University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Peck School of the Arts, Department of Music
Music 211 Lec 401
General History of Western Music, First Semester, 3 cr
Fall 2015
Dr. Timothy Noonan
Lecture: MWF 9:00-9:50 a.m., in MUS 320, September 2 to December 14
Office: MUS 131, phone 229-2286
E-mail: tpnoonan@uwm.edu. When you e-mail me about the course, please put Music 211 in the
subject line.
Office hour: Wednesdays at 10:00-11:00 a.m., and by appointment.
Discussion Sections: Tuesdays at 9:00-9:50 and 10:00-10:50 a.m., in MUS 320
Teaching Assistant: Isabel Arenivar, arenivar@uwm.edu, office hour Mondays at 10:00-11:00 a.m. in
room 369
Texts: J. Peter Burkholder, Donald Jay Grout, and Claude V. Palisca, A History of Western Music, 9th
edition (New York: W. W. Norton, 2014; ISBN 978-0-393-91829-8), which is called “text” in the
schedule below; and Burkholder and Palisca, eds., Norton Anthology of Western Music, volume 1
7th edition (New York: W. W. Norton, 2014; ISBN 978-0-393-92161-8). The UWM Bookstore
quotes $131.55 for the text new, $90.75 used; anthology vols. 1 and 2 $48.65 new, $33.55 used,
each; and the text and anthology vols. 1-3 bundled, $229.20 new, $165.05 used.
Learning Outcomes:
1. To gain a strong foundation in the history, theory, and repertory of Gregorian chant
2. To acquire an understanding of the origins of polyphony and its earliest forms
3. To understand the historical origins and development of the principal genres of Medieval and
Renaissance music, e.g., the organum, motet, chanson, and mass
4. To gain a familiarity with the most important composers and theorists of early music
5. To learn the concepts behind basso continuo and its application in music of the Baroque
6. To grow in sophistication in research and writing in music history
Readings: Readings in the Burkholder textbook are listed in the schedule. You should read the pages
cited during or before the week in question; it would be wise to read ahead when you have time.
The readings are meant to reinforce the content of the lectures: the more you know before a lecture,
the more you will learn from it.
Listening assignments: Use your pass code to obtain access to the recordings. Keep up with your
listening; if you try to learn all the music soon before an exam you will likely not do well. We will
listen to some, but not all, of the required music in class. I recommend that you mark your scores
(in pencil) with the points we make about each piece; then it will be easy to recall them as you
listen outside class and prepare for exams.
Written assignment: You will be required to write a short paper (about 3-5 pages) consisting of a
discussion of a specific repertory, including an analysis of a representative composition. I will
suggest some possible topics early in the semester. It is due on Monday, November 2. The paper
must include footnotes and a bibliography. The quality of your writing and research, as well as
your ideas, will count in your grade. I encourage meetings between us to discuss your topic, polish
your writing, etc., i.e., I am glad to help you with this project. More details on the paper will come
in a separate handout.
Time Commitment: The student should commit four hours weekly for the lectures and discussion and
approximately six hours each week in reading, listening, score study, and outside assignments.
This, of course, is an estimate and will vary from week to week.
Exams and quizzes: There will be a mid-term exam, three quizzes, and a final exam, on the dates
listed in the schedule. Be sure to mark them on your calendar and make every effort to be in class
(and on time) on those dates. There will normally be a listening component in each quiz and exam.
If you have to miss a quiz or the mid-term exam, you must make arrangements for a make-up test
no later than one week later; if I have not heard from you when that week is over, you get a zero.
If you are taking this course, you must take the final exam at the scheduled time; if you cannot be
here for the final exam, please do not take the course.
Discussion: Class meetings will consist of lecture, listening, and discussion. You should always
expect to speak up in class, ask and answer questions, and share your ideas.
Attendance: Attendance is mandatory and worth 10% of the final grade. Students are asked to sign in
at each meeting. The instructor on an individual basis excuses absences. Excused absences are
granted for illness, family emergency, or personal exigencies. Each unexcused absence will lower
your grade by 5 percentage points. If you attend regularly, your attendance grade will be 100. If you
fail to appear in class (or contact us to explain your absence), it will be lowered. In other words,
irresponsibility is penalized, but illness and other emergencies are not. We will take attendance at
each class meeting using a sign-in sheet.
