10733 A History of Western Music II

Credits: 6 intermediate credits in Music

Prerequisites: none

Recommended: Introduction to Music or corresponding knowledge of music; A History of Western Music I

The course is based on chapters from A History of Western Music (7th ed.), by J.P. Burkholder, D.J. Grout, and C.V. Palisca (Norton, 2006), recorded lectures by Dr. Bella Brover-Lubovsky, a reader edited by Yonatan Bar-Yoshafat containing selected texts (translated) from major theoretical and philosophical writings, and an anthology of complete or partial works (scores and recordings) studied during the course.

The course is a continuation of A History of Western Music I (10732). It continues the narrative of the history of western artistic music from about 1750 to the 20th century, concentrating on the canonical western concert repertoire. The course focuses on understanding the music of each period in its historical, cultural and social contexts and examines the stylistic changes and developments through the music of the major composers.

Topics: Between Baroque and Classical: The 18th century as a period and a style; Opera; Instrumental music. The Viennese Classical period: Haydn; Mozart; Music during the French revolution, Beethoven. Early Romanticism: Romanticism as a historical, cultural and stylistic period – Schubert; Music in Germany; Music in France of the Restoration. The second half of the 19th century: Italian opera; Wagner and opera in Germany; Instrumental music in late Romanticism; Trends in Eastern and Northern Europe. Music in the 20th century: Modernism –music from the late 19th century until WWI; Music in the period of the world wars.