100 Years of Words and Music: Vivaldi to Schubert

Course Times & Enrolment

This course is currently unavailable.

Course Summary

Taking you on a musical and literary journey from the Baroque to the Romantic period this short, taster course will introduce you to how great composers set words to music. Non-technical and requiring no previous knowledge, the classes will examine how the composers' lives and the times they lived in influenced their work.

Course Details

Pre-requisites for enrolment

The course is suitable for those with a limited prior knowledge of western classical music and the composers and periods discussions.

Content of Course

The course aims to introduce students to the lives and works of some well-known western classical composers. In particular, it will concentrate on their setting of words to music. Through listening to musical extracts and engaging in informal discussion the students will explore how these different composers responded to a variety of commissions. The composers will be discussed in chronological order.

Class 1: Vivaldi (4 Seasons and opera), Bach (cantatas), Haydn (oratorios),

Class 2: Mozart (operas), Beethoven (9th symphony and Missa Solemnis), Schubert (lieder) .

Teaching method(s)

During the class (an informal, illustrated mini-lecture) the participants will be encouraged to discuss their impressions of the music. Suggestions will be made as to how they can best follow-up what they have learned. The aim of the whole process will be to help develop practical skills in research, critical listening and thinking, and, most of all, to increase enjoyment of listening to music.

The course will be of interest to all music-lovers, including those with a limited knowledge of western classical music.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this course, students will be able to:

Examine the art of setting words to music.
Examine the impact of social context on artistic creation.
Enhance their experience of listening to music.

Sources

Core Readings

No advance reading or listening required.

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.