Grading: The basis of grading the exams will be a combination of objective “right or wrong” answers
and of my judgment of the more subjective aspects of your work. That is, you will be required to
recall factual information, and you will have the opportunity to show what you know in broader
essay-style questions. This is the breakdown of your grade:
mid-term exam
20%
average of three quizzes 20%
paper
25%
final exam
25%
attendance
10%
Grading Scale:
A 93-100
A- 90-92
B+ 87-89
B 83-86
B- 80-82
C+ 77-79
C 73-76
C- 70-72
D+ 67-69
D 63-66
D- 60-62
F
0-59
University Policies:
If you will need accommodations in order to meet any of the requirements of this course, please see the
instructor as soon as possible. University Policies governing the conduct of this and other UWM
courses can be found at:
Protecting your hearing
Students with disabilities
Religious observances
Students called to active military duty
Incompletes
Discriminatory conduct
Academic misconduct
Complaint procedures
Grade appeal procedures
Firearms and dangerous weapons
Final examination policy
Weather - Class cancellations
http://www4.uwm.edu/psoa/music/upload/NASM_PAMAStudent-Hearing-Protection_Guide.pdf
http://www4.uwm.edu/sac/SACltr.pdf
http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S1.5.htm
http://www4.uwm.edu/current_students/military.cfm
http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S31.pdf
http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S47.pdf
http://www4.uwm.edu/acad_aff/policy/academicmisconduct.cfm
http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S49.7.htm
http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S28.htm
http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S24.5.pdf
http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S22.htm
see UWM Home Page or call 414 229-4444
What is copyright?
Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States (title 17, U.S. Code) to
the authors of “original works of authorship,” including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and
certain other intellectual works. This protection is available to both published and unpublished
works. Section 106 of the 1976 Copyright Act generally gives the owner of copyright the exclusive
right to do and to authorize others to use their materials. You must get permission to use copyrighted
original works of authorship if you plan to make your project available to the public in any way. For
more on gaining permission see: http://www4.uwm.edu/ltc/copyright/getting-permission.cfm
Semester Schedule
Week 1: September 2 4
topics: course introduction, studying music history; a bit of ancient music; introduction to Gregorian
chant
Week 2: September 7 9 11
topic: Gregorian chant
text: chapters 2 and 3
NAWM: 3 Gregorian chant: Mass for Christmas Day
Week 3: September 14 16 18
topic: Gregorian chant, continued
First quiz Friday
text: same chapters, continued
NAWM: 5 sequence, Victimae paschali laudes
6 trope, Quem quaeritis in praesepe
Week 4: September 21 23 25
We meet on Monday at the Music Library, room E-159
topics: using the music library; Gregorian chant, conclusion; secular monophonic music
text: chapter 4
NAWM: 7 Hildegard of Bingen, In principio omnes from Ordo virtutum
8 Bernart de Ventadorn, Can vei la lauzeta mover
9 Comtessa de Dia, A chantar
10 Adam de la Halle, Robins m’aime from Jeu de Robin et de Marion
11 Walther von der Vogelweide, Palästinalied
12 cantiga, Non sofre Santa Maria
Week 5: September 28 30, October 2
topics: using the music library; organum
text: chapter 5
NAWM: 15 organum, Alleluia Justus ut palma
16 Aquitanian polyphony, Jubilemus, exultemus
