MusicinWesternCivilizationII:1750tothePresent

MUSI12200/HIST12800/SOSC21200
SpringQuarter2017

Instructor WooChanLee(Chaz)(leew@uchicago.edu)
TAs NadiaChana(nadia.chana@gmail.com)
BradSpiers(spiersb@uchicago.edu)

Locations MondaysandWednesdays10:30-11:20AMCobb307
FridaySections:Goodspeed205(Brad);Goodspeed402(Nadia);Cobb307(Chaz)

CourseDescription
WhatisWesternCivilization?Whereareitsspacesandboundaries?Whathasitdone,andwhatdoesitdo,andwhere,
ifanywhere,isitheaded?Whatarethestoriesthataretoldofit,andwhostandsatthecenterofsuchstories,whoatthe
margins?AndwhereinthesequestionsdoesMusicfitin?
Intheperiodourcoursetreats(c.1750tothepresent),suchquestionswerethrusttotheforeastheEuropeanworld
transformedandexpandedrapidly,irrevocablychangingthepolitical,economic,andculturallandscapeoftheglobeas
weknowittoday.Wellstartwiththe18thcentury,lookingattheformationofaClassicalcanonofinstrumental
worksbyHaydn,Mozart,andBeethoveninthecontextofEnlightenmentsend,politicalrevolution,andurban
development.WellexaminetheimpactofRomanticisminGermanyandFranceinthelong19thcentury,paying
attentiontooperaanditsaesthetics,thedramaticshiftsinthoughtandmusicalstructurecoincidentwithmodernism
beforeWorldWarI,theresponsesofcomposerstotheuncertaintiesofinterwarEurope,andtheseparate
developmentofAmericanartmusic.Welltracktheco-emergenceofmassculturesalongwithculturesofhighartin
EuropeanandNorth-Americanurbancentersandthesubsequentdevelopmentofaglobalconsumercultureoverthe
periodoftheColdWar.Wellconcludebysituatingourownmusicalpracticeswithinthemusicalandsocial
transformationsexploredthroughoutthequarter.
Thelate-18thandearly-19thcenturiesalsosawtheemergenceofsharedideas,institutions,andculturalformsthat
seemtogatheroncedisparateanddisjunctplacesandpeoplesintoacommoncivilization.Buildingonourworkin
Music121,wellbelisteningtoanddiscussingtherepertoriesandgenresofClassicalorWesternArtMusicthatare
saidtoconstitutepart(forsome,thecore!)ofthiscivilization.Sometimes,aswewillsee,WesternCivilizationitself
becomesatopicofmusicalexpressionandinvestigation.Throughoutthequarter,wewilllinkspecificmusicalworks
withthecivilizationalideasandcontextsthatsurroundthem.Wewillalsoaskourselvestowhatextentthisshared
cultureorcivilizationcouldbesaidtoexistandexplorethevarietyofnamesthatpeoplehaveproposedforthis
civilizationincluding,butnotlimited,totheWest.

ThiscoursefulfillspartoftheCivilizationCorerequirement.Music-readingabilityisnotrequired.

CourseObjectives
Thiscourseaimstohelpstudentsbeableto:
- Recognizecanonicmusicalworksandfigures
- Identifyanddistinguishmusicalgenres,styles,andperiodsandrelatethemtohistoricaleventsandcontexts
- Relatemusic-historicalchangetoworld-historicalchange
- EvaluateandcritiquehistoricandcurrentconceptionsofWesternCivilizationandproposeowndefinitions
inlightofrecentmusicalandhistoricaleventsandtrends.

CourseFormat
Standardweeksfeaturetwolecturesandonediscussionorganizedaroundonegeneraltheme,topic,and/orperiod(see
CourseSchedule).Youwillbeassignedreadingsandlisteningsonaweeklybasis.Whatthismeans:noneofthereadings
andlisteningsareassignedforaparticularclass.Rather,thereadings,listenings,andlecturesofagivenweekwilladdress
interlockingissuesandconcernsbelongingtotheweeksoveralltopic.Alongwiththereadingsandlistenings,wewill
provideyouwithasetofdiscussionquestionstohelpusindividuallyandcollectivelysynthesizethecontentfrom
readings,listenings,andlecturestheweeklyresponsepapersanddiscussionsectionswillbegearedtowardsthis
synthesizingwork.

