Syllabus

MUH 2201: CLASSICAL STYLES AND ROMANTIC SPIRITS

Prof. Greg Petersen (aka Greg/Prof Greg)
Office Location: YSTCM: Studio 16 (3rd fl near the lifts)
Office Hours: In my office by 9am-5pm unless in class or a meeting (you can always set up an appointment)
Office Phone: (65) 6516-3363
Email: gregp@nus.edu.sg

Dr Frances Lee (aka Dr Lee)

  • Office Location: YSTCM: Academic Staff Room (3rd fl, near lifts)
  • Office Hours: By appointment (email to schedule)
  • Office Phone: (65) 6516-7507 (I’ll answer if I’m in my office)
  • Email: franceslee@nus.edu.sg (response time typically 1-2 business days)

INTRODUCTION

Course Description

Today’s most widely-known, international concert repertoire is primarily made up of 18th-, 19th-, and early 20th-century European and North American composers and their music. This module presents a look, listen, and study of their music and legacy focusing on two parallel movements in the European tradition: the classical, rococo, galante, empfindsamer stil, and neo-classical; and sturm und drang, romantic, and neo-romantic. The focus of learning in this course is through primary source materials. (Non-conservatory students that can read music are invited to enrol in this course as free elective.)

Course Objectives

In this course we want students to be more fully aware of the historical roots of these two musical traditions. This course at some universities is taught as two different courses: one on Classical period music and another on Romantic period music. However, since the foundations of both are in the 18th century, and both continue into the 20th century, it is beneficial for the students’ understanding of music to see these as parallel movements running side by side for almost 200 years.

  • Accurately interpret historical writings on music.
  • Differentiate between the various evolutions of the different movements. For example, the difference between the French rococo in Versailles, the galante around Paris, and the empfindsamer stil in Germany.
  • Infer the relationship between music and society, historically and in the present.
  • Summarize the role of the historical composer and musician in history, and in the present.
  • Synthesize historical knowledge into a present context.
  • Evaluate and demonstrate historical performance practices.
  • Be able to contextualise the historical trajectory of music from this era through three questions:
    • Why was the music written?
    • Why should someone learn to perform the music?
    • Why should anyone listen to this music?

Required Materials

ASSESSMENT

Grading Criteria

  • Comprehension: To what extent do you know and understand the basic meaning and significance of the information?
  • Analysis: To what extent do you recognize the various components of the information and their relationships?
  • Evaluation: To what extent do you understand the validity and value of the information?
  • Inference: To what extent are you able to make decisions based on your Analysis and Evaluation?

ASSESSMENT

Regular Timed Quizzes: 25%

  • To make the classroom experience as engaging as possible, everyone needs to have a basic understanding of the assigned course material before coming to class (see “required” material at the top of each blog page for the week). Consequently, you will have a short timed quiz the first day we study each new chapter/article together. You must get at least 50% on the quiz to “pass” and participate in the NUS curve at the end of the semester.

Classroom Participation: 25%

  • Everyone ready to begin class on time begins with the same neutral/”C” score.
  • Participation can, and should, begin before you enter the classroom by posting questions on the blog by 11:59pm the day before your class.
  • You can add to your score by making a notable positive contribution to a class environment by asking an evaluation or inference questions, responding to classmates with counter-arguments or counter-questions in a respectful manner, and answering question using clear ideas and strong supporting details, etc.
  • You can deduct from your score by unauthorised electronic use, chatting in class, arriving late or leaving early without an official excuse, answering comprehension or analysis questions incorrectly, responding to classmates disrespectfully, etc.
    • *Please note: The only authorized electronic use in the classroom is during classroom exercises, and only one electronic devise is permitted per group during classroom exercises.
  • Classroom exercises count as part of your classroom participation grade and are curved based on the quality.

Class Presentation: 25%

  • Each student will give a 7-8 minute presentation on a specific case study related to the materials for the week and the course.
  • Your presentation should have an overarching argument (main idea), that has several supporting idea and supporting details.
    • The main idea should be yours.
    • The supporting ideas should come from the course materials.
    • The supporting details should be primarily from the art, but can come from any of the five kinds of supporting details.
  • Please avoid the typical traps if you want to pass this assessment:
    • Trap 1, The Short Cut: presenting typical internet information, which is rarely linked to the course material
    • Trap 2, Segmenting: it seems that most students want to do something like the following: 1. historical information, 2. background on the artist, 3. background on the piece, 4. talk about the course materials, 5. talk about the work; this means you have no clear MI and weak SIs and SDs.
  • Presentation Deadline: Variable, depending on sign-ups.

Final Project: 25%

  • Each of you will do a final project on a piece of music you are studying this semester.
  • The Final Project has two components:
    • A 10-15 min lecture recital (recorded without editing)
      • non-performance majors may use recordings
    • An accompanying 700-1,500 words scholarly essay.

STIPULATIONS

Absences and Late Work

  • You are responsible for the material assigned and covered in class. If you miss class, it is not my responsibility to give you a personal class. Students wishing to discuss missed discussions with me must first meet with two classmates and bring your notes with you to be used as discussion points.
  • Late work will not be accepted without official documentation. Students failing to do so will receive a “0″ grade for the missing work.

Academic Integrity

  • NUS publications, guidelines, and consequences govern all matters pertaining to academic integrity.
  • Please see the documents listed in the Student Handbook and the eModule on Plagiarism.

Final Grading

I reserve the right to give you your own personal curve using the following two rules:

  • Constancy over aberration.” (I reserve the right to average out the peaks and valleys in your performance.)
  • Speed isn’t everything, direction counts.” (For students who struggle to catch on to the teaching/learning style used in this course, but put in a good effort and make significant improvement, I reserve the right to weigh the end of the semester more heavily than the beginning of the semester.)

You will be assigned a final grade based on your total score at the end of the semester using the NUS grading scale and curve.

SCHEDULE (to be confirmed)

  • Week 1: Introduction
  • Week 2: The 18th Century
  • Week 3: Rococo and Galant
  • Week 4: Classical Style
  • Week 5: Classical Expression, Topics, and Dances
  • Week 6: Neoclassicisms
  • Week 7: An Introduction to the 19th Century
  • Week 8: The Sturm und Drang
  • Week 9: The Sturm und Drang and Romanticism
  • Week 10: Romantic Music
  • Week 11: Film Music
  • Week 12: The 18th c. as a Musical Period
  • Week 13: The Musician in Society