Miss Lockman
Arcola Music
7th Grade
European Music History Syllabus
Name: ________________________
General Overview
Period:
5th
6th
7th
Course Description:
European music history class will provide students with exploration into Renaissance era music through to the
Romantic era music and its practices and structure. The course will include basic understanding of various
musical styles within these music genres and introduce a variety of Renaissance, Baroque, Classical and
Romantic era music. Students will have opportunities to listen to and analyze pieces of music by several
composers and performers from these time periods, will have research time within the class to learn and review
European history in connection with music history, and will have writing assignments in regards to listening
and discovering details of European music history.
Materials:

Note paper - IMPORTANT

Encyclopedias provided in the classroom for research
 Internet and computer access!

Pencil, music folder, and assignment book
Educational Objectives:
You will:
 Learn about various composers, their dates and background from the Renaissance  Romantic era
 Focus on several specific composers and their musical practices in the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical and
Romantic time periods
 Learn about different genres and types of musical styles used during this time frame
 Research, using class material a chosen composer to study in further detail
 Listen to, analyze and write about musical listening examples from each genre of European music history
Classroom Requirements:
 Bring a pencil, music folder and assignment book to every class
 Bring note paper to every class
 Turn in homework on time
 Be detailed in your writing when filling in music listening assignments
Grading:
Paper - 40 points
Class notes - 20 points
Final Test - 50 points
Miss Lockman
Arcola Music
7th Grade
European Music History Packet
Listening Criteria:
 Each listening example played in class is required to be written down in your notebook and
handed in at the end of the rotation along with all notes. Please write neatly and be detailed.
 Include the following:
1) Title/Composer/Dates of composer/Date of composition
2) Instrumentation: what instruments and/or voices do you hear? Describe.
3) Dynamics: how loud or soft is the music played?
pp = pianissimo = very soft
p = piano = soft
mp = mezzo piano = medium soft
mf = mezzo forte = medium loud
f = forte = loud
ff = fortissimo = very loud
4) Expression: what is this piece trying to express? What emotion does it evoke? Does it paint a
picture, provoke a thought, an idea, religion or politics or have historical connection?
5) Like/Dislike: Why or why not? Be detailed and specific to what you hear.
Vocabulary List:
 You will learn about many different forms and ideas from the Renaissance through to the
Romantic era of music culture and this will include many different vocabulary words which you
will learn and memorize their meanings throughout the course. The list is shown below and you
will be expected to write the definitions in your notebook and familiarize yourself with them as
we cover them.
1) Composer
5) Baroque
10) Opera
2) Renaissance
6) Ospedali
11) Virtuoso
3) Polyphony
7) Motet
12) Cantata
4) Mass and all parts of
8) Madrigal
13) Chamber Music
9) Concerto
14) Oratorio
the Mass (five)
Miss Lockman
Arcola Music
7th Grade
COMPOSER PAPER:
 You will be completing a 2-page written assignment during the music history portion of the
rotation. It will be researched and worked on during and outside of class time and presented on
the due date.
Composer research: (40 points)
 Choose a composer from the class presentations to study further and write a brief report.
 Include the following:
1. The composer’s birth and death dates and where they were born.
2. At least 3 of their compositions/pieces of music.
3. At least 3 significant historical events that occurred during the composer’s life, but
separate from the composer and music.
4. A brief summary of the composer’s life in and outside of music.
5. A brief summary of their successes and/or failures as a composer
6. Listen to 1 of the composer’s pieces online and describe it in your paper.
7. Must be 2 full pages in length and be written in full sentences and paragraphs. DO
NOT BULLET OR LIST.
 MUST BE: double-spaced, Times New Roman and 12-point font size.
8. PLEASE LIST YOUR RESOURCES AT THE END USING A WORKS CITED
PAGE (page 3 of the project) – you must have at least 3 websites listed.
 You will be given time during class period to study and research using the in-class
encyclopedias. You will then continue researching at home by looking up AT LEAST 3
sources online (or in a library) to complete your research.
 Please write your report in a “story” fashion as though you met the composer one day and
he told you all about his life as a musician or something similar. Include your information
in the story. BE AS FUN AND CREATIVE AS YOU WOULD LIKE!
 Final product will be presented to the class and handed in for a grade.