Music 1A: Exploring Western Music Fall 2014 MW 2:00 3:20pm Instructor: Seth Coluzzi, Slosberg 222; ext. 63329; coluzzi@brandeis.edu Office Hours: MW, 3:30 4:30pm, and by appointment Teaching Assistant: Required Materials: Charles Stratford; chs@brandeis.edu Office hours M 3:30 4:30, W 1:30 2:30, and by appointment Roger Kamien. Music: An Appreciation. 11 th edition. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2014. Roger Kamien. Music: An Appreciation, 5-CD box set or brief MP3 disc or download card. Grading: Period Writings (2) 10% Concert report 5% Listening Quizzes (2) 20% (10% each) Midterm Exam 25% Presentation 10% Final Exam (with listening) 30% Course Description Introduction to Music explores the history and development of musical genres, styles, and forms, and the cultural contexts that surrounded them. Following an introduction to the basic elements of music, the course is devoted to examining four principal subjects: classical music in Western culture from chant through contemporary trends, blues, rock music, and contemporary pop. The class is geared toward nonmajors with any level of experience or training in music. Assessment is comprised of three short writings, a group presentation (and an outline to be turned in), two listening quizzes, and two exams. Lectures, Reading, and Listening The lectures, reading, and listening are all mutually reinforcing and imperative to the class. In addition to providing a historical narrative and context for the repertoire we will be discussing, the reading assignments also offer an analytical introduction to the musical works, which can help direct your own study of the music. All of the assigned reading and listening is fair game for testing, even if it is not specifically addressed in class. Cell phones should be turned off and out of sight during class. You are expected to be in class on time and are allowed two unexcused absences, after which your grade will be lowered one notch (i.e., an A becomes an A-). Make-up exams will be given only with a medical or dean s excuse. The required listening is the core element of this course. The listening quizzes and the listening component of the final exam account for a total of 30% of the course grade, and will weigh critically on all other aspects of the course as well. As studying music and taking listening quizzes may be new to you, here are some helpful tips:
2 (1) The purpose of the listening is much more than merely developing the ability simply to recognize the pieces and recall its name and date. You should become familiar with such things as the piece s historical significance and function, its stylistic features, and its general form. Questions related to such details will form an important part of listening and written exams. The textbook does an excellent job of navigating through each work and explaining its historical and cultural roles. (2) You should approach the study of a musical work as you would any other form of study: by giving it your full attention, going over it multiple times if necessary to grasp it fully, and revisiting it to keep it fresh in your mind. Reading while doing the listening assignments is useless; both require your full attention. (The exception to this, of course, is the listening guides in the textbook.) (3) Do not fall behind in the listening, because it s very difficult to catch up and learn the music appropriately. (4) Listen actively. Ask yourself questions about what is happening in the music and how this is important in the historical contexts of the time. Do not wait until a listening exam looms around the corner to approach the music in a critical way; exam preparation should be devoted to brushing up and relating the pieces to one another comparatively. (5) Cramming for listening quizzes does not work. (Trust me, or you may regret it.) I suggest studying the listening in small blocks of time (1 2 hours max) to avoid listening fatigue. (6) Most importantly, enjoy the music! Most likely, that s why we re all here. If you are a student with a documented disability on record at Brandeis University and wish to have a reasonable accommodation made for you in this class, please see me immediately. Presentation and Writing Assignments The written components of the course are comprised of two Period Writings and one concert report. Both are very short (1 2 pages) and are designed to challenge you to think critically and creatively. Topics for the Period Writings will be given at least one week in advance of their due dates. The concert report may be turned in at any point during the semester up until the last day of class (Dec. 8). Guidelines for the concert report are posted on LATTE. The presentation will involve both individual work and collaboration with others. Each group of 4 5 students will choose a topic, delegating different aspects of this topic to each of the group members. The group will give a lesson (10 15 minutes) on their topic to the class in the final weeks of the semester. The grade will be based both on the presentation, as well as each member s individual write-up on the topic. You also have the option of doing a second, bonus concert report. The concert must be on campus. It will count for up to 10 bonus points on the final exam (i.e., about 3.3 points on your final average). Exams and Quizzes The aim of listening quizzes is to assess not only your ability to recognize the work and recall its date and creator(s), but also your understanding of the features of the work that are emphasized in the reading and lectures. These features will include such things as the form of the work, its historical importance, social context, unusual behaviour, style, and so forth. For each audio example on the listening quiz, you will be asked to identify the composer/artist(s), name of the piece, and date, and to respond to one or more questions about the piece (either multiple choice or short-answer). The written exams (i.e., the portions without listening) will be made up of a variety of formats of questions (definitions, multiple choice, short-answer) based on material from the lectures, reading, and, of course, musical works.
