Art of Listening MUAR 211, Section 001 McGill University Fall 2014 Class Meetings Monday & Wednesday: 4:35-5:55 p.m., Adams Auditorium Professor Dr. Jerry Cain New Music Building, room A622 Office Hours: Monday & Wednesday 3:00-4:00 p.m. and by appointment Email: Except under unusual circumstances, student emails will receive replies only during regular office hours. Please consult the materials posted on WebCT (syllabus, Frequently Asked Questions, notes, etc.) before sending an email. Teaching Assistants TA Office Hour (Strathcona Music) Required Text & Listening Materials (at McGill Bookstore) Kerman and Tomlinson. Listen. 7 th ed. Bedford/St, Martin s, 2012), with six CDs. Copies of the text and CDs are also on reserve in the Music Library (in the new wing of the Strathcona Music Building), if you wish to use the listening facilities there. Enter the Music Library on the third floor, and you will find the reserve desk on the fourth. Course Objectives This course is designed to provide a chronological survey of western art and concert music to undergraduates not majoring in music. The course involves the study of musical elements, musical vocabulary, and the development of musical styles from the middle ages to the present day. The major goals of the course are to promote the recognition of musical genres and to develop an understanding of the stylistic differences between the music of various historical style periods. These goals will be pursued through individual music listening and the study of significant musical works within the cultural context of the composers who created them. It is not necessary to be able to read music or play an instrument to do well in this course. Assignments & Grading 3 Listening / Short-answer Quizzes (6% + 7% + 7%) 20% Concert Report #1 (attend a concert, fill out a sheet) 5% Concert Report #2 (3-page formal paper) 10% Midterm Examinations I & II (20% each) 40% Final Examination (Unit 3 & cumulative) 25% Class Attendance: All participants are expected to attend all class meetings, arrive in class on time, and observe all deadlines. Make-up quizzes and examinations will not be given unless you can produce a signed note from a doctor for the specific day of the quiz or exam, or have made prior arrangements with the course instructor. If you miss a quiz or exam unexpectedly for an excusable reason, you are required to contact Dr. Cain within 24 hours of the absence in order to schedule a make-up session at the earliest possible date, usually within one week of the absence. Art of Listening (MUAR 211-002) p. 1
Quizzes and Exams There will be three short quizzes (20-30 minutes) and three major exams (requiring an entire class or final-exam period), all of which contain an assortment of listening identification, multiple choice, short answer, matching, and/or brief essay questions. The short quizzes will take place between the major exams and focus on smaller sections of the course content. Study Guides containing lists of terms, names, and assigned listening pieces will be provided on the course website well before each quiz and exam. Concert Attendance and Written Reports You must attend TWO (2) concerts of western classical music of your choice (not jazz, pop or world music there are separate courses for those musics). You may do this at any time during the term up to the due dates, but I urge you to do it sooner rather than later, since things get hectic later in the term. Free concerts take place almost every night (as well as during the day) at the Schulich School of Music (calendars are available near the Box Office in the lobby as well as at http://www.mcgill.ca/music/events/concerts/), and in many other locations around the city. For one concert you must fill out a brief question sheet to demonstrate that you have been at the concert; for the other you must write a 3-page report (type-written, doubled-spaced, and with oneinch margins). If in doubt about any particular concert (whether or not it counts as classical), ask the instructor or a TA beforehand. Deadlines for the concert reports are included in the course syllabus. Late concert reports will not be accepted without prior approval of the instructor. Without exception, only complete work submitted in class on the due date will receive full credit. Class Preparation Students should arrive in class on time having already completed the reading and listening assigned for that day. Standard preparation time for this course is two hours of homework for every hour in class: i.e., about six hours each week. Much of this time should be spent listening to the assigned musical works in preparation for the listening portions of the quizzes and exams, which constitute approximately 30% of the score on those evaluations. Additional University Policies If you have a disability please contact the instructor to arrange a time to