First Semester. The course explores musical practices that have been
understood as “avant garde” from the late 19th century to the present.
Specific musical techniques and the broader aesthetic projects of a
variety of innovatiive musical styles are investigated through close
study of recordings, scores and readings. Some topics include: late
works of Beethoven and Liszt (explored in terms of their latent
modernity), music of Satie and his circle, works based on unusual
tuning and temperament systems (including Harry Partch and LaMonte
Young), selected works by Cage, Varese, Nancarrow, Ligeti, Crumb,
Gubaidulina, Saariaho, as well as post-war serialism, minimalism,
acoustic ecology (including music by Pauline Oliveros and R. Murray
Schafer), and “avant-pop”.
Prerequisites & Notes Prerequisites: MUTH 232 and MUTH 202.
Enrollment Limit: 20
Consent of instructor required.
Ms. Leydon
