Tracing the development of the symphony from its emergence as a genre through the Vienna School to Schubert. Central issues include defining style, formal analysis, and the question of influence. Prime consideration will also be given to the social and musical setting of Vienna during this period.
Prerequisites:
Upper level skills in music analysis
Method of presentation:
Lectures and discussions
Required work and form of assessment:
Reading and listening assignments are listed below. CDs of the required listening and copies of the required readings are on reserve in the library. There will be a mid-term and a final exam as well as (3-5) short essay assignments relevant to the topic at hand; participation in class discussions is also evaluated. The course is graded as follows:
Class participation 20%
Essays 20%
Mid-term exam 30%
Final exam 30%
content:
1. Fundamentals; the Emergence of the Genre: Listening: late 17th century orchestral suites; early 18th century Italian overtures
2. Defining the Classical Style: Listening: Vanhal: Symphony G minor; Wagenseil: Symphony D major (mid 18th Century) Reading: CR 19-98, JW 347-57
Broder, Nathan. Mozart: Symphony in G Minor K.550. New York: Norton, 1967. (NS1)
Cook, Nicholas. Beethoven Symphony No. 9. Cambridge University Press, 1993. (CS)
Finson, Jon W. Robert Schumann and the Study of Orchestral Composition. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1989. (JF)
Forbes, Elliot. Beethoven Symphony No. 5 in C Minor. New York: Norton, 1971. (NS2) Schubert Unfinished Symphony
Hopkins, Antony. The Nine Symphonies of Beethoven. London: Pan, 1982. (AH) Newbould, Brian. Schubert and the Symphony. London: Toccata Press, 1992. (BN)
Rosen, Charles. The Classical Style. New York: Norton, 1972. (CR)
Webster, James. Haydn’s “Farewell” Symphony and the Idea of Classical Style. Cambridge University Press, 1991. (JW)
Wolf, Eugene. Title, Function, and the Concept of Genre: The Earliest True Symphonies. Unpublished paper, presented at IMS, August 1997. (EW)
Tracing the development of the symphony from its emergence as a genre through the Vienna School to Schubert. Central issues include defining style, formal analysis, and the question of influence. Prime consideration will also be given to the social and musical setting of Vienna during this period.
Upper level skills in music analysis
Lectures and discussions
Reading and listening assignments are listed below. CDs of the required listening and copies of the required readings are on reserve in the library. There will be a mid-term and a final exam as well as (3-5) short essay assignments relevant to the topic at hand; participation in class discussions is also evaluated. The course is graded as follows:
Class participation 20%
Essays 20%
Mid-term exam 30%
Final exam 30%
1. Fundamentals; the Emergence of the Genre: Listening: late 17th century orchestral suites; early 18th century Italian overtures
2. Defining the Classical Style: Listening: Vanhal: Symphony G minor; Wagenseil: Symphony D major (mid 18th Century) Reading: CR 19-98, JW 347-57
3. Haydn: Cyclic Integration: Listening: Symphony No. 46 (1772) Reading: JW 267-87
4. Mozart: The Classical Ideal: Listening: Symphony No. 40 (1788) Reading: NZ 510-44, NS1
5. Beethoven I: Expansion of the Sonata Form Listening: Symphony No. 3 (1804) Reading: AH 59-98
MIDTERM
6. Beethoven II: The Motivic Cell: Listening: Symphony No. 5 (1806) Reading: NS2
7. Beethoven III: Text and Form: Listening: Symphony No. 9 (1824) Reading: CS
8. Schubert I: The Classical Model: Listening: Symphony No. 5 (1816) Reading: BN 110-23
9. Schubert II: Maturity: Listening: Symphony No. 8 Unfinished (1822) Reading: BN 208-46
10. Influences: Listening: Schumann: Symphony No. 1 (1841) Reading: JF 17-28, 35-46, 76-82, 91-95 FINAL
Broder, Nathan. Mozart: Symphony in G Minor K.550. New York: Norton, 1967. (NS1)
Cook, Nicholas. Beethoven Symphony No. 9. Cambridge University Press, 1993. (CS)
Finson, Jon W. Robert Schumann and the Study of Orchestral Composition. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1989. (JF)
Forbes, Elliot. Beethoven Symphony No. 5 in C Minor. New York: Norton, 1971. (NS2) Schubert Unfinished Symphony
Hopkins, Antony. The Nine Symphonies of Beethoven. London: Pan, 1982. (AH) Newbould, Brian. Schubert and the Symphony. London: Toccata Press, 1992. (BN)
Rosen, Charles. The Classical Style. New York: Norton, 1972. (CR)
Webster, James. Haydn’s “Farewell” Symphony and the Idea of Classical Style. Cambridge University Press, 1991. (JW)
Wolf, Eugene. Title, Function, and the Concept of Genre: The Earliest True Symphonies. Unpublished paper, presented at IMS, August 1997. (EW)
Zaslaw, Neal. Mozart’s Symphonies. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1989. (NZ)
CDs and/or cassettes of the required listening and copies of the required readings are on reserve in the library.