Music Appreciation
Course Credits: 15
Course Curriculum Used
How to Listen to and Understand Great Music - Teaching Company Lectures
Taught by Robert Greenberg
San Francisco Performances
Ph.D., University of California at Berkeley
Course Description:
This course explores music from the ancient world to the early 20th century. It covers the "grammar" of music, the influence of social context on musical creation, and the contributions of nearly every major composer.
The lectures will be supplemented by opportunities to attend a variety of musical performances, and discuss the performances with others.
Lecture Titles
| 1. | Music as a Mirror |
| 2. | Sources-The Ancient World and the Early Church |
| 3. | The Middle Ages |
| 4. | Introduction to the Renaissance |
| 5. | The Renaissance Mass |
| 6. | The Madrigal |
| 7. | An Introduction to the Baroque Era |
| 8. | Style Features of Baroque-era Music |
| 9. | National Styles-Italy and Germany |
| 10. | Fugue |
| 11. | Baroque Opera, Part 1 |
| 12. | Baroque Opera, Part 2 |
| 13. | The Oratorio |
| 14. | The Lutheran Church Cantata |
| 15. | Passacaglia |
| 16. | Ritornello Form and the Baroque Concerto |
| 17. | The Enlightenment and an Introduction to the Classical Era |
| 18. | The Viennese Classical Style, Homophony, and the Cadence |
| 19. | Classical-era Form-Theme and Variations |
| 20. | Classical-era Form-Minuet and Trio: Baroque Antecedents |
| 21. | Classical-era Form-Minuet and Trio Form |
| 22. | Classical-era Form-Rondo Form |
| 23. | Classical-era Form-Sonata Form, Part 1 |
| 24. | Classical-era Form-Sonata Form, Part 2 |
Performances Attended:
Throughout the year, I attended 33 performances. The most outstanding performances are listed below:
- Baroque violin and Harpsichord concert at Trinity Episcopal Church
- Joshua Bell - Ames, Iowa
- Paquito d'Rivera - Hancher Auditorium, Iowa City
- Sheryl Staples, solo violinist with Cedar Rapids Symphony