Yale University - Introduction to Classical Music 

Course Preview

1.1 - Introduction

1.2 - Popular Music and Classical Music Compared

1.3 - Music and Emotions

1.4 - How Do We Hear Music? Sound Waves and the Ear

1.5 - Music Thrills Us, Music Chills Us

1.6 - Why We Like What We Like? It's Nurture

1.7 - It's Nurture: The Syntax of Western Music

1.8 - Why We Like What We Like? It's Nature

Begin Here

Syllabus

Suggested Readings [Update]

Spotify Playlist

Course Certificate

Grading and Logistics

Pre-Course Survey

Mentors' Library

Copy of Suggested Readings [Update]

Popular Music and Classical Music Compared

How Do We Hear Music? Sound Waves and the Ear

Why We Like What We Like? It's Nature

2.1 - Beat, Meter, and Rhythm

2.2 - Introduction to Musical Notation

2.3 - Rhythm: What is It?

2.4 - Hearing the Downbeat, Feeling the Emotion

2.5 - Tempo (and How We Feel About It)

3.1 - What is Melody?

3.2 - Melodic Notation and Scales

3.3 - Major and Minor Scales

3.4 - The Chromatic Scale

3.5 - How We Feel About the Music: Mode and Mood

3.6 - Melodic Structure: The Tonic

3.7 - Modulation: Changing the Tonic (of the Key)

3.8 - Phrase Structure in Music: Beethoven's Ode to Joy

4.1 - Harmony: A Distinctly Western Phenomenon

4.2 - Chord Progressions and Cadences

4.3 - Melody and Harmony Working Together

4.4 - Major and Minor Triads

4.5 - Hearing the Harmony

Musical Rhythm, Relaxation, and Creativity

Beat, Meter, and Rhythm

Hearing the Downbeat, Feeling the Emotion

Tempo (and How We Feel About It)

Melodic Notation and Scales

The Chromatic Scale

How We Feel About the Music: Mode and Mood

Phrase Structure in Music: Beethoven's Ode to Joy

Harmony: A Distinctly Western Phenomenon

Chord Progressions and Cadences

Major and Minor Triads

5.1 - Why Do Instruments Sound Differently, One From Another?

5.2 - Musorgsky Makes a Wagon Move in Music

5.3 - The Four Families of Instruments

5.4 - Building a Symphony Orchestra

6.1 - Musical Texture

6.2 - Musical Form

6.3 - Musical Style

Office Hours I

Module 3 YouTube Playlists

Why Do Instruments Sound Differently, One From Another?

