This seminar will cover select topics in the hisoty of Western music theory from 1650 through the late 19th c. We will discuss both primary and secondary sources, including some of the most current research in both the history of theory and the relevance of that theory for the way we teach and analyze music today. Students are encouraged to look beyond the obvious technical concerns of a particular text to uncover what it tells us about contemporary musical culture, and to forge links between historical treatises and musics that may not be immediately obvious.
Our work will be discussion-focused, with the goal of helping participants develop a final paper which each member will present during the tenth week of class. As always, feel free to contact either Amy or Stephan at any time to discuss topic, or work through the material that we've covered.
| abauer@uci.edu | hammels@uci.edu |
Class participation (20%), final presentation (20%) and paper (60%)