17 Leonin, Viderunt omnes
18 clausulae on Dominus
19 Perotin, Viderunt omnes
Week 6: October 5 7 9
Second quiz on Friday
topics: motet; Ars Nova; Machaut
text: pp. 113-129
NAWM: 20 conductus, Ave virgo virginum
21 motets on Dominus
22 Adam de la Halle, De ma dame vient/Dieus, comment porroie/Omnes (motet)
23 Petrus de Cruce, Aucun ont trouvé/Lonc tans/Annuntiantes
25 Vitry, Cum statua/Hugo, Hugo/Magister invidie (motet)
26 Machaut, Mass: Kyrie, Gloria
Week 7: October 12 14 16
topics: the fixed forms; Ars subtilior
text: pp. 129-143
NAWM: 27 Machaut, Douce dame jolie (virelai)
28 Machaut, Rose, liz, printemps, verdure (rondeau)
29 Philippus de Caserta, En remirant vo douce pourtraiture (ballade)
Week 8: October 19 21 23
topics: Italian Trecento; the Renaissance; music printing and publishing
Mid-term Exam on Friday
text: chapters 7 and 8
NAWM: 30 Jacopo da Bologna, Non al suo amante (madrigal)
31 Landini, Così pensoso (caccia)
32 Landini, Non avrà ma’ pietà (ballata)
Week 9: October 26 28 30
topics: Dunstable; Du Fay
text: chapter 8, continued
NAWM: 34 Dunstable, Quam pulchra es (motet or cantilena)
35 Binchois, De plus en plus (rondeau)
36 Du Fay, Resvellies vous (ballade)
37 Du Fay, Christe, redemptor omnium (hymn)
38 Du Fay, Se la face ay pale (ballade) and Missa Se la face ay pale, Gloria
Week 10: November 2 4 6
topics: Ockeghem; Josquin; Josquin’s contemporaries
Paper due Monday
text: chapter 9
NAWM: 39 Busnoys, Je ne puis vivre (virelai)
40 Ockeghem, Missa prolationem: Kyrie
42 Josquin, Faulte d’argent (chanson)
43 Josquin, Mille regretz (chanson)
44 Josquin, Ave Maria...virgo serena (motet)
45 Josquin, Missa Pange lingua: Kyrie and Credo excerpt
41 Isaac, Innsbruck, ich muss dich lassen (Lied)
Week 11: November 9 11 13
topic: post-Josquin generation; music of the Reformation
Third quiz Friday
text: chapter 10
NAWM: 50 Gombert, Ave regina caelorum (motet)
46 Luther, chorales
49 Byrd, Sing joyfully unto God (full anthem)
51 Palestrina, Pope Marcellus Mass: Credo and Agnus Dei I
52 Victoria, O magnum mysterium (motet and Mass Kyrie)
53 Lasso, Cum essem parvulus (motet)
Week 12: November 16 18 20
topic: madrigal
text: chapter 11
NAWM: 55 Cara, Mal un muta per effecto (frottola)
56 Arcadelt, Il bianco e dolce cigno (madrigal)
57 Rore, Da le belle contrade d’oriente (madrigal)
58 Marenzio, Solo e pensoso (madrigal)
Week 13: November 23 (no class Wednesday or Friday)
topics: more madrigal; Parisian chanson
text: chapter 11, continued
NAWM: 59 Gesualdo, “Io parto” e non più dissi (madrigal)
60 Sermisy, Tant que vivray (Parisian chanson)
Week 14: November 30, December 2 4
topics: chanson; English madrigal; lute song; instrumental music
text: chapters 12 and 13
NAWM: 61 Lasso, La nuict froide et somber (chanson)
62 Claude Le Jeune, Revecy venir du printans (chanson)
63 Morley, My bonny lass she smileth (ballett)
64 Weelkes, As Vesta was (madrigal)
65 Dowland, Flow, my tears (lute song)
69 Byrd, John Come Kiss Me Now (keyboard piece)
70 Giovanni Gabrieli, Canzon septimi toni a 8 (ensemble canzona)
Week 15: December 7 9 11
topics: new ideas c. 1600; music of the early Baroque; early opera; Monteverdi; exam review
text: chapter 14
NAWM: 71 Monteverdi, Cruda Amarilli (madrigal)
72 Caccini, Vedrò ‘l mio sol (madrigal)
73 Peri, L’Euridice, excerpts (opera)
74 Monteverdi, L’Orfeo, excerpts (opera)
Week 16: December 14
topic: exam review
Our final exam will take place on Saturday, December 19, from 10 a.m. until noon in our usual
room. Please commit yourself to taking the exam at this time if you intend to complete the course, and
do not ask for an alternate exam time.