Ten Centuries of Classical Music

Pre-requisites for enrolment

None.

Content of Course

1. Medieval: written music: role of the church: polyphony. Leonin, Perotin, Machaut.

2. Renaissance: humanist values: instrumental music: intervals and pitch: music spreads throughout Europe. Ockeghem, Josquin, Byrd, Palestrina,Victoria.

3. Baroque: orchestra: opera: equal temperament: keyboard music: concerto. Monteverdi, Lully, Rameau, Couperin, Bach, Handel, Scarlatti.

4. Classical: symphony: sonata: string quartet: piano: vocal music. CPE Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Gluck.

5. Romantic: piano: symphony: nationalism: programme music: opera: concerto. Chopin, Liszt, Schumann, Brahms, Berlioz, Glinka, Grieg, Smetana, Rimsky Korsakov, Tchaikovsky, Sibelius, Wagner, Mussorgsky, Mahler.

6. Twentieth century: stylistic fragmentation – serialism – other formal principles – percussion. Debussy, Scriabin, Schoenberg, Webern, Bartók, Ives, Janacek, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Varese, Messiaen, Boulez, Stockhausen, Xenakis, Ligeti, Cage, Carter.

Teaching method(s)

Lecture format, supported by CD listening. Time allotted for discussion.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

• Distinguish different musical styles;

• Understand key musical terms such as Tonality and Chromaticism;

• Appreciate the musical and social forces which encouraged change.

Sources

Core Readings

Recommended:

• Abraham, Gerald.1979. Concise Oxford History of Music. Oxford: OUP.

• Rattle, Simon and Hall, Michael. 1996. Leaving Home. London: Faber.

• Staines, Joe. 2010. Rough Guide to Classical Music. London: Rough Guides.

Class Handouts

Distributed weekly.

Queries

If you have questions regarding the course or enrolment, please contact COL Reception at Paterson's Land by email COL@ed.ac.uk or by phone 0131 650 4400.

Student support

If you have a disability, learning difficulty or health condition which may affect your studies, please let us know by ticking the 'specific support needs' box on your course application form. This will allow us to make appropriate adjustments in advance and in accordance with your rights under the Equality Act 2010. For more information please visit the Student Support section of our website.