EVDOL 38 - Music and The Natural World

Deborah Bradley-Kramer
Music was born of reverence for nature, and this course will explore how music and nature have intersected in fascinating ways from the Middle Ages to the present, vividly shaping images of our world. “Nature” here pertains not only to the physical world of Earth but also to broader concepts of space, time, and beyond. Nature-inspired works like Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture and Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending will be explored, along with contemporary compositions that address our complex relationship with the natural world in the present. Understanding the landscapes, flora, and fauna that composers have encountered will illuminate their music; concepts from ecomusicology will highlight how sound is produced by natural environments and how cultural values about nature are expressed through sound. Featuring music by Vivaldi, Beethoven, Liszt, Mahler, Debussy, Holst, Sibelius, Messiaen, John Luther Adams, Todd Machover, Chen Yi, and Anna Thorvaldsdóttir, among others, with live performances.

8 weeks

Thursdays 6–7:30pm ET

February 1–March 28

In Person Only

$408