Music 108
Survey of Music II (Music, Meaning, and Culture)

Tues/Thurs. 9:30-10:45 AM - Music, Room 170

Course Guide and Syllabus

[schedule / reflections / format / criteria / concert report / requirements & grading / listening]
/ POLIS / workgroups /

Main Instructor and Course Coordinator for Spring 1998: Dr. Janet Sturman
email: Sturman@u.arizona.edu, Office: Room 160 Music Building, Office hours: MWF 2:00-3:00 pm. Office phone: 621-1255.

Introduction

It is not uncommon to hear people refer to music as a separate realm of experience, something pure, existing in its own right, and on its own terms. This survey of music is based on the contrasting premise that music is defined by social action. As Henry Kingsbury writes in Music, Talent, and Performance, "musical meaning is a social meaning, and musical structure a social structure " (1988: 110).

In this course we will explore the meanings commonly attributed to music and musical experience in Europe and America by looking at their historical origins and by contrasting them with traditions and beliefs of other cultures and eras.

Course Goals

• To learn to listen attentively to music.
• To learn ways to think about music and see it as an integral dimension of human behavior and liberal arts scholarship.
• To learn to recognize various forms and styles of music, placing them into cultural context.
• To explore points of contrast and comparison with Western musical practice and traditions around the world.
• To recognize distinctive patterns of thought regarding Western art music, to know the heritage of those modes of thought, and to explore the implications of their persistence for contemporary musical expression.

Objectives

By the end of the course you should be able to:

• Identify a selected body of musical examples.
• Use conventionally accepted terminology to describe what you and others hear in individual selections.
• Identify the connections between musical works and various issues relating to style, practice, and social setting.
• Identify and describe stylistic differences distinguishing one musical style and era from another.
• Recognize perspectives shared by composers, performers, and supporters of music from different settings and time periods.
• Refer to representative literature on music to discuss ideas regarding the nature and role of music in society.
  

Teaching Assistants and Discussion Section Leaders:

Ms. Tonya Entzi, Ms. Lindabeth Binkley

Meeting Times and Locations:

Lectures:

Tuesday and Thursday, 9:30- 10:45, Room 170, Music Building.

Discussion Sections:

On most Thursdays from 9:30-10:45 AM we may divide into smaller sections for more extensive exploration of the week's topic and associated musical repertoire.

Required Texts

 

O'Brien, James. The Listening Experience: Elements, Forms and Styles in Music. second edition. New York: Schirmer Books (Simon and Schuster Macmillan), 1995.

Weiss, Piero and Richard Taruskin.  Music in the Western World: A History in Documents. New York: Schirmer Books, 1984.

Supplementary Reading Packet for Music 108.  Available at Arizona Print/Copy (at corner of Park and Speedway, next to Domino's Pizza). This packet includes a complete list of all listening and reading assignments as well as reflection questions for each unit of study.

Recordings

 

A set of cassette tapes comes with the O'Brien text. These tapes include samples of many of the works we will listen to at length. Complete recordings will be available in the music library. I will place cassette recordings of additional items in the Music Library (second floor of the Music Building) for your use.