Music Appreciation Class

By Hazim Suhadi

Aims
The course is designed for beginners and enthusiasts who are interested in classical music
but dont know where and how to start. It provides a framework for understanding classical
music, examining the major periods of music history, the music of the great composers, and
the main classical genres. Each week we will listen to some works and examine their
historical, social and musical context. You will be able to explore your own taste in music and
learn how to find more of what you like. No musical knowledge is necessary.

Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course participants should be able to:
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2.
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6.

List the main periods of classical music history.

Describe the characteristics of each of the main periods of classical music history.
List examples of classical music forms.
Describe the features of classical music genres.
Identify aspects of their own musical taste.
Listen to classical music in a more focused way.

Course Content
The course will use the following textbook as reference:
The Enjoyment of Music: An Introduction to Perceptive Listening by Kristine Forney &
Joseph Machlis.
Topics to be explored:

The materials of music: How to listen to music?

Voices and musical instruments families.
Musical ensembles.
Style and function of music in society.

Musical periods to be explored:

Medieval and Renaissance music: The church, the arts and the musicians.
Baroque music: The Baroque spirit and rise of virtuoso musicians.
Classical music: Classicism in music and the patronage system.
Romantic music: Romanticism in music and the French revolution.
Impressionist music: Reaction against Romanticism.
Twentieth-century music: Nationalism, Expressionism, and Neo-Classicism.