French Music and Performance in the Long 19th Century

3.0 credits

This course explores French musical and cultural history in the long nineteenth century, with a focus on the intersection of music history and performance practice. The course covers the era from the French Revolution to World War I, with an emphasis on the Belle Epoque period (1870–1914). In addition to learning about key figures and issues (from Claude Debussy and Lili Boulanger to revolution and race), students will examine how recent scholarship can inform the interpretation and performance of Belle Epoque repertoire. Students enrolled in this course are strongly encouraged to select late nineteenth-century French repertoire to study and/or perform in their lessons and/or chamber music courses.