Assessments,Assignments,andImportantDates
AttendanceandParticipation 25%
WeeklyWritingResponses 25%
ListeningQuizzes 25%
ComprehensiveFinalExam 25%

AttendanceandParticipation:Weexpectyoutoshowupforlecturesanddiscussionontime.Wecantthinkortalk
togetherifwerenotintheroomtogether.AnyunexcusedabsencesfromFridaydiscussionsectionswillresultina
5-pointdeductionfromthe25-pointsallottedtoattendanceandparticipation.Ifyouareunabletocomeorwillbe
delayed,pleaseemailmeandyoursectionleaderatleast24hoursinadvanceofclassmeeting.Participationwillbe
assessedprimarilyatdiscussionsections.Youwillbegivenoralfeedbackin1:1meetingswithyoursectionleaderin
Weeks4and8.

WeeklyWritingResponses:Everyweek,youwillraiseandaddressquestions/issuesfromthereadingandlistening
assignmentsinshortweeklyresponses,between350-500wordsinlength.Wellprovidesomediscussionquestionson
thesyllabusandonline,alongwiththereadingsandlistenings.Thesequestionsaresuggestions:youshouldfeelfreeto
discusswhateveryouwishtodiscussabouttheweeksreadingsandlistenings.Theresponsesareintendedtohelpyou
organizeandsynthesizeyourthoughtsleadinguptoourFridaydiscussionsectionsassuch,Istronglyencourageyou
totakenoteswhilereadingorlisteningtotheweeksassignments,astheywillhelpyouintheprocessofwritingthe
responseandparticipatingindiscussion.Thewrittenresponseswillbeduetoyoursectionleaderby9PMevery
Thursdayandwillbeassessedonacheck+/-system(acheckplusisequivalentto100%,checkto90%,check
minusto80%).PleaseemailthemasWordfiles(.docor.docx)followingthefilenameformat:Name_Week.docx(e.g.
TaylorSwift_Week1.docx).WellgiveyouoralfeedbackontheseinWeeks4and8,atthesametimeaswemeetto
discussParticipation.

ListeningQuizzes:Theseareshort,10-minuteIDquizzes,inwhichwellaskyoutoidentifyandcategorizemusical
worksfrompriorlisteningassignments.Theseareintendedtoassessyourengagementwiththelisteningassignments
andhelpyoutrackmusicalchangeovertime.Eachquizwillfeature1-minuteexcerptsfromfiveofthepiecesfromthe
listeningassignments.Youwillbegiventencomposer/titleoptionsfromwhichyouwillbeaskedtochoosetheonethat
correspondstotheexcerpt.Youwillalsobeaskedtoprovideabriefdescription(1-3sentences)ofthepieces
significance,inrelationtowhatwasdiscussedinclassorinthereadingassignments.Thesewillbeassessedonacheck
+/-system(seeWeeklyWritingResponses),withthequalityofyourbriefdescriptiondeterminingwhetheraquizwillbe
gradedasacheckorcheckplus.Therewillbefivelisteningquizzesthroughoutthequarter,ontheWednesdaysof
Week2,4,6,8,and10.

ComprehensiveFinalExam:Therewillbeafinalexamwithashortanswerssectionandlongeressay.Thequestionsand
promptsonthisexamwillaskyoutosynthesizethemusicalandhistoricalknowledgeyouvedevelopedoverthecourse
ofthequarterthroughassignments,lectures,anddiscussion.MoredetailedinstructionwillbeprovidedinWeek5.The
examwilltakeplaceonJune5th,Monday,6:30-8:30PM.(TherewillbeanearlierexamdateTBDforthosewhoare
graduatingattheendofthequarter.Ifyoufallintothiscategory,pleaseletmeknowbytheendofWeek2.)

