History of Western Music (Music 330B)

Spring Semester (2009), Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 10:00–10:50 a.m.

Professor: Dr. Rosenblatt, office #222

Office hours: Mondays and Wednesdays, 2–4 p.m., or by appointment

Office phone: 621-1120

E-mail: jrosenbl@u.arizona.edu

Website: http://web.cfa.arizona.edu/rosenblatt/

Graduate Teaching Assistant: Chris Fresolone (e-mail: cfres@email.arizona.edu)

 

Course Description

The purpose of this class is to explore the history of music, from the pre-classical period (ca. 1730) through the twentieth century.  In addition to discussion of various genres and musical forms, the sessions will explore the connection between music and society, including the expectations of contemporary musicians and audiences.

 

Course Objectives

1.     to develop an historical understanding of the pre-classical, classical, romantic, and modern periods

2.     to explore the underlying forms and compositional techniques that distinguish these periods

3.     to understand social expectations and the ways they may have shaped the lives of the composers and influenced their resulting works

4.     to master a selected repertory of music from these periods

 

Texts

Required (on sale at the bookstore):

(1) J. Peter Burkholder, Donald J. Grout, and Claude V. Palisca, A History of Western Music (Seventh edition) [ML160.G872 2006]

(2) J. Peter Burkholder and Claude V. Palisca, Norton Anthology of Western Music Volume 2: Classic to Twentieth Century (Fifth edition)

(3) Piero Weiss & Richard Taruskin, Music in the Western World: A History in Documents (Second edition) — first edition can also be used; see web page

Also required (available at Harvill Copy Center after the first week of classes):

(4) Supplement to the Anthology with Writing Assignment

Optional Texts (also available at the bookstore):

(5) Norton Recorded Anthology of Western Music Volume 2: Classic to Twentieth Century

 

Class Policies:

Assignments:  The course work consists of listening, reading, and writing assignments.  One analysis paper will be assigned, to be in length approximately 600 words, and due on Friday, March 4.  This piece is in the supplement available from Harvill Copy Center.

 

Exams:  There will be two midterm exams that will cover the material since the beginning of the semester (February 18) or since the preceding midterm (March 23).  In addition, there will be three listening quizzes (February 9, March 11, and April 17), each covering the material since the preceding midterm.  The final exam will take place Wednesday, May 13, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and will cover the entire semester's work except for the listening, which will cover the material since the preceding midterm.  All exams and quizzes will be given in class.  If you cannot be present for an exam or a quiz, you must notify us prior to the test and arrange to take it within one week.

 

Listening:  All of the music for the listening and writing assignments is available at the electronic reserves website (http://eres.library.arizona.edu) under this course.  To access this material, you will need the password ("brahms").

 

Grading:  Your grade will be based on the listening quizzes, writing assignments, and exams.  The paper will count for 20%, the quizzes 15% (5% per quiz), the midterms 40% (20% per exam), and the final exam 25%.  Papers handed in after the due date will be penalized half a grade for every day (not counting the weekend).  All grades will be assigned according to a 100 point standard, with A = 90–100, B = 80–89, etc.

 

Attendance:  Students are expected to attend all class sessions.  If circumstances do not permit attendance, please contact me before class.  It is imperative that you obtain class notes of any missed classes from another student.

 

Other Policies:  Students are expected to be familiar with the "Code of Academic Integrity" at http://dos.web.arizona.edu/uapolicies.  If it becomes necessary, the disciplinary procedures as outlined in this document will be followed.  Please also note that while such electronic devices as laptop computers, cell phones, and mp3 players are allowed in the classroom, if the use of any of these leads to a distraction on the part of the class, the student will be asked to leave the room.

 

Class sessions (the amount of class time given to each topic may be subject to change):

 

Wednesday, January 14

Topic: Introduction.

 

Friday, January 16

Topic: Italian Comic Opera.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 472–490; Weiss & Taruskin, pp. 217–19 (no. 74)

Listening: NAWM 93

 

Monday, January 19

No class (Martin Luther King, Jr., Day)

 

Wednesday, January 21

Topic: Opera seria.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 490–497

Listening: NAWM 94–95

 

Friday, January 23

Topic: Opera Reform.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 497–500; Weiss & Taruskin, pp. 254–255 (no. 83)

Listening: NAWM 96

 

Monday, January 26

Topic: Keyboard Music.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 506–519

Listening: NAWM 98

 

Wednesday, January 28

Topic: Symphony.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 519–521

Listening: NAWM 100–101

 

Friday, January 30

Topic: Concerto.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 521–524

Listening: NAWM 102

 

Monday, February 2

Topic: Haydn, String Quartet.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 525–536; Weiss & Taruskin, pp. 252–254 (no. 82), 269–271 (no. 90)

Listening: NAWM 103

 

Wednesday, February 4

Topic: Haydn, Symphony.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 536–546; Weiss & Taruskin, pp. 266–269 (no. 89)

Listening: NAWM 104

 

Friday, February 6

Topic: Mozart, Instrumental Music.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 546–560; Weiss & Taruskin, pp. 260–263 (no. 87)

Listening: NAWM 105–106

 

