History of Western Art Music

This course chronologically explores 1000 years of Western art music - commonly known as classical music - from medieval chant to late 20th-century electronic music. We will develop critical listening skills and musical vocabulary, gain a historical overview of notated music, and engage with significant debates about the purpose and value of music as we encounter canonic composers, performers, and music including Vivaldi's virtuosic Four Seasons, Beethoven's forceful Fifth Symphony, and Stravinsky's riot-inducing Rite of Spring. We will both rehearse and question the stories people tell about tradition and innovation in this music, and ask what value these stories and this music might might offer us as we listen to recordings and live performances today. No previous experience is required.MUSA2200 replaces MUSA1200 Introduction to Music.