CourseMaterials
- Requiredtextbook:CraigWright,ListeningtoMusic,8thed.(CengageLearning,2015)
ISBN:978-1-305-58700-7PleasemakesureyouhavethecorrecteditionwiththesameISBN
- AllotherlisteningandreadingassignmentswillavailableonCanvasbytheFridayofthepreviousweek
- Ifsomethingismissingorotherwiseinaccessible,pleaseletusknowASAP

Expectations,Accommodations,andUseofTechnology
Expectations
Asinstructorsofthiscourse,wewilldoourabsolutebesttoshowuptoeachlectureanddiscussionpreparedandready
tothinkandtalkwithyou.Sowealsoexpectyoutoshowup,ontime,readytothinkandtalkwithusandyourpeers.If
youshowup,willingtoengageanddothework,wepromisethatyouwilldowellinthiscourse.
Wewanttheclassroomandofficehourstobeaplacewhereyoufeelcomfortableenoughtoaskdifficultquestions
andriskdifficult,emergentanswers,sothatwecouldlearntogetherandendupatadifferentplacefromwherewe
started.Soweaskthatwetreateachotherwithrespectandgenerosity.Pleasedonothesitatetoreachouttomeoryour
sectionleadersifyoueverfeellikeweshouldrevisitwhatthismeansinandaroundourclassrooms.

Accommodations
Ifyouneedanaccommodationduetodisability,illness,oranychangeinpersonalcircumstance,pleaseletusknowas
soonandquicklyaspossible,andwewilldoourbesttoworkwithyousothattheydonotaffectyoureducation.This
goesforextensionsandabsencesaswell.Youcanreviewtheprocedureforrequestingaccommodationsfordisabilitiesat
theStudentDisabilitiesServicewebsite(disabilities.uchicago.edu).Pleasedonothesitatetoreachoutifyouneedhelp
navigatingthesystem.

UseofTechnology
Personally,IlearnbetterintheclassroomwhenIdonthaveanelectronicdeviceinfrontofme.Everylecturewill
featureapowerpoint,soyouwillhavea)enoughaudiovisualstimulationandb)slidesavailableforreviewlater,which
meansyouwonthavetowritedowneverythingthathappensinthelecture.IalsofindthatIteachbetterwhenpeoples
attentionsarentdispersedbetweenmultiplescreensandtabs,andwhenImfacingaroomthatsfacingmeratherthan
gazingelsewhere.Thatsaid,Ialsounderstandthatpeoplelearndifferentlyandthatsomeofyoumayneedtouse
technologyinordertolearneffectively.Soinsteadofbanningelectronicsalltogether,Iwouldpersonallyrequestthat
yourefrainfromusinglaptopsortabletsinlecturesanddiscussionunlessnecessary,usingpaperinsteadtotakenotes
duringandinpreparationforlecturesanddiscussions.Ifyoustronglypreferorneedtousetechnology,thereis
absolutelynoneedtojustifyyourselfbutIaskthatyourefrainfromsurfingthewebordisablethewifi.

Nophonesplease.

CourseSchedule

I.TheLongNineteenthCentury:1780s-1910s
Week1.TheAncienRgime:DecadenceandFlowering
Week2.RevolutionarySounds:Early,Middle,andLateBeethoven
Week3.RomanticismsGenresandScenes:Public,Private,andPersonal
Week4.OperaintheNineteenthCentury:BackgroundsandEffects
Week5.WesternSelvesandOthers
II.TheShortTwentiethCentury:1910s-1990s
Week6.ModernismsandTwoWars
Week7.ListeninginNewYork
Week8.PostmodernismandtheColdWar
III.AftertheNineties
Week9.UnderscoringtheEndofHistory:MinimalismintheBackground
Week10.UnderscoringHistoricalPresents

