Music 130A – Fall 2001

Introduction to Music Literature

Room 146 Music, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:00-11:50 AM

Johannes Vermeer c. 1660 Girl interrupted at her music. (Frick Collection)

Introduction

This course is the first in a two-part series designed to serve an introduction to music literature for students with academic and professional interests in music. We will explore the values that creators, performers and listeners assign to music in different eras and venues from around the world and get to know a sampling of treasured musical examples. While we will consider a wide range of European art and classical music, we will also examine representative examples from American popular repertories and non-western cultures.

Instructional Team

Professor Janet Sturman, Email: Sturman@u.arizona.edu, Telephone: 621-1255, Office: Room 160 Music, Office Hours: Tues/Thurs. 10:00-11:00 AM; F 1:30-2:30.

Graduate Intern Ted Owens, Email: towensua@yahoo.com,

Office hours: TBA.

Course Goals

The course will

provide a wide overview of music literature as a foundation for future study

reinforce student's understanding of important musical terminology

sharpen listening skills and attention to musical details

ask students to critically evaluate the conventions and choices that have shaped our understandings of music as literature and as valued creative expression

Objectives

Students should leave the course able to

Identify a selected set of musical examples

identify important composers, performers and others related to the music we study

articulate, in spoken and written prose, elements that distinguish a particular style, tradition, composer or selection from all others

use conventionally accepted terminology to describe details of individual selections

outline and recognize important formal structures used to organize music (ABA, rondo, sonata, raga, etc.)

articulate connections between musical works and their surrounding social and compositional contexts

recognize shared perspectives held by composers, performers and supporters sometimes linking them across historical eras and geographical divisions

Required Materials

Books and Recordings

Wright, Craig. Listening to Music. Third Edition. New York: West Publishing Co., 1999. This text comes bundled with a CD set. Purchasing the text and CDs together is expensive but cheaper than buying each separately. We will make use of both text and CDs in Music 130B.

Cook, Nicholas. Music: A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. This set of thought-provoking essays will invite you to think about music in ways that may be new to you. Cook's topics and ideas will serve as a framework for organizing our study in both semesters.

Assignment and Grading Summary

Grades are assigned as follows

517-575 of total points = A; 459-516= B; 401-458=C; 343-400=D; 342 and below=E

Required Work	Points
1 verbal presentation of entry from listening journal.	50
2 written submissions (options other than listening journal may be provided)	2 @ 50 points; 100 points in all
1 report comparing two contrasting concerts (guidelines will be provided)	100
3 Exams	3 @ 100 points each; 300 in all
Participation	25
Semester total	575

Honors Options

Students enrolled in the Honors College may contract to complete a special project in lieu of the short written assignments. Speak with the instructor prior to the third week of class.