This seminar will look at works by Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel, as well as by Erik Satie, Les Six, Tailleferre, Boulanger, and diverse U.S. composers at the turn of the 20th century. We will start by looking at Debussy’s Preludes as a microcosm of his harmonic style, and then analyze major orchestral works. Ravel’s Tombeau de Couperin, String Quartet, and select songs will also be analyzed. Students will be expected to write analyses of short works, and to contextualize the innovations of these composers within the complex literary and visual styles of fin-de-siècle France. This course will have special assignments for those who wish to explore advanced harmonic analyses of these works. Students must be able to read notation fluently.
Learning Outcomes:
To learn about a historical style and its multidisciplinary contexts.
To be able to read and analyze the music of composers.
To understand the harmonic underpinnings of a stylistic group, and be able to identify and analyze specific chords and scales.
To understand these composers and their influence on other styles such as jazz and film music.
Delivery Method: Fully in-person
Prerequisites:
Previous work with notation. Permission of the instructor - contact: nbrooke@bennington.edu.
Course Level: 4000-level
Credits: 2
W 4:10PM - 6:00PM (Full-term)
Maximum Enrollment: 14
Course Frequency: Every 2-3 years
Categories: 4000 , All courses , Fully In-Person , Theory , Two Credit
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