The course examines the philosophy and aesthetic of Romanticism and the various ways in which the term has been applied to music from a broad interdisciplinary perspective. In this context, romanticism is considered as a foil to the classical - as the other side of an aesthetic coin, and a shared inheritance from the ancient world. There will be a detailed study of the role of romanticism as a revitalising force (renaissance) in Western music, and of specific manifestations of romanticism in the history of music (for example, the development of medieval secular song, the Baroque concept of fantasia, and 19th century romanticism).

The course examines significant aspects of the complex heritage of Western music and is not bound by time-period. Rather, it encompasses a broad philosophical perspective that establishes historical, social and wide intellectual contexts for the repertoire to be studied.

The course also enables students to develop both conceptual and applied knowledge, and encourages them to make informed interpretative decisions about how to evaluate many forms of Western music. The approach will be interdisciplinary and analytical, incorporating also discussion of historical performance practices and other current issues in Musicology.This course forms part of a three-semester exploration of Western music history, developed by examining the broad repertoire with reference to Classicism, Romanticism, and Modernism and its legacy in turn.

Students will learn to:

1. Identify the central socio-cultural themes embedded in the philosophical idea of romanticism
2. Critique how this idea has impacted upon composers and the creation of music
3. Synthesise and evaluate primary material in relation to the idea of romaticism
4. Summarise central arguments from a variety of perspectives and present them coherently in group discussion
5. Present to an audience a coherent argument on one of the central themes explored in the class
6. Undertake research with both secondary and primary sources
7. To gain an understanding of the interpretive impact and the application to a performance environment of the knowledge acquired.

Attendance required at 85% of classes for successful completion, annotated bibliography worth 10%, essay (2,500 - 3,000) worth 40%, presentation worth 40%, tutorial participation (this will include students answering one set question per week and may be online) worth 10%

This course will be delivered as weekly lectures and seminars, or as a block intensive.

It is recommended that students undertaking this course have basic music theory and reading skills.

MUSM1290 The Idea of Classicism in Western Music and MUSM3259 The Idea of Modernism and its Legacy in Western Music