Seminar for Music Majors
MUSC 300
Spring 2015
| Section:
01
02
03
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| This course may be repeated for credit. |
The seminar will provide music majors an opportunity to understand one or more of the world's musical traditions by studying them in-depth. The topic of the seminar will vary from one semester to the next. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA MUSC |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: None |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
T.Viswanathan and Matthew Harp Allen, MUSIC IN SOUTH INDIA
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Examinations and Assignments:
Students will produce a final project in addition to written assignments, and a mid-term exam. |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
Seminar Topic: "Boundary Crossing in Indian Music"
Students will be introduced to the core aspects such as raga and tala of India's two classical traditions in a broad perspective. The current practices of many varieties of Indian music are very much connected to one another. Thus, this course will be focused on the interrelated characteristics within the classical, popular, folk and devotional music cultures. |
| Instructor(s): Balasubrahmaniyan,B. Times: ..T.R.. 10:30AM-11:50AM; Location: MST301; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 19 | | SR major: 10 | JR major: 9 | | |
| | GRAD: X | SR non-major: X | JR non-major: X | SO: X | FR: X |
| SECTION 02 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Main text: Christopher Palmer, Impressionism in Music
Those capable of reading French could be invited to make presentations from the better reference is: Michel Fleury, l¿Impressionism et la Musique
Selected readings from Ronald Ebrecht Maurice Duruflé 1902-1986, the Last Impressionist, and again for French readers presentations may be drawn from Ebrecht articles from the annual Bulletin of the Duruflé association.
Also of interest for German readers for a class presentation, the thesis of Wolfgang Reisinger, and if by chance there should be someone fluent in Norwegian, the thesis of Harald Rise. |
Examinations and Assignments:
TBA |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
Topic: Meet Me at the Fair
In this seminar, we will examine the French-inspired and perfectioned Impressionist movement, and particularly how these techniques were expressed in keyboard compositions for the piano and organ. One catalyst for this movement was the Exposition Universelle of 1889, marking the centennial of the French revolution. The anchor for this world's fair was the iconic Eiffel Tower. The musical program included the first Gamelan brought to the west, which much influenced Claude Debussy and others who heard it.
The Impressionist movement included other composers: Ravel, Delius, de Falla, Resphigi, Albeniz, Dukas, Liszt, and Duruflé; among Americans, especially Ives. We will choose a short list of representative works to study in depth. Recent research shows that many Ives orchestral, piano, and chamber works were conceived at the organ. Among possible final projects, students could transcribe said works to the organ. Other projects both at mid-term and for the final can include analysis of scores, composition of a piece in the style, or a paper. |
| Instructor(s): Ebrecht,Ronald Times: .M.W... 11:00AM-12:20PM; Location: RHH003; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 19 | | SR major: 10 | JR major: 9 | | |
| | GRAD: X | SR non-major: X | JR non-major: X | SO: X | FR: X |
| SECTION 03 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
TBD |
Examinations and Assignments:
TBD |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
Tan Dun (1957-) is the most well-known and most controversial contemporary Chinese (or is he Chinese American?) composer. His career spans from East Asia to the United States and to Europe, his works range from opera (e.g. his most recent opera The First Emperor (2006) commissioned by the Met) to film scores (his score for Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) won him an Oscar) and to multimedia works, such as Internet Symphony No.1 "Eroica" (2008) commissioned by Google and YouTube. One ever-present element throughout Tan Dun's composition career is his interest in "organic music." In this seminar, we will explore various roots and sources of Tan Dun's music, examine the impact of the "global flow" of the cultures, ideas, and resources on his career, and discuss the controversies in and surround his works. |
| Instructor(s): Zheng,Su Times: .M.W... 02:40PM-04:00PM; Location: MST301; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 19 | | SR major: 10 | JR major: 9 | | |
| | GRAD: X | SR non-major: X | JR non-major: X | SO: X | FR: X |
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