MUHI - Music History
MUHI 100
Introduction to Music Literature
Lectures and guided listening for the non-music major, introducing musical materials, basic musical concepts, and a variety of styles and types of music. Consideration of the place of music in society, past and present. Does not satisfy course requirements for any music major. Units: 6.
MUHI 110
Topics in Music History for the Non-Major
An exploration of a musicological topic that is more narrowly focused than or lies outside the scope of the Introduction to Music Literature course. May be repeated with consent of the instructor. Does not satisfy course requirements for any music major. Units: 6.
MUHI 120
Introduction to Jazz History
An exploration of the musical development and cultural impact of jazz from its origins to the present for students not majoring in music. Lectures, films, and readings provide historical details. Does not satisfy course requirements for any music major. Units: 6.
MUHI 131
The Grand Tour: Musical Taste and Manners in Europe 1600-1750
A study of music in the Baroque period, its social and historical context and relationship to other arts. The course explores the depth and variety of 17th and 18th century musical life and follows a broad range of interests to suit both music majors and non-specialists. Museum visits and weekly concerts, with accompanying lectures; demonstrations by performers active in the field of historical performance practice; and readings on form, style, and the lives of composers. The course is general in scope, and no prior musical knowledge is expected. Does not satisfy course requirements for any music major. Not open to students who have previously recieved, or need to receive credit for MUHI 431.Offered at the London Centre. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: Must be attending the Lawrence London Centre.
MUHI 135
The British Musical Renaissance: Elgar, Vaughan Williams, and Britten
An introduction to British music in the first three-quarters of the 20th century. In addition to studying major works by Elgar, Vaughan Williams, and Britten, students will explore the social and political currents as they impinged on musical life in Britain. A number of concerts and outside visits will be organized, and students will be encouraged to attend relevant performances in London, for which they will be prepared in class. The course will be general in scope, and no prior musical knowledge will be expected. Does not satisfy course requirements for any music major. Not open to students who have previously received, or need to receive credit for MUHI 435. Offered at the London Centre. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: Must be attending the Lawrence London Centre.
MUHI 136
Gilbert & Sullivan and Their Victorian World
An exploration of Victorian culture, including music, art, theatre, politics, and daily life as reflected in the operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan. Offered at the London Centre. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: Must be attending the Lawrence London Center
MUHI 137
Opera in Context
This course will explore the literary and historical inspirations for great operas, giving particular attention to operas and related plays being offered in London during the fall of 2007. Some operas are derived from literary sources, such as Britten's The Turn of the Screw (being produced by English National Opera), based upon the gothic psychological thriller of Henry James. Others, such as Mozart's The Magic Flute (also coming to ENO), with its many connections to Masonry and enlightenment philosophy, are a rich source of both literary and historical/cultural interest. Other operas to be studied will depend upon the offerings of London theater companies. The structure of opera libretti will be compared to their literary sources, and the role of music in advancing the drama will be examined. This course is designed for a general student population, and does not require a background in music. Offered at the London Centre. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: Must be attending the Lawrence London Center
MUHI 150
The Culture of Music in Germany
After considering the role of music in the construction of “Germanness,” the course focuses on the evolution of the “Lied” from folk song to the artistic “Lieder” and on contemporary popular music. Songs from the 18th to the 20th century are treated primarily as texts and cultural artifacts. Does not satisfy course requirements for any music major. Units: 6.
Also listed as German 275
Prerequisite: GER 202 or consent of the instructor
MUHI 191
Directed Study in Music History
Directed study follows a syllabus set primarily by the instructor to meet the needs or interests of an individual student or small group of students. The main goal of directed study is knowledge or skill acquisition, not research or creative work. Units: Variable.
MUHI 195
Internship in Music History
An experience-based project in music developed in consultation with a designated supervisor and a conservatory faculty member, comprising a work component and an academic component. The academic component of the internship, carried out under the supervision of the faculty member, may include readings related to the substance of the internship, discussions with the faculty member, and a written report or other culminating project appropriate to the discipline. Units: Variable.
