MHMUS 473 — History of English Music

3 credits
Fall
Martin Verdrager

Prerequisite: MHMUS 311 .For nearly two millennia England has produced some of the most affecting music that influenced composers on the continent of Europe and the rest of the world. This class will explore the historic background and musical works from the medieval period through the beginnings of our own century. England was a unique exporter and importer of composers and musical styles, a founding voice in music scholarship, and in the 20th century, a leader in the revival of early music. Each class member will be asked to read works about English and music history plus an important work of English literature. Additionally, students will choose a work to perform in class—mainly from the late 19th- or 20th-century—and give a researched oral presentation about the work’s place in and its contribution to the canon of British music.