discuss your situation privately. Please contact the Office for Students with Disabilities at 514-398-6009 and receive the necessary paperwork before meeting with the course instructor. McGill University values academic integrity. Therefore all students must understand the meaning and consequences of cheating, plagiarism and other academic offences under the code of student conduct and disciplinary procedures. See www.mcgill.ca/integrity for more information. In accord with McGill University s Charter of Students Rights, students in this course have the right to submit in English or in French any written work that is to be graded. Use of Text-matching software: Instructors who may adopt the use of text-matching software to verify the originality of students' written course work must register for use of the software with Educational Technologies and must inform their students before the drop/add deadline, in writing, of the use of text-matching software in a course. Art of Listening (MUAR 211-002) p. 2
Course Schedule UNIT ONE: The Music of the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque Periods Wed. 9/3 Mon. 9/8 Wed. 9/10 Mon. 9/15 *Wed. 9/17 Mon. 9/22 Wed. 9/24 Mon. Introduction, Basic Concepts, and Early Music History in the Western World READ: Listen, Introduction, xxv-xxix; rhythm, meter and pitch, 7-13; octave, scales, half- and whole-steps, and melody, 25-29; texture, 33-34. Music of the Early Christian Church through the 12 th Century READ: Two fourth-century excerpts by Niceta and St. Augustine (online URL is included at the end of notes from Day 1), and Liturgical Practices of the Roman Catholic Church (handout posted to WebCT) READ: Listen, Chapter 6, pp. 47-59. Songs and Dances of the late Medieval and Early Renaissance Eras READ: Listen, Chapter 6, pp. 59-60 and Chapter 7, pp. 65-68. The High Renaissance: Josquin des Prez, Palestrina & Instrumental Music READ: Listen Chapter 7, pp. 69-80. **QUIZ ONE** Lifestyles (and music) of the Rich and Famous: Monteverdi, Purcell & Opera READ: Listen, Chapter 8, pp. 83-97. Style, Form and Genre in the Late Baroque Era: Antonio Vivaldi READ: Listen, Chapter 9, pp. 102-118 and Chapter 10, pp. 119-126. Johann Sebastian Bach, Epigone of a Bygone Era READ: Listen, Chapter 10, pp. 127-138. 9/29 Dude Look Like a Lady : George Frideric Handel & Baroque Vocal Music READ: Listen, 139-153. *Wed. 10/1 **EXAM ONE** The Music of the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque Periods Art of Listening (MUAR 211-002) p. 3
UNIT TWO: Music of the Classic and Romantic Periods Mon. 10/6 *Wed. 10/8 Mon. 10/13 Wed. 10/15 *Mon. 10/20 Wed. 10/22 Mon. 10/27 Wed. 10/29 Mon. 11/3 *Wed. 11/5 Harmony in the Early Modern Era: Major & Minor Keys READ: Listen, Chapter 1, pp. 32-43 and Chapter 12, pp. 154-165. **CONCERT REPORT #1 DUE** Franz Joseph Papa Haydn and Classical Genres I READ: Listen, Chapter 13, pp. 166-185. Thanksgiving (no classes) Rock Me, Amadeus : Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart & Classical Genres II READ: Listen, Chapter 14, pp. 186-200. **QUIZ TWO** Ludwig van Beethoven, The Bridge from Classicism to Romanticism READ: Listen, Chapter 15, pp. 209-222. The Early Romantics: Schubert, the Schumanns & the Art Song READ: Listen, Chapter 16, pp. 223-237 and Chapter 17, pp. 238-248. Frederic Chopin, the Character Piece, and Romantic Program Music READ: Chapter 17, pp. 248-259. Italian and German Romantic Opera: Giacomo Puccini & Richard Wagner READ: Chapter 18, pp. 260-280. The Late Romantics: Nationalism, Nostalgia & Romantic Program Music READ: Chapter 17, pp. 252-259.Chapter 19, pp. 281-299. **EXAM TWO** The Music of the Classic and Romantic Periods Art of Listening (MUAR 211-002) p. 4
UNIT THREE: Music of the Twentieth Century Mon. 11/10 Wed. 11/12 *Mon. 11/17 *Wed. 11/19 Mon. 11/24 Wed. 11/26 Mon. 12/1 Wed. 12/3 Paris before the Great War : Debussy & Stravinsky READ: Chapter 20, pp. 307-316 and Chapter 21, pp. 317-325. Schoenberg and the Second Viennese School READ: Chapter 21, pp. 325-335. **CONCERT REPORT #2 DUE** READ: Chapter 21, pp. 335-338 and Chapter 22, pp. 339-347. **QUIZ THREE* Anton Webern, Pierre Boulez, and the Post-1950 Avant-garde READ: Chapter, 23, pp. 356-361. Early Electronic Music and Sound-mass Composition: Ligeti & Varèse READ: Chapter 23, Electronic music pp. 358-360 and 2. The Postwar Avant-garde pp. 361-365. Indeterminacy: John Cage, Guru of the Avant-garde READ: Chapter 23, Chance music p. 361 and John Cage pp. 366-367. Music at the Movies: Internationalism Tan Dun READ: Chapter 22, Composers for Film p. 351. Minimalismpostminimalismspiritualminimalism: Reich, Adams, Pärt READ: Chapter 23, 3. Music at the End of the Millenium pp. 367-376. Thu. 12/4 Art Music in the Post-modern World: Closing remarks & review **FINAL EXAM** Music of the Twentieth Century (& cumulative) Art of Listening (MUAR 211-002) p. 5