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MUS6233: 20th Century Analytical Techniques, section 001
Tuesday, 5:30PM-8:15PM - 2.03.08 ARTS
Dr. David Heuser - Office: 3.02.20
Office Phone: 458-5321 - email: dheuser@utsa.edu
Office Hours: TBA or by appointment


Click here for the reserve list for this course.

Required Materials (always bring to class):

*Scores will not be available through the UTSA bookstore. They can be ordered and purchased through RBC Music or online. Please note you do not need these scores until later in the semester, giving you time to order them.

Recommended Texts: see Reserve list

Course Description
Twentieth-Century Analytical Techniques surveys methods for analyzing twentieth-century music, including pitch-class set theory and serial techniques. The class will be literature driven, with most of our emphasis on the music itself, but you will also need to develop a vocabulary about the approaches you use in your analysis.

Goals of the Course:
After successfully completing this course, the student should:


It is the hope that students will leave the class with a better understanding of 20th century musical languages, which will reveal new possibilities for thoughtful interpretations and sensitive performances which communicate more to the listener.

Grading and course policies
Final grades will be determined by your work on Homework Assignments (15%), 2Exams (20% each), 2 Papers or Presentations (20% each) and Class Participation/Attendance (5%). Homework will be accepted past the day it is due, but usually not for a grade. Written projects will not be accepted late without prior consent.

If you have a concern, problem, question, issue or whatever, the best thing you can do is talk to me about it(in person, on the phone or through email). Stay in touch!
 

The Syllabus, Schedule, Reserve and some assignments/handouts for this class are on the web athttp://music.utsa.edu/electron/mus6233.html


20th Century Analytical Techniques Schedule

Subject to change
All listening assignments and scores are on reserve at the JPL Multimedia Center
All reading assignments not in the packet are on reserve at the JPL Reserve Desk

Week 1: August 26

Topics: Introduction, overview of analytical tools, scales/modes, Debussy: Preludes: Book 1, no. 2 (Voiles)

Week 2: September 2

Topics: Debussy continued (Nuages, Des pas sur la neige); Ives: General Booth... (in Burkhart)
Listen:
Debussy: Nuages; Preludes: Book 1, no. 6 (Des pas sur la neige); Ives: General Booth...
Read:
packet: scales, guidelines for analysis, harmonic resources, Debussy style characteristics, information on Nuage; information on General Booth...; Cogan/Escot: pp. 385-397; Watkins: pp. 94-95, 433-43
Homework Due: Debussy: Des pas sur la neige

Week 3: September 9

Topics: foundations of Pitch-class set analysis,
Listen:
Ives, The Cage (in Burkhart)
Read:
Strauss: chapters 1 and 2 (pp. 1-13, 30-52); packet: Pitch Class Set Theory
Homework Due:
Ives, The Cage

Week 4: September 16

Topics: Ives, The Cage; Pitch-class set theory continued, Webern, Movements for String Quartet, Op. 5, No. 4 (in Burkhart)
Read:
Strauss: pp. 101-107; packet: Webern style characteristics
Listen:
Webern, Movements for String Quartet, Op. 5, No. 4
Homework Due:
Pitch-class set analysis assignment I

Week 5: September 23

Topics: Schoenberg: Six Short Pieces for Piano, Op. 19, Nos. 2 and 4; PC set theory continued
Read:
packet: Schoenberg style characteristics
Listen:
Schoenberg: Six Short Pieces for Piano, Op. 19, Nos. 2, 4 and 6
Homework Due:
Pitch-class set analysis assignment II

Week 6: September 30

Topics: Crumb, Madrigals, Book 1, No. 1 (in Burkhard); PC set theory continued
Read:
Packet: study questions for Crumb; Watkins: pp. 613-615
Listen:
Crumb, Madrigals, Book 1, No. 1 ("Por que naci entre espejos?")
Homework Due:
Schoenberg, Op. 19, no. 6
Paper No. 1 Assigned

Week 7:    October 7

Topics: Bartok
Read:
Packet: Bartok style characteristics, Lendvai Summary; Watkins: pp. 394-402
Listen:
Bartok: Mikrokosmos, Bulgarian Rhythm No. 115, Vol. IV; Mikrokosmos, Diminished Fifth No. 101, Vol. IV; Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta, Mvt. I (all in Burkhart)
Homework Due:
Bartok: Mikrokosmos, Diminished Fifth No. 101, Vol. IV (in Burkhart)

Week 8:    October 14

Topics: Stravinsky
Read:
Packet: Stravinsky Style Characteristics; Watkins: pp. 211-221; 467-470
Listen:
Stravinsky: Rite of Spring, Les Augures Printaniers: Danses des Adolescentes; Introduction to Part II (in Burkhart) ; Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms, Mvts. I & II
Homework Due:
Stravinsky: Rite of Spring, Introduction to Part II; Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms, Mvts. I & II   

Week 9:    October 21

Topics: Review and Exam No. 1

Paper 1 Due

Week 10:  October  28

Topics: Introduction serial (12-tone) techniques
Read:
Strauss: Chapter 5 (pp. 144-162); Packet: Basic Twelve-tone operations
Listen:
Webern: Piano Variations, Op. 27 (mvts I and II; 2nd mvt. in Burkhart)
                     Homework Due: Webern: Webern: Piano Variations, Op. 27 (mvts I and II)   

Week 11: November 4

Topics: Webern, Schoenberg
Read:

Listen:
Webern: "Wie bin ich froh!" (in Burkhart); Schoenberg: Variations for Orchestra (Introduction, Theme, Variation 1)
Homework Due:
Schoenberg: Variations for Orchestra; Webern: "Wie bin ich froh!"

Week 12: November 11

Topics: Berg, Stravinsky
Read:
Packet: Berg Style Characteristics, Lyric Suite information; Watkins: pp. 542-547
Listen:
Berg: Lyric Suite I, III, V; Stravinsky: In Memoriam Dylan Thomas (all; Dirge-Canons in Burkhart; entire score on reserve)
Homework Due:
Berg: Lyric Suite I, III, V study questions: Stravinsky: In Memoriam Dylan Thomas study questions
Paper No. 2 Assigned

Week 13: November 18

Topics: Babbitt; Varese
Read:
Packet: Babbitt Style Characteristics; Watkins: pp. 528-532; Packet: Varese - Hyperprism; Watkins: pp. 249
Listen:
Babbitt: String Quartet No. 2; Varese: Hyperprism
Homework Due:
none

Week 14: November 25

Topics: Messiaen; Berio
Read:
Packet: Messiaen General Theory, Quartuor Pour la fin du Temps Mvt. VII information sheet; Packet: Berio - Sequenza VII for Oboe information; Watkins: pp. 630-631
Listen: Messiaen: Quartuor Pour la fin du Temps I, III, V, VI & VII; Berio: Sequenza VII for Oboe
Homework Due:
Messiaen: Quartuor Pour la fin du Temps study questions

Week 15: December 2

Topics: Crawford, Copland; Review, catch-up, etc.
Read:
Packet: Copland Style Characteristics
Listen:
Crawford: String Quartet, mvt. III (in Burkhart); Copland: The World Feels Dusty (in Burkhart)
Homework Due: Crawford: String Quartet, mvt. III study questions; Copland: The World Feels Dusty study questions   
Paper 2 Due

 

FINAL EXAM: 5:00PM-7:45PM, Tuesday, December 9


Copyright © 1999,David Heuser
Revised - August 2003
Email any problems, questions or requests about this page to
dheuser@utsa.edu
URL:
http://music.utsa.edu/electron/mus6233.htm