Musorgsky Marks a Wagon Move in Music

Building a Symphony Orchestra

Musical Texture

Musical Form

Musical Style

7.1 - Introduction to the Middle Ages

7.2 - Gregorian Chant

7.3 - Monasteries and Convents

7.4 - The Chant of Hildegard of Bingen

7.5 - Early Polyphony

7.6 - Polyphony at the Cathedral of Reims: Machaut's Messe de Nostre Dame

7.7 - Dance Music of the Court

8.1 - Introduction to the Renaissance

8.2 - Humanism in Music

8.3 - Musical Instruments and Dances

8.4 - The A Cappella Motet

8.5 - Reformation and the Counter-Reformation

8.6 - The Madrigal

Women as Creators and the Historical Barriers to Their Recognition

Module 4 Youtube Playlist

Gregorian Chant

The Chant of Hildegard of Bingen

Polyphony at the Cathedral of Reims: Machaut's Messe de Nostre Dame

Musical Instruments and Dances

The A Cappella Motet

The Madrigal

9.1 - Introduction to Baroque Art and Music

9.2 - Early Baroque Opera in Italy

9.3 - Early Baroque Opera in London

9.4 - Baroque Instruments and Orchestras

9.5 - A Baroque Favorite: Pachelbel's Canon

9.6 - Vivaldi: The "Spring" Concerto

10.1 - Bach the Young Man and Organist

10.2 - Cothen: Prelude and Fugue

10.3 - Cothen: Brandenberg Concertos

10.4 - Leipzig: The Church Cantata

10. 5 - Bach's Posthumous Reputation

11.1 - Recap of Baroque Music

11. 2 - Handel's Early Life & Arrival in London

11.3 - Royal Connections: Water Music and Fireworks

11.4 - Opera Seria: Julius Caesar

11.5 - Oratorio: Messiah

Module 5 Youtube Playlist

Early Baroque Opera in Italy

Early Baroque Opera in London

Baroque Instruments and Orchestras

Bach the Young Man and Organist

Cothen: Prelude and Fugue

Cothen: Brandenberg Concertos

Leipzig: The Church Cantata

Royal Connections: Water Music and Fireworks

Opera Seria: Julius Caesar

Oratorio: Messiah

12.1 - The Classical Period and Music

12.2 - Introduction to Classical Music Style

12.3 - Vienna: City of Music

12.4 - Franz Joseph Haydn and The Emperor

12.5 - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his Music

13.1 - Classical Venues: The Canon and the Musical Museum

13.2 - Genres and Forms

13.3 - Ternary Form: The Mozart Sonata

13.4 - Sonata-Allegro Form: A Mozart Serenade

13.5 - Theme and Variations Form: A Surprise from Haydn

13.6- Rondo Form: Mozart as the Young Turk

14.1 - Piano Concerto in D minor

14.2 - Don Giovanni

14.3 - The Requiem

Mozart and the Dangers of Becoming a Child Prodigy

Module 6 Youtube Playlist

Introduction to Classical Music Style

Franz Joseph Haydn and the Emperor

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his Music

Genres and Forms

Sonata-Allegro Form: A Mozart Serenade

Piano Concerto in D Minor

Don Giovanni

The Requiem

15.1 - Mozart and Beethoven Compared

15.2 - Beethoven and the Romantic Genius

15.3 - Beethoven's Early Years

15.4 - Growing Deafness and Disability

15.5 - The "Moonlight" Sonata

16.1 - The Three Periods of Beethoven

16.2 - Symphony No. 3, the "Eroica"

16.3 - Symphony No. 5

16.4 - Beethoven's Gift to Music: SOUND

16.5 - Beethoven Toward the End

16.6 - The Late Period and "Ode to Joy"

17.1 - Introduction to Romantic Music

17.2 - Domestic Music-Making of the Middle Class

17.3 - Sketch of the Life and Music of Franz Schubert

17.4 - Schubert's Erlkonig

17.5 - Robert and Clara Schumann

Office Hours II

Beethoven?s Deafness: Was it a Dis-ability or an Enabler?

Module 7 Youtube Playlist

Beethoven and the Romantic Genius

Beethoven's Early Years

Growing Deafness and Disability

The "Moonlight" Sonata

Symphony No. 3, the "Eroica"

Symphony No. 5

Late Period and "Ode to Joy"

Sketch of the Life and Music of Franz Schubert

Schubert's Erlkonig

Robert and Clara Schumann

18.1 - How Do We Communicate in Sound?

18.2 - Musical Signifiers and the Language of Sound

18.3 - Berlioz and His Symphonie Fantastque

18.4 - Symphonie Fantastque, "March to the Scaffold"

18.5 - Symphonie Fantastque, "Witches Sabbath"

18.6 - Do You Speak Fluent Program Music?

19.1 - Fixed Pitch Keyboard Instruments: A Quick Review

19.2 - The Pianos of Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert

19.3 - The Pianos of Chopin and Liszt

19.4 - From Wagner's Piano to the Steinway of America

19.5 - Frédéric Chopin and the Nocturne

19.6 - Franz Liszt and the Etude

20.1 - Introduction to the 19th Century Opera

20.2 - Bel canto Opera

20.3 - Verdi's Operas and his Dramaturgy

20.4 - Verdi's La traviata

20.5 - Introduction to Richard Wagner

20.6 - Wagner's Ring Cycle

20.7 - Wagner's Die Walküre

21.1 - Introduction to the Romantic Orchestra

21.2 - Musical Instruments and the Industrial Revolution

21.3 - Musical Time Slows Down: The Grand Symphonic Gesture

21.4 - Bigger Orchestra, Bigger Concert Halls

21.5 - The Gustav Mahler Sample

Module 8 Youtube Playlist

Musical Signifiers and the Language of Sound

Berlioz and His Symphonie Fantastque

Recap Quiz

Symphonie Fantastque, "Witches Sabbath"

Fixed Pitch Keyboard Instruments: A Quick Review

From Wagner's Piano to the Steinway of America

Franz Liszt and the Etude

Introduction to the 19th Century Opera

Verdi's La triviata

Wagner's Die Walküre

Introduction to Romantic Orchestra

Musical Instruments and the Industrial Revolution

The Gustav Mahler Sample

22.1 - Introduction to Impressionism

22.2 - Claude Debussy's "Claire de lune"

22.3 - Debussy's "Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun"

22.4 - Debussy's "Violes" (Sails) for Piano

22.5 - Impressionism and Exoticism

22.6 - Spanish Exoticism and the Spanish Tradition

22.7 - From Post Impressionism to Modernism

23.1 - Introduction to Modernism

23.2 - Stravinsky and His Early Ballets Russes

23.3 - Stravinsky and The Rite of Spring

23.4 - Schoenberg and Atonal Music

23.5 - Schoenberg and the Twelve-tone Music

23.6 - The Challenge of (and Antidote to) Modernism

24.1 - Simplifying Modernism: Aaron Copland

24.2 - "A Gift to be Simple" and Appalachian Spring

24.3 - Postmodernism

24.4 - When Less is More: Minimalism in Art and Music

24.5 - Beyond Minimalism: John Adams

24.6 - The Ultimate Mystery of Music

Office Hours III

From the TA!

Post-Course Survey

Module 9 Youtube Playlist

Additional Recommended Courses and Videos

Claude Debussy?s ?Claire de Lune"

Debussy's "Violes" (Sails) for Piano

Stravinsky and His Early Ballets Russes

Stravinsky and The Rite of Spring

Schoenberg and the Twelve-tone Music

Postmodernism & Minimalism

Beyond Minimalism: John Adams