Lecture Description
In this final formal lecture of the course, Professor Wright discusses Modernism, focusing on Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring. He explores several musical reasons why The Rite of Spring caused a riot at its 1913 Paris premiere. Professor Wright then goes on to share with the class one of his favorite pieces, by Gustav Mahler, the orchestral Lied "Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen." After an enumeration of this piece's qualities, Professor Wright ends the class with a paean to classical music and an exhortation to all to preserve this great tradition. 00:00 - Chapter 1. Introduction to Modernism: Elements in Stravinsky's Ballet Scores 08:14 - Chapter 2. Creating the Dissonance and Irregularities in Rites of Spring 20:26 - Chapter 3. Mahler's "Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen": An Exploration 46:43 - Chapter 4. The Values of Saving Classical Music and Conclusion
Course Index
- Introduction
- Introduction to Instruments and Musical Genres
- Rhythm: Fundamentals
- Rhythm: Jazz, Pop and Classical
- Melody: Notes, Scales, Nuts and Bolts
- Melody: Mozart and Wagner
- Harmony: Chords and How to Build Them
- Bass Patterns: Blues and Rock
- Sonata-Allegro Form: Mozart and Beethoven
- Sonata-Allegro and Theme and Variations
- Form: Rondo, Sonata-Allegro and Theme and Variations (cont.)
- Guest Conductor: Saybrook Orchestra
- Fugue: Bach, Bizet and Bernstein
- Ostinato Form in the Music of Purcell, Pachelbel, Elton John and Vitamin C
- Gregorian Chant and Music in the Sistine Chapel
- Baroque Music: The Vocal Music of Johann Sebastian Bach
- Mozart and His Operas
- Piano Music of Mozart and Beethoven
- Romantic Opera: Verdi's La Traviata, Bocelli, Pavarotti and Domingo
- The Colossal Symphony: Beethoven, Berlioz, Mahler and Shostakovich
- Musical Impressionism and Exoticism: Debussy, Ravel and Monet
- Modernism and Mahler
- Review of Musical Style
Course Description
This course fosters the development of aural skills that lead to an understanding of Western music. The musical novice is introduced to the ways in which music is put together and is taught how to listen to a wide variety of musical styles, from Bach and Mozart, to Gregorian chant, to the blues.