MU-H 205: Music History 1
Objectives: This course, intended for music majors, is a survey of music history from ca. 850 to ca.
1750. The goals are to acquaint students with the repertoire of music from this period and to foster
their understanding of the relationships between music and the contexts in which it was conceived.
The corequisite course, MUSHL 201 (Introduction to Music Research), introduces students to the
techniques of research and writing about music. Issues such as the relationships of music to social
history, philosophy, religion, literature, and the other arts are considered. This knowledge will
enhance students’ appreciation of the music they listen to and enable them to perform music with
deeper understanding. Students will share this understanding with others, both verbally and
musically, in their future careers as teachers, writers, composers, and performers. Many of the
writing skills that they develop will be applicable to all of their future writing, both academic and
non-academic. Emphasis is placed on score analysis, listening skills, and critical thinking about
music. These skills provide tools for relating the particular to the abstract and for developing
sensitivity to musical styles.
Textbook (required): Barbara Russano Hanning, Concise History of Western Music, 4th ed. (New
York: W. W. Norton, 2009); ISBN 978-0-393-93251-5; list price $75.
Score anthology (required): Mark Evan Bonds, Anthology of Scores for A History of Music In
Western Culture, vol. 1, 3rd ed. (Pearson, 2010); ISBN 978-0-205-65697-4; list price $$64.20.
The textbook will be used in Music History 1, 2, and 3.
Course requirements: Course requirements include reading (primarily from the textbook), listening
to assigned pieces (which will be available online), and short written assignments.
Examinations and grading policies: Grades will be based on quizzes, in-class examinations, and
class participation.