GRMUS H672 — Beethoven: The Symphonies in Context

2 credits
Spring
Michael Griffel

With reference to Beethoven’s role in the history of music, this course will undertake a detailed examination of his nine symphonies as they emerged and took their place among his other compositions. Historical, analytical, and performance issues will be discussed, as will Beethoven’s notions of humor, heroism, character, pictorialism, progressivism, faith, and brotherhood. Problems of orchestration, tempo, syntax, rhetoric, and structure will be studied. Students will have opportunities to do research on and write about the symphonies and other works of Beethoven, as well as to offer lecture-performances of works by Beethoven in class.