A Four Week Online Seminar with Professor Stephen Schultz
This exciting new class will cover the development of the Symphony as the major genre of Classical orchestral music. From its roots in the 18th century, through major innovations in the 19th century, we will concentrate on Symphonic masterpieces of the 20th century.
The focus will be on specific musical characteristics of the countries and regions where the composers lived. We will cover the instrumentation and harmonic and melodic characteristics of each symphony. Most importantly, we will dive into the programmatic and emotional content of the music created by these masters.
Class #1
Development of the Symphony: 18th and 19th Century Antecedents – Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Berlioz, Brahms, and Bruckner
20th Century Germany: Mahler and Hindemith
Class #2
Scandinavia: Sibelius and Nielsen
Russia: Shostakovich
Class #3
Poland: Penderecki and Gorecki
England: Vaughan Williams and Walton
Class #4
The Americas: Copland (USA), Still (African-American), Chavez (Mexico), Ginastera (Argentina)
Symphonies we will cover:
Mozart Symphony #41, Beethoven Symphony #7, Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique, Brahms Symphony #1, Mahler Symphonies #5 and #6, Hindemith Mathis der Maler Symphony, Sibelius Symphonies #5 and #6, Nielsen Symphonies #4 and #5, Shostakovich Symphonies #5, #8, and #10, Penderecki Symphonies #1 and #2, Gorecki Symphony #3, Vaughan Williams, Symphonies #3 and 5, Walton Symphony #1, Ives Holidays Symphonies, Symphony #4, Copland Symphony #3 and Bernstein Symphony #3
Books:
The Symphony: A Listeners Guide, Michael Steinberg
The Cambridge Companion to the Symphony, Julian Horton