In this lecture, Professor Wright explains the basic system of Western musical notation, and offers an interpretation of its advantages and disadvantages. He also discusses the fundamental principles of rhythm, elaborating upon such concepts as beat, meter, and discussing in some depth the nature of durational patterns in duple and triple meters. The students are taught to conduct basic patterns in these meters through musical examples drawn from Chuck Mangione, Cole Porter, REM, Chopin, and Ravel. 00:00 - Chapter 1. Advantages and Disadvantages of Musical Notation 14:41 - Chapter 2. Beats and Meters 23:09 - Chapter 3. Exercises Distinguishing Duple and Triple Meters 31:27 - Chapter 4. Conducting Basic Meter Patterns: Exercises with REM, Chopin, and Ravel

1. Introduction
2. Introduction to Instruments and Musical Genres
3. Rhythm: Fundamentals
4. Rhythm: Jazz, Pop and Classical
5. Melody: Notes, Scales, Nuts and Bolts
6. Melody: Mozart and Wagner
7. Harmony: Chords and How to Build Them
8. Bass Patterns: Blues and Rock
9. Sonata-Allegro Form: Mozart and Beethoven
10. Sonata-Allegro and Theme and Variations
11. Form: Rondo, Sonata-Allegro and Theme and Variations (cont.)
12. Guest Conductor: Saybrook Orchestra
13. Fugue: Bach, Bizet and Bernstein
14. Ostinato Form in the Music of Purcell, Pachelbel, Elton John and Vitamin C
15. Gregorian Chant and Music in the Sistine Chapel
16. Baroque Music: The Vocal Music of Johann Sebastian Bach
17. Mozart and His Operas
18. Piano Music of Mozart and Beethoven
19. Romantic Opera: Verdi's La Traviata, Bocelli, Pavarotti and Domingo
20. The Colossal Symphony: Beethoven, Berlioz, Mahler and Shostakovich
21. Musical Impressionism and Exoticism: Debussy, Ravel and Monet
22. Modernism and Mahler
23. Review of Musical Style

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.