MTHY 364 Beethoven's Piano Sonatas (formerly THYU 364)
This course explores Beethoven's piano sonatas from the perspective of modem-day approaches to sonata form-primarily those rooted in William E. Caplin's theory of formal functions and James Hepokoski and Warren Darcy's Sonata Theory. With respect to Caplin's work, students will learn how Beethoven organizes musical elements to express different temporal functions (e.g. beginning, middle, after-theend). With respect to Hepokoski and Darcy's Work, students will learn how Beethoven's music strives for large-scale formal goals (e.g. medial caesura, essential expositional closure) and interacts with established norms to create a compelling musical journey.
Once students gain a certain fluency with the theoretical concepts outlined above, they will explore how theory-driven observations can inform performance decisions. Applying theoretical knowledge in this way will also nudge students to consider the role played by musical elements often sidelined by music theory, such as dynamics, texture, and phrasing.