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The calendar below lists topics by session.

Course Requirements

Listening

Listening as much and as well as you can is an essential part of success in this subject. Plan to spend a minimum of six hours outside of class per week reading, listening, and studying. If you cannot find six hours in your schedule you probably do not have time to take this class. The average class meeting will have about 20 minutes of listening assigned, usually in the form of several short works, many of which are too dense to get at in a first hearing. Some of the listening may be passive or familiarity listening - putting on the CDs while finishing a Chem. problem set or organizing your desk - but the majority will need to be active and without distraction. Make sure you have a place where you can do this listening undisturbed. I have tried as much as possible to get good recordings of great pieces; I hope they are enjoyable.

Writing Assignments

This subject is CI-M, requiring at least twenty pages of writing (exclusive of revisions). There will be at least two short response papers (either one page or 2-3 pages) and two major papers, first 8-15 pages, which will be revised and resubmitted, and a final paper of 10-20 pages. The papers serve three main purposes: to stimulate research interests in music before 1680, to improve your academic writing in general, and to improve your writing about music in particular.

A reminder that the MIT writing center does great work in helping improve writing (including making amazing writers even better). And, scheduling an appointment to have someone look over your work a couple of days before it's due is a wonderful incentive to actually writing before the night before.

The first paper is due on Lec #10 (with revisions due on Lec #16). The final paper is due on Lec #24.

Presentations

At least one presentation in class will be required. The length and format will depend on how many of us are in the class (i.e., it may be a shorter individual presentation or longer group presentation)

Exams

There will be two hour examinations in class (exam 1 will be held 5 days after Lec #11 and exam 2 will held 2 days after Lec #22). No assignments will be due during exam period.

Participation

Your participation (including but not limited to attendance) is important. In addition to classroom time, attendance is required at two concerts in which you are not a performer which include at least one piece (longer than 8 minutes) of a repertory is similar to that of this course (i.e., pre-1680). Only one may be a student concert. Turn in the concert program (or a stub if no program existed) and jot a paragraph about something you liked or didn't (5% total). I will announce some concerts of particular interest; Boston is an amazing town for Early Music so we should be able to find a number of great recitals.

Office of Sext

At the start of most sessions, the class will chant the Office of Sext for Tuesday (Feria Secunda ad Sextam), using appropriate chants for Lent, Passiontide, and the post-Easter season.

Office of Sext for Tuesday (Feria Secunda ad Sextam) (PDF)

One Final Requirement

It's great music, so let's enjoy it. Please let me know if you ever have concerns about the course or if you have suggestions for changes or improvements.

Grading

Grading will be calculated (approximately) as follows:

Other smaller assignments will be figured into either the paper grade or the exam grade. Presentations and concerts will come from the participation grade. A failing grade may be assigned for failure of any of the five components of the class.

Required Texts

Wright, Craig, and Bryan R. Simms. "Antiquity through the Baroque." In Music in Western Civilization. Vol. 1. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Schirmer, 2006. ISBN: 9780495008651.

Roden, Timothy J., Craig Wright, and Bryan R. Simms. "Antiquity through the Renaissance." In Anthology for Music in Western Civilization. Vol. A. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Schirmer, 2006. ISBN: 9780495008798. [Book and CD]

Recordings

Many listening assignments are on the CD accompanying the required text Roden, et al. Anthology for Music in Western Civilization. Vol. A.

Other selections will be from various sources placed on library reserve, including individual CDs and the Recordings to Accompany the Norton Anthology of Western Music (NAWM).

Calendar