MUHI 201
Music History Survey I
A survey of Western music and introduction to the historical study of musical styles from the Middle Ages through the mid-18th century. Music majors are encouraged to enroll during the sophomore year. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: MUTH 251 or consent of instructor
MUHI 202
Music History Survey II
A survey of Western music and musical styles from the mid-18th century to the present. Music majors are encouraged to enroll during the sophomore year. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: MUHI 201 or consent of instructor
MUHI 210
Topic for Spring 2009: Music and Gender
This course will explore the relationship between music and gender in the Western world from the Middle Ages to the present. Considering classical and popular music, including music videos and film, as well as writings about gender and music, we will explore music’s role as a reflection of, reaction to, and active participant in gender construction.
Topics in Music History for the Non-major
This course will enable non-music majors to engage with the discipline of music history. Does not satisfy course requirements for any music major.
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing
MUHI 211
Romanticism Then and Now
An interdisciplinary investigation of the powerful and enduring influence of Romanticism in the arts. The course will connect formative examples of poetry (Wordsworth, Keats), music (Beethoven, Schubert), and visual arts (Blake, Turner) to each other and to their late romantic and neo-romantic progeny, in conjunction with select live performances and field trips to historic sites and museums. This course is general in scope and no prior musical knowledge is expected. Units: 6.
Also listed as English 210
Prerequisite: Must be attending the Lawrence London Centre
MUHI 223
Music & Mystical Experience
What is mystical experience? And how does music evoke, induce, or otherwise bring us into relation with it? These questions motivate a cross-cultural, multi-disciplinary, and diachronic exploration of the ways in which human beings experience the numinous through music. In the spirit of its title, the course also introduces specific contemplative practices in order to cultivate qualities of mind conducive to contemplative engagement with music and sound. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing
MUHI 245
American Popular Music and Culture
Examination of the relationship between popular music and the broader cultural climate of the U.S. in the 20th and 21st centuries. Consideration of a selected body of popular music alongside the socio-political forces that have driven it: patriotism, racial tensions, civil rights, human rights, gay rights, feminism, activism, and class struggles. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing
MUHI 390
Tutorial in Studies Music History
Units: Variable.
Prerequisite: Counter Registration Required.
MUHI 391
Directed Study in Music History
Directed study follows a syllabus set primarily by the instructor to meet the needs or interests of an individual student or small group of students. The main goal of directed study is knowledge or skill acquisition, not research or creative work. Units: Variable.
MUHI 395
Internship in Music History
An experience-based project in music developed in consultation with a designated supervisor and a conservatory faculty member, comprising a work component and an academic component. The academic component of the internship, carried out under the supervision of the faculty member, may include readings related to the substance of the internship, discussions with the faculty member, and a written report or other culminating project appropriate to the discipline. Units: Variable.
MUHI 399
Independent Study in Music History
Students considering an honors project should register for independent study for one or more terms. Units: Variable.
MUHI 411
Aesthetics of Music
A study of what can reasonably be said or written about music, critically examining many of the typical late Western assumptions often made of it, e.g., that music is an art, that it involves the production of works, that it is expressive, that it is a universal language. Open to music majors and non-majors. Previous music study helpful but not required. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing
MUHI 421
Music and Gender
This course will explore the relationship between music and gender in the Western world from the Middle Ages to the present. Considering classical and popular music, including music videos and film, as well as writings about gender and music, we will explore music's role as a reflection of, reaction to, and active participant in gender construction. Units: 6.
Also listed as Gender Studies 421
Prerequisite: MUHI 201 and MUHI 202
MUHI 422
Borrowed Music in the Movies
When a film uses a pre-existing piece of music (popular or classical), meanings multiply, both within and outside the film itself. This course will explore these meanings, focusing on the fluid and reciprocal relationship between film and the music it borrows. Units: 6.
