekly lectures feature demonstrations by professional performers, and introduce topics to be discussed in sections. The focus of the course is on the weekly listening and reading assignments.

Readings

  • All the readings for this course come from the following textbook, abbreviated in the table below as “K”:
    Listed reading
  • Kerman, Joseph, and Gary, Tomlinson. Listen . 5th brief ed. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s Press, 2004. ISBN: 9780312401153.
    Listed reading
  • Lec #: 1 · TOPICS: Introduction; Music of the Middle Ages · Readings: K. pp. xii-xvii, 1-19, and 54-69. Skim pp. 20-53.
    Reading assignment
  • Lec #: 2 · TOPICS: Renaissance and Early Baroque Music for Church, Chamber, and Theater · Readings: K. pp. 73-89 and 92-101.
    Reading assignment
  • Lec #: 3 · TOPICS: Baroque Instrumental Music: Suite, Concerto, and Fugue; Bach · Readings: K. pp. 104-107 and 111-148. Skim pp. 24-35.
    Reading assignment
  • Lec #: 4 · TOPICS: Baroque Vocal Music: Opera, Oratorio, and Cantata; Handel · Readings: K. pp. 102-104 and 149-163.
    Reading assignment
  • Lec #: 5 · TOPICS: The Classical Symphony and Sonata: Haydn · Readings: K. pp. 36-52 and 164-200.
    Reading assignment
  • Lec #: 6 · TOPICS: The Classical Concerto and Opera: Mozart · Readings: K. pp. 200-211.
    Reading assignment
  • Lec #: 8 · TOPICS: From Classic to Romantic: Beethoven · Readings: K. pp. 220-234.
    Reading assignment
  • Lec #: 9 · TOPICS: Romantic Songs and Piano Pieces: The Art of the Miniature · Readings: K. pp. 235-240 (“Romanticism”), 242-243 (“Style Features / Rhythm: Rubato”), 245-247 (“Forms in Romantic Music” / “Miniature Compositions”), and 249-262 (“The Early Romantics”).
    Reading assignment
  • Lec #: 10 · TOPICS: Romantic Program Music and Opera: Fantasies on a Grand Scale · Readings: K. pp. 240-242 (“Concert Life in the Nineteenth Century”), 244-245 (“Expansion of Tone Color” and “Program Music”), 247-248("‘Grandiose’ Composition" and “The Principle of Thematic Unity”), 2-5 (“A March by Hector Berlioz”), 262-270 (“Early Romantic Program Music”), and 271-287 (“Romantic Opera”).
    Reading assignment
  • Lec #: 11 · TOPICS: Late Romantic Orchestral Music: Looking Forward and Back · Readings: K. pp. 240-242 (“Concert Life in the Nineteenth Century”), 243-245 (“Romantic Melody” / “Romantic Harmony” / “The Expansion of Tone Color”), and 288-307 (“The Late Romantics”).
    Reading assignment
  • Lec #: 12 · TOPICS: The Twentieth Century: The European Tradition · Readings: K. pp. 312-314 (“The Twentieth Century”), 315-328 (“Prelude: Music and Modernism”), 329-347 (“The Twentieth Century: Early Modernism”), 352-362 (“Alternatives to Modernism: Ravel and Bartok”), 366-374 (“The Late Twentieth Century: Ligeti”), and 379-381 (“Music at the End of the Century: Saariaho”).
    Reading assignment
  • Lec #: 13 · TOPICS: The Twentieth Century: The American Tradition · Readings: K. pp. 347-351 (“Modernism in America: Ives”), 362-365 (“Alternatives to Modernism: Copland”), 374-376 (“The Late Twentieth Century: Varèse, Cage), 377-378, 381-383 (“Music at the end of the Century: Crumb and Reich”), 384-397, and 400-417 (“Jazz and Beyond”).
    Reading assignment
  • The required textbook and music CDs are:
    Listed reading
  • Kerman, Joseph, and Gary Tomlinson. Listen . 5th brief ed. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s Press, 2004. ISBN: 9780312401153.
    Listed reading
  • Kerman, Joseph, and Gary Tomlinson. A 6-Cd Set to Accompany Listen. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s Press, 2003. ISBN: 9780312411220.
    Listed reading

Prerequisites & course information

Prereq: None U (Fall, Spring) 4-0-8 units. HASS-A; CI-H

Sources