Music: An Appreciation Rebecca Butler Spring 2010 Professor of Music Roop Hall CFA Studio 5 X 7871 M-W-F 10-10:50 bbutler@alb.edu (610) 678-6729 Office Hours: M-W-F 9-10AM or by appointment Music: An Appreciation the rationale: Researchers have discovered a region in the human brain that they believe to be the processor for music. Their findings indicate that all humans are hard-wired not only for listening to (hearing) musical sounds in the purely auditory sense, but for intrinsically and innately perceiving, comprehending and understanding the components of the art of music. An individual s cultural background and surroundings set these components, or musical elements in other words, the music you chose to listen to makes sense to you because you ve been programmed to understand it since before you were even born. The music in your environment activated the receptors and neurons in this particular part of your brain with patterns and sounds that have been culturally predetermined for most of you as desirable by your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, ad infinitum. This course will provide you with the tools to more fully perceive, comprehend and understand music from the Western European Art Music tradition (commonly known as Classical music), and to expand your musical horizons in directions you may not have considered previously. We ll be exploring this music from the start of its recorded history in the Medieval Ages, and tracing its development up to the 21 st century. All of the music we hear today has sprung from this taproot. Our brains are as wired to hear Beethoven as Beyoncé. All it takes to understand and appreciate this music is a willingness to step through the door. The goals: By the end of this semester, you will: Have a working knowledge of the history of musical styles and genres; Know the important people associated with them; Be able to describe any piece of music verbally and in writing by its treatment of the musical elements Be more aware of the expressive quality of non-verbal music; Have developed an understanding of the complex interaction between music and the society within which it resides. The text: Listen to This Mark Evan Bonds required MyMusicLab required (this is an access card) If you d prefer to order the text/mymusiclab package online, go to: http://www.mypearsonstore.com/bookstore/product.asp?isbn=0205708153&xid=psed To order MyMusicLab as a stand-alone product online, go to http://www.mymusiclab.com These two links are posted on Blackboard.
The requirements: Reading and listening assignments form the core of information for our discussion each day. The key to success is in reading and listening to what s assigned for each class. The reading is not difficult and there are lots of interesting sidebars in each chapter, and the listening is all included in MyMusicLab, with much guidance and explanation about each piece. While I can t assign a grade for this, I do take note of the students who most actively participate in discussions. This can make the difference in pushing a borderline grade up or down. The depth of your learning and comprehension of this material hinges on your willingness to rise to the challenge of digesting and wrestling with the text and, most importantly, the music. I cannot teach you every fact and piece of information contained in the chapters to be read. I will help you to develop the tools you need to understand and intelligently discuss the music and composers covered, and to draw your own conclusions about their intrinsic artistic value. I expect you will have read the chapters and listened to the music assigned, and you should anticipate that material from the reading that relates to and illuminates what we come to know during class meetings will appear on quizzes and exams. Evaluation: Evaluation for this course will be based on these assessments: Quiz on Musical Elements projected date 2/1. You ll listen to a familiar piece, and briefly discuss the treatment of musical elements in it. This quiz counts for 10% of your final grade. Five short exams: These will be objective exams, with multiple choice, T/F, matching, short answer and essay questions on the material covered in each part of the text, with the exception of the Middle Ages and Renaissance (Parts 1 & 2) which will be combined. Some sort of listening exercise will be included on each exam. Any examples from MyMusicLab covered in a given section may be included on the listening section of the exam. See the Class Schedule for projected dates. The averaged grade for these exams will count for 35% of your final grade. Expand Your Playlist: About once every week over the course of the semester you ll need to select one additional work from suggestions given to expand your playlists, found at the end of each chapter or in association with a particular composer. You will need to gain access to the piece you select: likely sources include the college library, itunes, Amazon.com (free downloads) and YouTube. Guidelines for expectations for this assignment are posted on Blackboard,. Your journal can be submitted for grading as hard copy, via the Digital Dropbox or as an e-mail attachment. This is the fourth hour of rigor required for this course, and will count for 10% of your final grade. Concert Reaction Paper: You ll need to attend one concert that features classical music sometime during the semester. There are a couple of options on-campus, and many more in the surrounding community. After the concert, you ll write a reaction paper about your experience and the
