Historical Performance Courses

Historical Performance is a way of looking at music, one in which the performer takes on some of the responsibilities of a scholar. Our aim is to provide students tools with which to make historically informed decisions about the pieces they perform. This requires an understanding of the music’s cultural context, familiarity with the practical aspects of historical instruments and performing conventions, and an appreciation of how performance styles and traditions have changed over time.

Course offerings include applied study on historical instruments, classroom courses, and ensembles. In addition to the B.Mus. and the M.Mus. on historical instruments, the Historical Performance Program offers a minor, as well as a five-year program combining the Bachelor of Music in a traditional Conservatory major with a Masters in Historical Performance (see Historical Performance major in the Undergraduate and Graduate Program sections of this catalog).

Historical Performance Courses: Classroom

Almost all Historical Performance course offerings are open to Conservatory and College of Arts and Sciences students (subject to prerequisites for individual courses). These courses will be granted HPRF (Historical Performance) credit on student transcripts. HPRF 302 and 312 may be taken to fulfill an upper-division music history requirement; to receive music-history credit for these two courses, a student must register using the music-history numbers MHST 302 and 312.

HPRF 111-114 is a series of courses, each focused on the music of a different country. Open to all students, these team-taught courses give an overview of the repertoire, exploring its historical context and examining some of the problems associated with its performance.

Introduction to Performance Practice (HPRF 302/502 or MHST 302) is designed to introduce the non-specialist and specialist alike to the nature of a historically informed approach to performance; Special Topics in Performance Practice (HPRF 312/512 or MHST 312) explores a variety of subjects (e.g. Chopin, Bach and the Clavichord) on a rotating basis and is open to all qualified students; HPRF 303 and 512 are intended for students majoring in Historical Performance.

Historical Performance Courses: Applied Studies

These offerings include private study (principal or secondary) on historical instruments, and coached ensembles or applied study classes in which the emphasis is on a historically informed approach to performance.

Private study is available on harpsichord, fortepiano, organ, recorder, Baroque flute, Baroque oboe, Baroque violin, Baroque cello and viola da gamba.