3 Course Outline N.B. Minor changes may be made to the syllabus as the semester progresses. Changes will be announced in class or by email and reflected in the syllabus posted online (in LATTE). Wed., Sept. 3. Introduction and overview of course and studying music history UNIT 1. ELEMENTS OF MUSIC Mon., Sept. 8. Pitch, Timbre, Dynamics; Instruments; Rhythm (beat, tempo, accent, meter) Chapters I.1 3 Stravinsky, The Firebird, scene 2 Duke Ellington, C-Jam Blues Wed., Sept. 10. Music Notation (pitch, rhythm, rests, the score); Melody, Harmony, Key, and Texture Chapter I.4 8 Chopin, Prelude in E minor, Op. 28, no. 4 Bizet, Farandole from L Arlésienne Suite No. 2 Mon., Sept. 15. The Basics of Musical Form and Style Chapter I.9 11 Tchaikovsky, Nutcracker Suite, Dance of the Reed Pipes J.S. Bach, Bourrée from Suite for Lute in E-minor UNIT 2. WESTERN CLASSICAL MUSIC Wed., Sept. 17. Medieval music I: Chant and Secular Music Chapter II.1 3 Gregorian chant: Anon., Alleluia: Vidimus stellam Hildegard von Bingen, O successores Mon., Sept. 22. Medieval music II: Polyphony and Ars Nova Chapter II.4 5 Guillaume de Machaut, Puis qu en oubli sui de vous Notre Dame Mass, Agnus Dei Wed., Sept. 24. The Renaissance I: Sacred Music Chapter III.1 2 Josquin Desprez, Ave Maria Virgo Serena Palestrina, Pope Marcellus Mass, Kyrie
4 Mon., Sept. 29. The Renaissance II: Secular and Instrumental Music Chapter III.3 4 Thomas Weelkes, As Vesta Was Descending Claudio Monteverdi, Cruda Amarilli (LATTE) Wed., Oct. 1. Baroque Music I: Concerto grosso, Fugue, and Early Opera Chapter IV.1 8 J.S. Bach, Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D major, mvt. 1 Organ Fugue in G minor ( Little ) Claudio Monteverdi, Orfeo, Tu se morta Henry Purcell, Dido and Aeneas, Dido s lament Mon. Oct. 6. Baroque Music II: Vivaldi, J.S. Bach, Handel Chapter IV.9 16 Vivaldi, Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 8, no. 1, Spring, mvt. 1 J.S. Bach, Cantata No. 140, Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, IV and VII G.F. Handel, Messiah, Hallelujah Chorus Wed., Oct. 8. Classical Era I: Sonata form, theme and variations, minuet and trio, rondo Chapter V.1 6 Haydn, Symphony No. 94 in G major ( Surprise ), mvt. II Beethoven, Quartet in C minor, Op. 18, no. 4, mvt. IV Mon., Oct. 13. NO CLASS (Brandeis Thursday) Wed., Oct. 15. Listening Quiz 1 (covers pieces through Oct. 6) Classical Era II: Haydn and Mozart Chapters V.7 11 Mozart, Symphony No. 40 in G minor, mvt. I Don Giovanni, Act I, Madamina ( Catalogue aria ) Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major, mvt. I Mon., Oct. 20. Classical Era III: Beethoven Chapter V.12 Beethoven, Piano Sonata in C minor, Op. 13 ( Pathétique ), I Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67, mvts. I and II Wed., Oct. 22: Midterm Exam (on material through Oct. 15) Study for midterm!
5 Mon., Oct. 27. Romantic Period I: Schubert and Robert and Clara Schumann Chapter VI.1 5 Schubert, Erlkönig Schumann, Carnaval, Estrella and Reconnaissance Wed., Oct. 29. The Lydian String Quartet, class performance Mon., Nov. 3. Romantic Period II: Chopin, Liszt, and Berlioz Chapters VI.6 10 Chopin, Nocturne in E-flat major, Op. 9, no. 2 Berlioz, Symphonie fantastique, mvt. IV Wed., Nov. 5. Romantic Period III: Brahms, Dvorak, and 19 th C Opera Period Writing Due Chapte VI.12 and 14 18 Brahms, Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90, III Dvorak, Symphony No. 9, From the New World, mvt. I Puccini, La Bohème, Act I excerpt Wagner, Die Walküre, Act I excerpt Mon., Nov. 10. Twentieth Century I Chapter VII.1 9 Stravinsky, The Rite of Spring, Part I Schoenberg, Pierrot lunaire, Op. 21, Mondestrunken Wed., Nov. 12. Twentieth Century II: Catchup and review Chapter VII.14, 18, 21 22 Still, Afro-American Symphony, III John Adams, Short Ride in a Fast Machine UNIT 3. POPULAR MUSIC FROM 1900 TO TODAY Mon., Nov. 17. Listening Quiz #2 (pieces from Oct. 8 through Nov. 5) Introduction to Jazz and Blues Chapter VIII.1 3 Study for listening quiz! Wed., Nov. 19. Blues II: Class workshop VIII.4 6 Bessie Smith, Lost Your Head Blues Big Joe Turner, Shake, Rattle, and Roll Johnny Cash, Folsom Prison Blues
6 Mon., Nov. 24. The Roots of Rock n Roll (1920s 60s) X.1 2 Wed., Nov. 26. NO CLASS. Mon., Dec. 1. Popular Music I (1970s 80s) X.3 Wed., Dec. 3. Popular Music II. Presentations 1 Presentations 3 Mon., Dec. 8. Popular Music III: Songs and Social Activism Concert Reports Due Presentations 4 Final Exam:, based on Registrar s schedule