music you heard. This paper should be written and handed in within a week of the concert you attend. This paper will count as 10% of your final grade. Guidelines for writing the paper are on Blackboard under Course Materials along with a list of sites containing concert possibilities, both on & off campus. Become a fan of Berks County Music Events on Facebook to see events and concerts in the area. Transportation to & from campus will be provided, many events are specially priced for Albright students, and some will be offered for Experience credit. A second concert reaction paper can be used as an extra credit opportunity to raise your lowest grade by 10 points. This extra credit option can only be used once. Final Project: The Final will be a comprehensive, conceptual test of the entire semester, outlined as a project in Part 7. This will count for 25% of your final grade. Participation and attendance: Your active, uninhibited participation in class discussions and regular attendance will contribute the final 10% of your grade. Miscellaneous Info Blackboard - The Blackboard site for this course will contain lots of important information, including this syllabus, concert dates and announcements. If you have difficulty accessing the Blackboard site, contact IT for help. If you submit any assignment electronically, you ll receive confirmation e-mail from me. If I don t contact you within 24 hours after sending, I haven t received what you sent. It s your responsibility to follow up on this. GradingSystem - I use a standard grading scale: A+ =98-100% B- = 80-82% D+ = 67-69% A = 93-97% C+ = 77-79% D = 63-67% A- = 90-92% C = 73-76% D- = 60=62% B+ = 87-89% C- = 70-72% F = less than 60% B = 83-86% (Any average with.5 is rounded up) Academic support - Albright Learning Center (ALC) - If you have a learning disability or think you have a learning disability that will require accommodations, please contact the Academic Learning Center, located in the basement (B-07) of the Administration Building. (610) 921-7662 (X7662)
Writing Center - The Writing Center can help you with the writing you do for any of your classes. The center s peer tutors will work with you at any stage of the writing process, from developing and organizing ideas to revising and editing drafts. Rather than editing your work for you, writing tutors actively engage you in meaningful conversations about your writing and help you learn new strategies. The Writing Center is located in the Computing and Mathematics Building room #105. The center is open afternoons and evenings, Sunday through Thursday, for drop-in visits and appointments. Please bring with you the writing assignment you received from your instructor. For more information, visit the Writing Center website (http://www.albright.edu/academics/wcwelcome.html) or contact writingcenter@alb.edu. Academic Dishonesty, Academic Appeals and Appealing a Grade: It goes without saying that your work must be your own. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated in any form. Please read the complete College policy on Academic Dishonesty in the College catalog or in the Compass. You should also read the College policy on Academic Appeals and appealing a grade. If you feel you ve been unjustly accused of academic dishonesty, or that any professor has graded you unfairly, you have the right to appeal both instances with the Academic Appeals Board. General Concerns- Electronics in class: Cell phones or any other type of PDA should be off and put away during class. If you are expecting an important call during class, please let me know. Sending or receiving texts during class is not allowed. Laptop computers are allowed only during group projects that require online searches. If you have an academic or physical disability that requires the use of a laptop for note-taking, please let me know. Punctuality: In the music business, late entrances will get you fired. As a matter of courtesy, please be on time for class. Coming late to class is distracting and disrespectful to all of us who are on time. You also will probably have missed important information about upcoming projects. Questions: The only stupid question is the one that goes unasked and therefore unanswered. Many of you will be treading on unfamiliar ground, so be bold in your wondering. Leap and the net will appear.
MUS 120 Listen to This Sp. 2010 Class Schedule Subject to change if necessary (* Indicates skipped chapters) Date Topic Reading/Listening Assignments 1/25 Course Intro Introduction to Musical Elements 1/27 Elements of Music Star Spangled Banner 1/29 Elements of Music 2/1 Elements Quiz 2/3 Part I: The Middle Ages Chs. 1 & 2, Play of Virtues & Eagle Dance 2/5 The Middle Ages Chs. 3 & 4, Behold, Spring & Songs to the Virgin Mary 2/8 Part 2: The Renaissance Ch. 5 & 6, The Cricket & Since Robin Hood 2/10 The Renaissance Ch. 7 & 8, Sing Joyfully & My Lord Help Me to Pray 2/12 Catch-up & review for Exam #1 Playlist Entries 1 & 2 due 2/15 Exam 1 2/17 Part 3: The Baroque Chs. 9 & 10, Orpheus & Dido and Aeneas 2/19 The Baroque Chs. 11 & 12, Marriage Celebration Song & Revenge 2/22 The Baroque *Chs. 13 & 15, Little Fugue (2 versions) & Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 2/24 The Baroque *Chs. 14 & 16, Winter Mvt. I & Water Music 2/26 The Baroque, review for Exam #2 3/1 Exam #2 Chs. 17 & 18, Cantata 140 & Messiah 3/3 Part 4: The Classical Era - Ch. 19, String Quartet in C Major Haydn 3/5 The Classical Era Ch. 21, Symphony No. 102 in Bb Major Playlist Entries 3, 4 &5 due 3/8 The Classical Era - Mozart Ch. 22, Symphony No. 40 in g minor 3/10 The Classical Era Ch. 23, Piano Concerto in A Major 3/12 No Class SPRING BREAK 3/22 The Classical Era Ch. 24, The Marriage of Figaro 3/24 Exam #3 3/26 Part 5: The 19 th Century Ch. 26, Sym. No. 5 in c minor 3/29 The 19th Century Ch. 27 & 31, Erlkonig & Forward! 3/31 The 19th Century *Ch. 28 & 29, Midsummer Night s Dream & March to the Scaffold EASTER BREAK
4/7 The 19th Century Ch. 30 & 32, Piano Trio & Mazurka 4/9 The 19th Century Ch. 35 & 36, La Traviata & The Valkyries Playlist Entries 6, 7 &8 due 4/12 The 19th Century Ch. 37 & 38, Sym. No. 4 & String Quartet in F Major 4/14 Catch-up & review for Exam #4 4/16 Exam # 4 4/19 Part 6: The 20 th Century Ch. 39 & 40, Voiles & Keybar Ding 4/21 The 20 th Century *Ch. 42 & 43, Columbine & The Rite of Spring 4/23 The 20 th Century *Ch. 41 & 51, The Unanswered Question & Hoe- Down 4/26 The 20 th Century Ch. 49 & 50, Piano Study & A Black Pierrot Playlist Entries 9 & 10 due 4/28 The 20 th Century * Ch. 53 & 54, 4 33 & Knee Play 4/30 Catch-up & review for Exam #5 5/3 Exam #5 5/5 The 20 th Century Film & * Ch. 52 & 60, Tonight & Crouching Tiger Broadway 5/7 The 20 th Century - Jazz Ch. 45 & 46 5/10 The 20 th Century - Jazz Ch. 47 & 48 5/12 Part 7 Final Project 5/14 Part 7 Final Project Final Project Due Date TBA