Also listed as Film Studies 422
Prerequisite: MUHI 201 and MUHI 202
MUHI 423
Music and Mystical Experience
What is mystical experience? And how does music evoke, induce, or otherwise bring us into relation with it? These questions motivate a cross-cultural, multi-disciplinary, and diachronic exploration of the ways in which human beings experience the numinous through music. Readings from contemporary and historical sources in eastern and western philosophy, psychology, and the history and theory of music provide intellectual and aesthetic contexts in which to engage with a variety of musical practices and traditions. In the spirit of its title, the course also requires a commitment to specific contemplative practices—not bound to any particular belief system—that are introduced in an effort to cultivate qualities of mind conducive to contemplative engagement with a work of music or the experience of sound. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: MUHI 202
MUHI 431
The Grand Tour: Musical Tastes and Manners in Europe 1600-1750
A study of music in the Baroque period, its social and historical context and relationship to other arts. The course explores the depth and variety of 17th and 18th century musical life and follows a broad range of interests to suit both music majors and non-specialists. Museum visits and weekly concerts, with accompanying lectures; demonstrations by performers active in the field of historical performance practice; and readings on form, style, and the lives of composers. This course is a seminar involving independent research. Not open to students who have previously received credit for MUHI 131. Offered at the London Centre. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: Must be attending the Lawrence London Centre. MUHI 201 AND 202
MUHI 435
The British Musical Renaissance: Elgar, Vaughn Williams, and Britten
An introduction to British music in the first three-quarters of the 20th century. In addition to studying major works by Elgar, Vaughan Williams, and Britten, students will explore the social and political currents as they impinged on musical life in Britain. A number of concerts and outside visits will be organized, and students will be encouraged to attend relevant performances in London, for which they will be prepared in class. This course is a seminar involving independent research. Not open to students who have previously received credit for MUHI 135. Offered at the London Centre. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: Must be attending the Lawrence London Centre. MUHI 201 AND 202
MUHI 440
Topics in Music History: Life and Works
A study of a composer’s career, emphasizing the relationship between composer and society. Topics in this series vary from year to year. May be repeated with consent of the instructor. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: MUHI 202
MUHI 441
Debussy: Contextual Perspectives
This course will examine Debussy and his music from a broad cultural perspective in order to reveal the connections between the music and the political, social, and artistic world in which it was created and received, and to use these connections to consider alternative paths of musical interpretation. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: MUHI 201 and MUHI 202
MUHI 450 Topic for Fall 2009: History of a Recorded Sound Topic for Winter 2010: Music and Memory Topic for Winter 2010: The German Lied Topic for Spring 2010: Music in the U.S.
Topics in Music History: Genre History
In this course we will study the history of recorded sound, from
Edison’s invention of the phonograph through the waning of the “analog era” in the 1970s. Lectures and discussions will focus on the relationship of sound recording to the history of avant-garde and experimental music. Course readings will consist of essays by composers and performers, as well as material and cultural histories of recorded sound.
An exploration of the diverse ways that musical creation, practice, and reception are bound up with memory. We will examine music and ideas from the Middle Ages to the present, focusing on the ways music can function as, be affected by, create, invoke, and interrogate memory.
This course will explore Lieder from the 18th to the 20th centuries from a socio—cultural perspective that highlights the intersection between Lieder and the social, cultural, and political world in which it was written and performed. Students will approach the Lied through period texts, score analysis, secondary literature and performance.
This course will survey the history of music of the United States from the colonial period to the present. Various genres of amateur, commercial, concert, and theater music will be discussed. Course readings, drawn from both primary and secondary sources, will complement our analysis of musical scores and recordings.
Prerequisite: MUHI 202
MUHI 451
History of the String Quartet
Composers have used the string quartet genre to express some of their most profound and daring musical thoughts since the late 18th century and up to the present day. Through readings and analysis, students will explore how this repertoire and its audiences have been shaped by sociological and aesthetic forces. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: MUHI 202
MUHI 452
History of the Wind Band
This course will be an examination of the history and development of the wind band as an artistic medium, focusing on repertoire and instrumentation development and cultural influences. The growth of the modern concert wind ensemble will be studied as a part of the evolution beginning with Gabrieli and proceeding through classical, romantic, and contemporary musical trends. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: MUHI 202
MUHI 453
Opera and Betrayal
This course will examine different modes of betrayal (for example, at the plot, music, or production level) within opera from the 17th century to the present and explore possible meanings conveyed by operas relative to specific societal contexts and ideals, past and present. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: MUHI 201 and MUHI 202
MUHI 455
Jazz History
A study of the contributions of select jazz artists through analysis of recordings, historical films, solo transcriptions, scores, and readings from texts. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: MUHI 202 or consent of instructor
MUHI 460
Topic for Fall 2009: Music and Power under the Sun King
An examination of the relationship between music (ballet, opera, court dance, instrumental music, and sacred music) and power under Louis XIV. Primary and secondary readings will also treat other intersections of ancien régime culture and power in art, architecture, literature, and modes of decorum.
