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Syllabus
for:
Gershwin
(MUSIC 145)
University
of California, Irvine
Fall Quarter, 2001
| Course # 06110 |
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Four units |
| Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1 p.m. – 2:50 p.m.
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316 Music & Media Bldg. |
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This four-unit course is a survey of the works,
life, and times of George Gershwin. Attention will be focused as
much on Gershwin’s achievements in the area of so-called popular
music as on Gershwin’s contributions to so-called classical
music. The primary goals of the course are 1) to familiarize
students with the entirety of Gershwin’s output and 2) to
provide students with informational tools that will allow them to
develop and express their own insights into the work of this
important American composer. |
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| instructor: |
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| teaching assistant: |
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| required text: |
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| Jablonski, Edward, and Stewart, Lawrence. The
Gershwin Years, second edition. New |
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York: Da Capo Press, 1996
(orig. 1973; first edition, 1958). (J/S) |
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| required listening (materials on reserve
at the Media Center): |
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Fourteen compact disc compilations, plus any
full-length CD, LP, or videocassette version of Porgy and Bess. |
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| required supplementary reading
(materials on reserve at the Media Center): |
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| Crawford, Richard. “George
Gershwin,” in The New Grove Dictionary of |
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American Music. London:
Macmillan, 1986. Volume II, pp. 199-205. (C) |
| Jablonski, Edward. Gershwin.
New York: Doubleday, 1987. (J) |
| Schiff, David. Gershwin:
Rhapsody in Blue. Cambridge and New York: |
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Cambridge University Press, 1997. (DS) |
| Schneider, Wayne, ed. The
Gershwin Style: New Looks at the Music of |
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George Gershwin. New York: Oxford
University Press, 1999. (WS) |
| Schwartz, Charles. Gershwin:
His Life and Music. New York: Da Capo |
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Press, 1979 (orig. 1973). (CS) |
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| suggested reading: |
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see bibliography |
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| Grades will be based on: |
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- A final paper, 2,500 words minimum, on a Gershwin-related
topic approved by the instructor. Topics must be submitted as
a brief, written abstract by 3 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 1; final
papers (typed or printed, double-spaced) must be turned in to
Room 103, Music & Media Building, by 5 p.m. Friday, Dec.
7. (50 percent)
- A closed-book in-class mid-term exam based on listening
assignments, material covered in lectures, and assigned
readings in the Jablonski-Stewart text. (25 percent)
- Fulfillment of the required listening assignments. (15
percent)
- Participation in class discussions. (10 percent)
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| Policy on academic integrity: |
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Plagiarism of any kind is a violation of UCI policy
on Academic Honesty, and penalties for plagiarism can be severe.
Students are expected to attribute due credit to the originator of
any ideas or words that are incorporated substantially into a
student’s work. This applies particularly to the citation of
sources for quotations that students include in their writings.
Violations of this policy will be reported to the office of
Academic Affairs for disciplinary action. |
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Course outline: |
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| NOTE: Unless otherwise
specified, reading assignments are from Jablonski’s and
Stewart’s The Gershwin Years (J/S). Lectures will deal in
large part with material included in the reading and listening
assignments; thus it is expected that weekly reading and (for the
most part) daily listening assignments will be completed in
advance of the relevant class meetings. |
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| DATE |
TOPIC |
PREPARATION |
| READING |
LISTENING |
| 9.25 |
Introduction
Biographical overview
Key questions |
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Part I: Gershwin the
Songwriter |
| 9.27 |
Backgrounds:
Popular song
Tin Pan Alley
Musical theater |
J/S 11-53 |
Disc 1: American Popular Song |
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| 10.2 |
Gershwin's early works |
J/S 53-88 |
Disc 2: Gershwin’s Early
Songs |
| 10.4 |
Early jazz:
Definitions
The social context |
Disc 3: Early Jazz |
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| 10.9 |
The Rhapsody in Blue:
Conception
Reception
Interpretations
Posthumous history |
J/S 89-154 |
Disc 4: The Aeolian Hall
Concert |
| 10.11 |
Gershwin on Broadway:
Working methods
Successes, failures |
Disc 6: Gershwin Songs I
(1924-30) |
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| 10.16 |
Broadway Songs(1924-30):
Itemization of "hits"
Analyses of select songs
Changes in style |
J/S 155-240 |
Disc 7: Gershwin Songs II
(1924-30) |
| 10.18 |
Later Broadway songs
Gershwin in Hollywood |
Disc 10: Gershwin Songs III
(1930-37) |
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| 10.23 |
Social contexts:
The Roaring Twenties
The stock market crash
New technologies
Summary |
J/S 241-298 |
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| 10.25 |
mid-term exam |
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Part II: Gershwin the
Composer |
| 10.30 |
The Rhapsody in Blue |
DS 12-29
CS 69-95
J 61-76 |
Disc 5: Rhapsody in Blue |
| 11.1 |
Concerto in F
Second Rhapsody
Promenade |
Disc 8: Instrumental Works I |
| NOTE:
Abstracts for final papers are due at 3 p.m., Thursday,
Nov. 1. |
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| 11.6 |
An American in Paris
Cuban Overture
Variations on "I Got
Rhythm" |
J 153-181
CS 161-171 |
Disc 9: Instrumental Works II |
| 11.8 |
Piano music
Chamber music |
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| 11.13 |
Porgy and Bess |
J 250-291
CS 243-171 |
Disc 11: Porgy and Bess
exceprts |
| 11.15 |
Porgy and Bess, cont. |
Porgy and Bess, complete |
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| 11.20 |
The Gershwin style |
WS 3-18
CS 321-333 |
Disc 12: Interpretations I |
| 11.22 |
Thanksgiving break |
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| 11.27 |
Critical assessments |
C 199-205 |
Disc 13: Interpretations II |
| 11.29 |
The Gershwin legacy |
Disc 14: Interpretations III |
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| 12.3-7 |
Final exam week |
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| NOTE:
Final papers are due at 5 p.m.,
Friday, Dec. 7. |
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