MUS 261 - Western Music to 1750

4 credits (Fall)

An intensive survey of Western European music from the time of the Ancient Greeks to the death of Bach, designed as a foundation for more advanced study of music. This course explores both canonical and off-the-beaten-path repertory through intensive listening and musical analysis. It also examines the historical events and intellectual/aesthetic ideas that influenced musical composition/performance and the changing roles music played in society. Students develop their ability to put into words what their ears are hearing, to analyze and interpret primary and secondary source documents, and to correlate aural and written forms of data. The course introduces students to the principal research tools and methods in the field of musicology, and provides hands-on application of historical information through in-class performances and demonstrations using Grinnell’s outstanding collection of historical instruments.

Prerequisite: MUS 112 and MUS 213.
Note: Plus-2 option available.
Instructor: Brown