MHST 540: Topics in American Music
Musical Currents since 1945
This course will introduce students to the variety of art music in America after 1945, with three goals in mind: 1) understanding prominent modes of thinking about and creating music during this period; 2) exploring the breadth of musical activity taking place; 3) contemplating interconnections between music and larger cultural forces. To this end, some class meetings will focus on several distinct works created within a short time period. Other meetings will explore the evolution of specific trends and issues, including serialism, aleatoric music, open form, tonality and atonality, electroacoustic media, influences from global musics and the early music movement, tuning, intonation and scale structure, minimalism, environmental soundscapes, spectral music, the role of performers and the impact of philanthropists and supporters.
(2 credits) J. Rohwein
2011-08-09
MILES DAVIS