The University of Mississippi

Music 301: History of Western Music I

Warren Steel
232 Music Building
915-5183/915-7268
mudws@olemiss.edu


Objectives: Familiarity with and understanding of selected works of Western music from the middle ages to the early 18th century; identification and study of distinctive features of the music of this period; the ability to pursue basic research on the music of this period and to present this research in written form.

Texts:

Topics for Discussion:

  1. Music in the Middle Ages, chapters 1-6
  2. Music of the Renaissance, chapters 7-12
  3. Music of the Baroque, chapters 13-19

Course Requirements

  1. Prompt attendance and participation in class discussion. (Bring Burkholder and Norton Anthology to every class.) Three or more unexcused absences will result in grade reduction.
  2. Reading and listening as assigned.
  3. Class work as assigned.
  4. Brief project, due October 13.
  5. Class project, including 5-page essay, end of term.
  6. Two one-hour exams. You may use one blue book for both exams.
  7. Final examination. Bring a blue book.
  8. Grading will employ the plus-and-minus system. Music majors must achieve the grade of C (2.0) or higher to avoid repeating the course; C-minus is not good enough.

Review materials

  1. Medieval music, chapters 1-6
  2. Renaissance music, chapters 7-12
  3. Baroque music, chapters 13-19
  4. T. Arbeau gives reason to dance
  5. T. Morley defines musical genres
  6. Summary of Monteverdi's L'Orfeo
  7. Summary of Monteverdi's Vespers
  8. Videos of pieces in the Norton Anthology of Western Music, vol. 1. (YouTube)
  9. Other early music playlists from Dr. Steel (YouTube)

Links of interest:

[ Warren Steel | Music Department | UM Home ]