MHST 411 Music in Europe, 1789-1830
From the late works of Mozart and Haydn, through Beethoven, Weber, and Schubert, to the premiere of Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique, this pro-seminar examines music of varied instrumental and vocal genres within the context of the Enlightenment, as well as exploring the artistic and intellectual wellsprings of Romanticism. Each week will focus upon a specific composition, integrating primary-source documents and seminal musicological commentary, with a view to tracing the influence of pivotal cultural conditions and trends—including the French Revolution, German philosophical idealism, developments in the visual arts, and the literary Sturm und Drang. Please note that substantial reading and student participation are expected.