Topic for Spring 2009: Divine Love in the 17th Century
A seminar on musical depictions of the mystical union between the physical body and the divine body that bring madrigal-like representations of eroticism and sexuality into seventeenth-century sacred music. Primary and secondary sources will treat religion, spirituality, mysticism, art history, dance and musicology.
Units: Variable. Prerequisite: MUHI 202
Topics in Music History: Cultural Moments
A study of a particular time and place, examining the relationship between social institutions, intellectual ideas, and music products. Topics in this series vary from year to year. May be repeated with consent of instructor.
MUHI 461
The English Musical Renaissance
A study of the remarkable period in British music, roughly 1870-1970, now commonly called the English musical renaissance. Important relationships between social, intellectual, and musical currents will be examined through critical reading, discussion, and analysis of selected works by three major composers: Edward Elgar, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and Benjamin Britten. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: MUHI 202
MUHI 462
America After Modernism
An examination of American composers’ responses to modernist values and practices in music from the 1960s to the present. Through the study of important musical compositions of the era and reading of composers’ writings, students will forge an informed, critical response to post-Modernist era aesthetics and values in music. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: MUHI 202
MUHI 465
The Second Viennese School: Schoenberg, Berg, Webern
This course has as its principal focus the three great figures of the so-called “Second Viennese School”: Schoenberg, Berg, and Webern. It includes not only a detailed study of their lives and works but also consideration of the cultural milieu from which they emerged and which they in turn influenced profoundly. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: MUHI 202
MUHI 490
Topic for Fall 2009: Introduction to Ethnomusicology
Ethnomusicology has been defined as “the study of people making music,” and “the anthropology of music.” This course will cover the history of the field, key debates, influential scholars, and significant case studies. Important concepts will include fieldwork methods, organology, tuning systems, transcription, and applied ethnomusicology.
Topics in Ethnomusicology
An examination of a particular topic in ethnomusicology. Topics and prerequisites may vary from course to course.
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or consent of instructor
MUHI 491
Introduction to World Music & Culture
In this course we will examine the contemporary globalization of world music as well as the major forces (social, political, economic, technological) that have shaped it over the last few centuries. Attention is focused on music-making as a form of human activity within and between cultures. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or consent of the instructor
MUHI 492
The Space and Place of Ethnomusicology
Examines the discipline of ethnomusicology from the perspective of the local musical context. We will discuss and practice the methods and theories that are useful in studying music in our current space, place and time. Will also consider the role of music-making in the cultural construction of places, spaces and scenes and vice-versa. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: One course in music history, ethnomusicology, or anthropology; or consent of the instructor
MUHI 590
Tutorial in Studies Music History
Units: Variable.
Prerequisite: Counter Registration Required.
MUHI 591
Directed Study in Music History
Directed study follows a syllabus set primarily by the instructor to meet the needs or interests of an individual student or small group of students. The main goal of directed study is knowledge or skill acquisition, not research or creative work. Units: Variable.
MUHI 595
Internship in Music History
An experience-based project in music developed in consultation with a designated supervisor and a conservatory faculty member, comprising a work component and an academic component. The academic component of the internship, carried out under the supervision of the faculty member, may include readings related to the substance of the internship, discussions with the faculty member, and a written report or other culminating project appropriate to the discipline. Units: Variable.
Prerequisite: Counter Registration Required.
MUHI 599
Independent Study in Music History
Students considering an honors project should register for independent study for one or more terms. Units: Variable.
Prerequisite: Counter Registration Required.
MUHI 690
Tutorial in Studies Music History
Units: Variable.
Prerequisite: Counter Registration Required.
MUHI 691
Directed Study in Music History
Directed study follows a syllabus set primarily by the instructor to meet the needs or interests of an individual student or small group of students. The main goal of directed study is knowledge or skill acquisition, not research or creative work. Units: Variable.
MUHI 695
Internship in Music History
An experience-based project in music developed in consultation with a designated supervisor and a conservatory faculty member, comprising a work component and an academic component. The academic component of the internship, carried out under the supervision of the faculty member, may include readings related to the substance of the internship, discussions with the faculty member, and a written report or other culminating project appropriate to the discipline. Units: Variable.
Prerequisite: Counter Registration Required.
MUHI 699
Independent Study in Music History
Students considering an honors project should register for independent study for one or more terms. Units: Variable.
Prerequisite: Counter Registration Required.