Week1.TheAncienRgime:DecadenceandFlowering

3/27M.SyllabusandIntroduction
3/29W.Late-FeudalismandtheEnlightenment

QuestionstoGuideReading,Listening,Writing,andDiscussion
Thesearesuggestionspleasefeelfreetocomeupwithyourowntoaddressinyourwritingresponseorproposeduringdiscussion!
- AccordingtoWright,whatmakessomethingclassical?Whatmakesacertaintypeofmusicclassical?Would
youaddanythingorchangeisdefinitioninanyway?Whatwouldyousayaresomedefiningclassical
characteristicsofthisweekslistening,asopposedtothemusicyoulistenedtolastquarter(or,ifyoudrather,
anypieceofmusicyouvebeenstreamingrecently)?Didonepiece/trackstrikeyouasexemplarilyclassical
comparedtootherswhy?WeretherepiecesthatstruckyouasdeviatingfromWrightsconceptionofthe
classical?
- HowdoesKantdefineEnlightenment?Whatareitscharacteristics,philosophical,political,etc.?Any
continuities,surprises,departuresfromHobsbawmsaccount,orfromyourownpriorunderstandingof
Enlightenment?HowdotheidealsoftheEnlightenmentcorrespondtotherealitiesoflate-feudalEurope?
- HowdoesWrightsmusic-historicalaccountofmusicfromtheClassicalperioddovetailwithHobsbawms
accountofworld-historicaltransitionaround1780(ifatall)?Howdoesthemusicassignedthisweek,orthe
"classicalstyle"ingeneraldovetailorconvergewithHobsbawmshistoricalaccount(ifatall)?
Reading
CraigWright,ListeningtoMusic,Chapter10.IntroductiontoClassicalStyle:HaydnandMozart
E.J.Hobsbawm,TheAgeofRevolution,1789-1848,TheWorldinthe1780s
ImmanuelKant,WhatisEnlightenment?(1784)
Listening
MusicoftheEnlightenmentcompendium

Week2.RevolutionarySounds:Early,Middle,andLateBeethoven

4/3M.BeethovenandRevolution
4/5W.BeethovenandRestoration (ListeningQuiz#1:featuringpiecesfromWeek1&2listening)

Questions
- AccordingtoWright,whatmakesBeethovenandhismusicsouniqueandunprecedented?Doesyour
experiencelisteningtoBeethovensmusiccorroborateWrightsclaims?Whichmoments(citetitle,track#,and
time)struckyouasparticularlyBeethovenian,ordifferentfromthepreviousweekslistenings?Conversely,
wherethereanymomentsthatexemplifiedcontinuitybetweenBeethovenandhispredecessors(e.g.Haydnand
Mozart)ratherthanradicalchange?
- HowisE.T.A.HoffmannscharacterizationofBeethovenandhismusicsimilartoordifferentfromWrights?
Forthatmatter,whataboutHoffmannscharacterizationsofMozartandHaydn?IsBeethovenClassicalor
Romanticandwhy?
- Beethovensmusicisoftendescribedasrevolutionary:HowwouldyoudrawparallelsbetweenBeethovens
musicalrevolutionandthepoliticalandsocialFrenchRevolution?Aretherepointsofcontactbetween
Harmansnarrationof(socio-political)changeandWrightsnarrationof(musical)change?Ifso(orifnot!),
howwouldyougoaboutsituatingBeethovensmusicinthebroadercontextofcivilizationaltransformations
occurringatthetime?
Readings
Wright,Chapter15.Beethoven:BridgetoRomanticism
ChrisHarman,APeoplesHistoryoftheWorld,TheFrenchRevolution
E.T.A.Hoffmann,BeethovensInstrumentalMusic(1814)
Listening
Beethovencompendium

Week3.RomanticismsGenresandScenes:Public,Private,Personal

4/10M.BourgeoisPublics,GrandandIntimate(Lecturer:NadiaChana)
4/12W.DomesticitysDoubleEdge:ThePrivateandthePersonal

