Music in Nineteenth Century Europe

Level: Undergraduate

Division: The New School for Public Engagement

School: School of Undergraduate Studies

Department: Humanities

Course Number: NMUS 3515

Course Format: Lecture

Location: NYC campus

Permission Required: No

Topics:

• Music History, Theory & Criticism

Description:
This course is an exploration of the musical masterworks of the Romantic Era. The period from 1800 to 1900 was one of the richest in music history. A rapid succession of new techniques and styles dominated the music world, eventually heralding Modernism at the turn of the 20th century. Works discussed include Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, Brahms' A German Requiem, Chopin's nocturnes, Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique, and Verdi's Aïda. The course concludes with the emergence of the Gesamtkunstwerk ("total work of art"), a uniquely modern combination of music, performance, and visual culture. Students develop listening skills and learn how to analyze this repertoire through extensive listening in class, including live performances by the teacher and guest artists. To offer a broader cultural framework, two class sessions focusing on the visual arts of the same period are taught by the instructor of NARH3369, Introduction to Nineteenth-Century Art.