MHL 603 TOPICS IN MUSIC HISTORY:  20TH AND 21ST CENTURIES

Mason Bates (mason.bates@notes.sfcm.edu)                                            Wed 9:30-11:50 Room 507

 


Topic 1 Igor Stravinsky, Life and works

 

Sept. 2                         Russian period

Repertory: Petrushka; Rite

                       

Sept. 9                      Neo-classicism

Repertory: Symphonies of Wind Instruments; Orpheus

Prep 1 due Mon 9/14

                       

Sept. 16                  Later years

Repertory: Agon

Prep 2 due Mon 9/21 study for quiz

 

Topic 2 The Rise and fall of 12-tone music

           

Sept. 23                       Classical procedures and terminology

Repertory:  Schoenberg, Wind Quintet; Webern, First Cantata

Quiz 1 (Stravinsky) Prep 3 due Mon 9/28

 

Sept. 30                      Serialism

Repertory:  Babbitt, 3 Compositions; Stravinsky, In memoriam Dylan Thomas; Messiaen, Turangalila

Prep 4 due Mon 10/5

 

Oct. 7                          Free Treatment

Repertory: Berg, Violin Concerto ; Stravinsky, Agon; Copland, Piano Quartet

Study for quiz

 

Topic 3 Art/Pop/Folk

           

Oct. 14                        Creating national music

Repertory: Vaughan Williams, Dives and Lazarus; Copland, Billy the Kid; Villa Lobos, Coros #7

               Quiz 2 (12-tone music) Prep 5 due Mon 10/19

 

Oct 21                         Folk & pop as the route to modernism

Repertory: Bartok, Improvisations, Op.20; Wayfaring Stranger (2); Bolcom, Innocence and Experience

Study for quiz

 

Topic 4 Experimental Music

 

Oct. 28                        What is experimental music?

Repertory: Ives, 3 quarter-tone pieces; Schaeffer: 5 studies of noise; Berio, Trombone Sequenza; Cowell, Advertisement, The Banshee; Nancarrow, Studies

Quiz 3 (Art/Pop/Folk) Prep 6 due Mon 11/2

 

Nov. 4                         Electronic Music & Electronica

Repertory: Varse, Deserts; Brian Eno, Music for Airports; Aphex Twin

(electronic & acoustic tracks); Matmos, A Chance to Cut

Prep 7 due Mon 11/9

                        

Nov. 11                        Chance and improvisation

Repertory: Cage, 433; Cage, Concert for Piano and Orchestra; Scelsi, Suite #9; Corigliano, Symphony No. 1 Study for quiz

 

Topic 5 Minimalism & Post-Minimalism

 

Nov. 18                       Minimalism (1st and 2nd generation)

Repertory: Riley, In C; Reich, Music for 18 Musicians; Glass, Einstein on the Beach

Quiz 4 (Experimental Music) Prep 8 due Mon 11/23

 

Dec. 2                         Post-Minimalism

Repertory: Adams, Chamber Symphony; Aaron Kernis, Symphony in Waves; Thomas Ades, Living Toys

Study for quiz & final exam

            

Dec. 9                                     Quiz 5 (Minimalism & Post-Minimalism) and Final exam