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.

The course examines the philosophies and aesthetics of Classicism and Romanticism and the various ways in which the term has been applied to music from a broad interdisciplinary perspective. In particular, the various contexts in which the "Classical" or conservative has been placed in opposition to the "Romantic" or radical will be explored.  There will be a detailed study of the role of classicism as a revitalising force (renaissance) in Western music, and of specific manifestations of ‘classicism' in the history of music (for example, the Baroque revival of classical drama, late-18th century classicism, and neo-classicism in the first half of the twentieth century).

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).

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

1. Identify the central socio-cultural themes embedded in the philosophical idea of Classicism and Romanticism.
2. Critique how this idea has impacted upon composers and the creation of music
3. Synthesise and evaluate primary material in relation to Classicism and Romanticism
4. Summarise central arguments from a variety of perspectives and present them coherently in group discussion
5. Analyse both aurally and by score a variety of different music informed by the Classical and the Romantic ideal
6. To gain an understanding of the interpretive impact and the application to a performance environment of the knowledge acquired.

1. Essay outline (500 words) (10%) [learning outcomes 1,2,& 3]
2. Essay question (2,500 words) (40%) [learning outcomes 1,2, & 3]
3. Exam (40%) [learning outcomes 1,2,3, & 4]
4. Tutorial engagement (may include answering briefly one 200-word set question each week - a total of 10) (10%) [learning outcomes 1,2, & 4]

One one-hour lecture, one one-hour tutorial and one one-hour workshop each week.

None

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