Monday, February 9

Listening Quiz No. 1

Topic: Mozart, Opera.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 560–565

Listening: NAWM 107

 

Wednesday, February 11

Topic: Beethoven, First Period.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 567–576; Weiss & Taruskin, pp. 273–276 (no. 92)

Listening: NAWM 108

 

Friday, February 13

Topic: Beethoven, Second period.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 576–585; Weiss & Taruskin, pp. 277–280 (nos. 93–94)

Listening: NAWM 109

 

Monday, February 16

Topic: Beethoven, Third period.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 585–594

Listening: NAWM 110

 

Wednesday, February 18

Midterm Exam No. 1

 

Friday, February 20

Topic: Romantic Music.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 595–605

 

Monday, February 23

Topic: The Lied.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 605–613; Weiss & Taruskin, pp. 287–289 (no. 99)

Listening: NAWM 111–113

 

Wednesday, February 25

Topic: Music for Piano.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 615–630; Weiss & Taruskin, pp. 303–310 (nos. 105–106), 313–315 (no. 108)

Listening: NAWM 116–119

 

Friday, February 27

Topic: Orchestral Music.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 631–645; Weiss & Taruskin, pp. 296–303 (nos. 103–104)

Listening: NAWM 121–122

 

Monday, March 2

Topic: Chamber Music.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 645–649

Listening: NAWM 123

 

Wednesday, March 4

Analysis Paper (due)

Topic: Choral Music.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 650–658

Listening: NAWM 124

 

Friday, March 6

Topic: Italian Opera.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 659–668

Listening: NAWM 125

 

Monday, March 9

Topic: French Opera. German Opera.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 668–675

Listening: NAWM 126

 

Wednesday, March 11

Listening Quiz No. 2

Topic: Giuseppe Verdi.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 679–689

Listening: NAWM 127

 

Friday, March 13

Topic: Richard Wagner.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 690–698; Weiss & Taruskin, pp. 319–321 (no. 111)

Listening: NAWM 128

 

SPRING RECESS (March 14–22)

 

Monday, March 23

Topic: Exoticism. Nationalism.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 698–711; Weiss & Taruskin, pp. 333–336 (no. 116)

Listening: NAWM 129–130

 

Wednesday, March 25

Topic: Opera in Other Lands.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 711–713

Listening: NAWM 131

 

Friday, March 27

Midterm No. 2

 

Monday, March 30

Topic: Johannes Brahms.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 714–726; Weiss & Taruskin, pp. 324–329 (no. 113)

Listening: NAWM 132

 

Wednesday, April 1

Topic: Richard Strauss.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 726–736

Listening: NAWM 133

 

Friday, April 3

Topic: Diverging Traditions.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 737–749

Listening: NAWM 134

 

Monday, April 6

Topic: Gustav Mahler. Claude Debussy.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 758–764, 770–785; Weiss & Taruskin, pp. 355–358 (no. 125)

Listening: NAWM 137–138

 

Wednesday, April 8

Topic: The First Modern Generation.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 785–800

Listening: NAWM 139–140

 

Friday, April 10

Topic: Schoenberg.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 801–814; Weiss & Taruskin, pp. 370–372 (no. 131)

Listening: NAWM 141–142

 

Monday, April 13

Topic: Berg. Webern.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 814–819; Weiss & Taruskin, pp. 403–406 (no. 143–144)

Listening: NAWM 143–144

 

Wednesday, April 15

Topic: Igor Stravinsky.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 819–829; Weiss & Taruskin, pp. 372–376 (no. 132), 390–394 (no. 138)

Listening: NAWM 145–146

 

Friday, April 17

Listening Quiz No. 3

Topic: Béla Bartók. Charles Ives.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 829–843; Weiss & Taruskin, pp. 378–382 (no. 134), 360–362 (no. 127)

Listening: NAWM 147–148

 

Monday, April 20

Topic: France. Germany. Russia.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 865–880; Weiss & Taruskin, pp. 414–418 (no. 148), 421–429 (no. 150)

Listening: NAWM 153–154

 

Wednesday, April 22

Topic: The Americas. United States.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 880–886; Weiss & Taruskin, pp. 408–412 (no. 146)

Listening: NAWM 155–156

 

Friday, April 24

Topic: Aaron Copland. William Grant Still.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 887–892

Listening: NAWM 157–158

 

Monday, April 27

Topic: Traditional Media.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 893–896, 908–917

Listening: NAWM 160–162

 

Wednesday, April 29

Topic: Serialism. New Sounds and Textures.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 917–931; Weiss & Taruskin, pp. 440–452 (no. 153)

Listening: NAWM 163–165

 

Friday, May 1

Topic: The Avant-Garde.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 931–940; Weiss & Taruskin, pp. 471–474 (no. 159)

Listening: NAWM 166–167

 

Monday, May 4

Topic: Minimalism. The New Accessibility.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 941–944, 952–960

Listening: NAWM 168–170

 

Wednesday, May 6

Topic: Neo-Romanticism. Non-Western Musics.

Reading: Burkholder, pp. 960–965

Listening: NAWM 171–172

 

Final Exam: Wednesday, May 13 (11:00 a.m. — 1:00 p.m.)