Questions
- HowdoesWrightdescribenineteenthcenturypublicconcerthallsandprivateparlors,intermsoflocation,
space,andsocialprotocol?Whatarethetypesandgenresofmusicassociatedwitheachspace,i.e.arethere
piecesandgenresfromthisweekslisteningthatstrikeyouasmorepublicvs.private,andwhy?
- Howdoyoufindyourselfengagingwiththisweeksmusicwhatwastheenvironmentorsocialsettingin
whichyoulistenedtoit,whatwereyourthoughtsorfeelings,etc.?Howsimilarordistantisyourengagement
fromthelisteningpracticesofnineteenthcenturyaudiences,whetheratconcertsorparlors?
- InmodernWesternculture,privatehasnot,forbetterorworse,meantindividualbutalwaysnuclear
family.(RuthSolie,GirlingattheParlorPiano,87)Whatroledoesmusicplay(accordingtoSolie,according
topeoplecitedinSolie,oraccordingtoyou)inthelifeofanindividualandthelifeofafamily?Howdifferent
individualsinthefamilyexperiencetheprivatespheredifferently?
Readings
Wright,Chapter16.IntroductiontoRomanticism;Chapter17.TheArtSong;Chapter19.PianoMusic
RuthSolie,GirlingattheParlorPiano
EliZaretsky,CapitalismandtheFamily
Listening
 RomanticSongandPianocompendium

Week4.OperaintheNineteenthCentury:BackgroundandEffects

4/17M.EarlyMiddle-ClassOpera:TheRiseandFallofBelCanto
4/19W.MatureMiddle-ClassOpera:Myth,Truth,Reality(Lecturer:BradSpiers) (ListeningQuiz#2)

Questions
- HowdoesWrightdescribethedifferencebetweenVerdianItalianoperaandWagnerianGermanopera?What
typesofcharacters,stories,andmusicalconventiondoesheascribetoeachoperaticstyle?Inwhatwaysdothey
differ?Inwhatways,dotheyseemsimilar?
- GermanandItalianoperahavebecomeimportantinfluencesonmodernmusicalnarratives.Sometimesthese
referencesareexplicit(see,forinstance,classicBugsBunnysketcheslikeTheRabbitofSevilleorWhats
OperaDoc),butmoreoften,theyaresubtleandimplied,bakedintothetacitdramaturgicalandaestheticvalues
ofourmodernmedia.Withreferencetothisweeksmusic,lookforpointsofconsonanceanddissonancewith
contemporarymusicalexamples(anythingfrombroadwaymusicalsandHollywoodfilms,tomusicvideosand
modernconcertexperiences).
- TheperceivedconflictbetweenWagnerianandVerdianaestheticsisonethatwehaveseencontinuouslyplay
outthroughoutthehistoryofopera.ConsiderthetransitionfrombawdyVenetianpublicoperatopastoral
Operaseria,orthe18thcenturyParisianQuerelledesBouffonsbetweenRousseauandRameau.Howisthe
Verdi/Wagnerclashsimilartotheseconflicts?Howmightitbedifferent?
Reading
Wright,Chapter20.RomanticOpera:Italy;Chapter21.RomanticOpera:Germany;Chapter22.
Nineteenth-CenturyRealisticOpera
JrgenOsterhammel,TheNineteenthCenturyasArtForm:TheOpera
RichardWagner,TheArtworkoftheFuture(1850)
Listening
RomanticOperacompendium

Week5.WesternSelvesandOthers

4/24M.Nationalism,Anti-Semitism,Orientalism
4/26W.WesternCivilizationasGlobalEmpire(Co-taughtbyNadiaandChaz)

Questions
- TBA
Reading
Wright,Chapter23.LateRomanticOrchestralMusic;Chapter24.FromImpressionismtoModernism
WalterBagehot,TheUseofConflictfromPhysicsandPolitics;orThoughtsontheApplicationofthePrinciplesof
NaturalSelectionandInheritancetoPoliticalSociety(1872)
RichardWallaschek,HeredityandDevelopmentfromPrimitiveMusic(1893)
ClaudeDebussy,excerptsfromjournalisticessays
Listening
 Brahms,Dvorak,Mahler,Debussycompendium(fromtheWright)

Week6.ModernismsandTwoWars

5/1M.FrenchVersions(SpecialVisitor:ImaniWinds)
5/3W.GermanicVersions (ListeningQuiz#3)

