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Twentieth Century Orchestral Music Syllabus 2019

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Twentieth Century Orchestral Music Syllabus 2019 MUS 379K/387L: Twentieth-Century Orchestral Music Tuesday & Thursday 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm MRH 2.610 Spring 2019 Professor Alison Maggart Office: MRH 3.714 Office Hours: Mondays 10:30 am – 12:00 pm and by appointment Open Sound Meditations: TBD Email: [email protected] Course Overview The twentieth century produced some of the most challenging and provocative works in the western art music tradition. In the absence of any dominant style, a diversity of compositional approaches and musical philosophies questioned previous distinctions between music, sound, noise, and silence; reconfigured the relationships between composer, performer, and audience; reconceived the roles of time, space, tonality, timbre, and rhythm in musical structure; and reimagined the significance of the subconscious, emotion, and author in the creative process. A deepening historical consciousness led to rejections and reinterpretations of past styles and forms. New technologies and increasing globalization expanded composers’ sonic palettes. And boundaries between popular, folk, and art music disintegrated. During this period, orchestral music – as the most public declaration of a composer’s musical philosophy – was subject to more external pressure than any other repertoire. The nineteenth- century legacy of the symphony made the genre particularly loaded: having been both the locus of hotly-contested ideological and formal debates and the foundation for canonization, symphonic composition was often approached with caution, proclaimed exhausted, or viewed as a retreat into the past during the twentieth century. As Stravinsky put it at mid-century, “Though the standard orchestra is not yet an anachronism, perhaps, it can no longer be used standardly except by anachronistic composers.” Economic and political stresses also affected composition, contributing, for example, to the decline of orchestral compositions during the interwar years and the revivification of traditional forms under Soviet Realism. Lastly, dependence on social tastes and ideologies has made the orchestra one of the more conservative institutions of cultural life, safeguarding the canon as well as instituting exclusionary policies regarding participation by women and minority groups. In this course, arranged chronologically, we will examine major developments in twentieth- century orchestral music in their historical, social, and cultural contexts. We will do this by reading and discussing a number of essays (listed below) written by the composers themselves, intellectuals within the composers’ milieus, and scholars today. We will also undertake close analyses of assigned works (listed below) in order to better understand individual composers’ 1 unique methods and characteristics, national and international styles, and broader “-isms” (e.g. compositional methods, philosophical perspectives, and leanings) of the twentieth century. Texts/Scores/Recordings There is no assigned textbook for this class. All readings can be found either on JSTOR or on the Canvas course website. All scores can be found online through imslp.org, in the music library, and/or on Canvas. Most recordings are available to stream on Alexander Street [accessible via the UT Library Catalog], Spotify, or YouTube. Assessment • Daily attendance and participation in class • 4 “Unit PacKets” each comprised of: • 1 essay (3–4 pages, double spaced) on a question that will be posted to Canvas one week before it is due • 1 informal analysis (2-3 pages, double spaced) on a score that will be posted to Canvas one week before it is due • 7–8 Annotations (250 words per annotation) of selected readings from the unit (marked in the course schedule) • 4 listening quizzes • 1 abstract (300 words) and research paper (10 pages, double spaced and not including examples, figures, footnotes, and bibliography; more details are provided on Canvas) Grades Attendance + Participation: 10% Essays (5% each): 20% Analyses (5% each): 20% Annotations (2.5% each): 10% Listening Quizzes (5% each): 20% Research Paper: 20% Abstract: required, but not graded 2 GRADE BREAKDOWN Attendence & Participation Research Paper 10% 20% Essays 20% Listening Quizzes 20% Analyses Annotations 20% 10% I use the following scale for determining grades: B+ = 87-89 C+ = 77-79 A = 93-100 B = 83-86 C = 73-76 D = 60-69 F = <59 A- = 90-92 B- = 80-82 C- = 70-72 Policies Academic Integrity: You are expected to abide by the University’s honor code: The core values of The University of Texas at Austin are learning, discovery, freedom, leadership, individual opportunity, and responsibility. Each member of the university is expected to uphold these values through integrity, honesty, trust, fairness, and