Questions
- WhatistheshapeandtextureofthemodernselfasdescribedbyFreud?Asdepictedandexpressedin
SchoenbergsErwartungandStravinskysRiteofSpring?Doyouseeconvergences/divergences?
- InwhatwaydoesErwartungorTheRiteofSpringrepresentabreakfromtradition,aradicaldeparturefrom
WesternArtMusicaswevestudieditsofar?Arethereelementsofmusicallanguageandstylethatstrikeyouas
particularlydivergent?Whatabouttheworksnarrativecontents,theirfigures,characters,andandplots?
Conversely,howmightonedescribethemastraditional?
Readings
Wright,Chapter25.EarlyTwentieth-CenturyModernism
SigmundFreud,ThoughtsfortheTimeofWarandDeath(1915)
Listening/Viewing
ArnoldSchoenberg,Erwartung(composed1909,premiered1924)
IgorStravinsky,TheRiteofSpring(1913)

Week7.ListeninginNewYork

5/8M.Uptown
5/10W.Downtown

Questions
- TBA(e.g.WhatisAmericasplaceinWesternCivilization?Howhavehighbrowartmusicandlowbrow
popmusicdevelopedintandem,specificallyintheurbanindustrialcontextofNewYork?)
Readings
Wright,Chapter26.AmericanModernism;Chapter27.Postmodernism(excerpts)
FernandBraudel,excerptsfromAHistoryofCivilizations,Americaparexcellence:theUnitedStatesandFailures
andDifficulties:FromYesterdaytothePresent
Listening
AmericanArtsandPopsCompendium

Week8.PostmodernismandtheColdWar

5/15M.CulturesofGlobalization
5/17W.TheAgingoftheNew (ListeningQuiz#4)

Questions
 - TBA(e.g.Whatispostmodernismandhowdoesitrelatetotheprocessofglobalization?Whatis
postmodernmusic?HowhasthecontemporarypoliticalandmusicallandscapebeenshapedbyColdWar
rivalries,notonlybetweentheAlliedandSovietBlocsbutalsobetweenthemandThirdWorldalliances,within
theThirdWorld,etc.)
Reading
TBA
Listening
Globalizationcompendium(Takemitsu,TanDun,A.R.Rahman,etc.)

Week9.UnderscoringtheEndofHistory:MinimalismintheBackground

5/22M.FilmMusic:AnOverview(Co-taughtbyBradandChaz)
5/24W.SoundtracksbeyondFilm:Muzak,NewAge,Ambient

Questions
- TBA(e.g.Filmmusicistheclassicalmusicofourtimes:Discuss.)
Reading
ClaudiaGorbman,UnheardMelodies,IntroductionandChapterIV:TheModelofMaxSteiner
GiorgioBiancorosso,ButWhereDoestheMusicFrom(PhDDiss.),Chapter1:TransparentSounds
Listening/Viewing
Soundtrackcompendium

Week10.UnderscoringHistoricalPresents

5/31W.TheSoundtrackofOurLives (ListeningQuiz#5)

Questions***
- Specialassignment(noclassMonday):byTuesdayatnoon,sendyoursectionleaderamusical
track/work/object/scene(nomorethan5minutesinlengthexcerpt/specifyzoneifnecessary)thatforyou
bestrepresentsorexpressesthehistoricalpresent,alongwithafive-sentenceexplanationofwhy.Hereisa
sampleofthekindofcompilationwearegoingfor(NPRMusic,10SongsforanAnxiousMoment:AFallPop
Playlist).Thiscouldbearecentoroldpopsong,aclassicalpiece,etc.Yourselectionandexplanationwillbe
senttoyoursectionTuesdayafternoonaspartofthelistening/readingassignmentforFridaydiscussion.
- PromptforThursdaywrittenresponseanddiscussionsection(couldbeshorter,200-300wordsratherthan
300-500):Whataresomehistoricalpresentsthatemergeindividuallyandcollectivelyfromtheplaylisthow
aretheyinsync/notsyncedwithoneanother?
Reading
TBA
Listening
ForTuesday:findyourownsoundtracktothehistoricalpresent(library,youtube,applemusic,etc.)
ForFriday:listentoyoursectionssoundtrackplaylist