respect toward peers and community. Plagiarism and cheating will not be tolerated in this class. Any student suspected of academic misconduct will be reported to the Student Judicial Services. For more information on plagiarism see http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs/scholdis_plagiarism.php. Absences: You must attend every scheduled class meeting of this course and arrive on time. In order to be excused for a University-sponsored activity or family emergency, you must provide written notice before the absence occurs in order to be excused. In the case of illness, you must have a doctor’s note. All unexcused absences will negatively affect your grade, and after five unexcused absences, your grade will be lowered by a full letter grade. 3 Technology: Did you know that you actually will likely retain information better if you write your notes manually (check out: https://www.medicaldaily.com/why-using-pen-and-paper-not- laptops-boosts-memory-writing-notes-helps-recall-concepts-ability-268770)? Please refrain from using any electronic device (cell phone, iPhone, iPad, etc.) unless it is necessary or more financially and/or environmentally conscious. (For example, students may use laptops to view larger scores/readings that are available online.) If you have a disability that requires you to use an electronic device, please let me know. Writing Center: Writing is like playing an instrument: it requires a lot of practice. And, no matter how good you might be, there are always new things that can be learned (e.g., about technique, interpretation, and expression). Everyone is encouraged to consult the University Writing Center (PCL 2.330 / ucw.utexas.edu / 512.471.6222). Appointments are available (uwc.utexas.edu/appointments) or by calling the front desk. Accommodations: I am happy to make accommodations for students with documented physical or mental disabilities. If you fall under this category, please contact Services for Students with Disabilities to obtain an official letter detailing authorized accommodations (471-6259 voice or 471-4641 TTY for users who are deaf or hard of hearing). Present the letter to me at the beginning of the semester so that we can discuss accommodations. For more information see http://www.utexas.edu/diversity/ddce/ssd/. In addition, know that UT has a number of services available to students who face mental health challenges (e.g., feeling down, having difficulty concentrating, a lack of motivation, increased anxiety, or substance use), which might negatively impact one’s ability to participate and succeed in class. The UT Counseling and Mental Health Center (http://chmc.utexas.edu/) provides counseling, psychiatric, consultation, and prevention services that facilitate students' academic and life goals and enhance their personal growth and well-being. The CMHC crisis line is available 24/7/365 at 512-471-2255; our COFA Care Counselor Nathan Langfitt can be reached at the direct line 512-471-0392. Lastly, the MindBody Lab, a self-paced environment designed to help UT students explore various resources for improving their emotional and physical health. The Lab currently features audio and video instruction on a variety of topics, including sleep issues; food and body image; health and well-being; relaxation and meditation. Most of this material is experiential, enabling students to follow along and practice the skills as they are being discussed. Title IX: UT Austin (and me!) is committed to providing a safe learning environment free from all forms of discrimination (racial, national origin, sexuality, disability, etc.) for all students. If you have experienced discrimination or harassment, know that you are not alone. UT has a number of resources, services, and organizations with staff members who are trained to support you (see https://titleix.utexas.edu/resources/). Please be aware that I am considered a “responsible employee,” meaning that if you disclose any situation involving sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, 4 stalking, etc. to me, I must report that information to the Title IX Coordinator. Confidential Advocates (http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/emergency/advocacysupport.php / 512.471.5017) are not mandated to report disclosures made by students who have been impacted by interpersonal violence. Gender Inclusion: If you have a name and/or set of pronouns that differ from those in your student records, please let me know so that I can address you properly. I prefer “Alison,” “Professor Maggart,” “Dr. Maggart,” and “she/her.” Religious Holidays: Should you observe a religious holy day, you must notify me 14 days in advance. If you miss a class, you will be given 2 class periods to complete any work that you missed. 5 ***** Schedule ****** (Please note that this schedule is tentative. Depending on the
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