Listen to This: A Beginner’s Guide to 20th Century Classical Music

Free Class!

Have you ever encountered a work of art and thought, “I don’t get this”? All great art was, at one point in time, new and unfamiliar. Beethoven’s work was often considered “violent,” whereas Bach’s was thought too ornate and grotesque. How can we appreciate the art we don’t understand?

During this 5-course online survey series, NCMC faculty member Nick Davies will contextualize the art of the 20th century, exploring the breakdown of the established classical music tradition. Beginning with revolutionary works by Debussy, Stravinsky, and Schoenberg, moving through to the jagged Modernist giants, and ending with the diverse and eclectic works of the modern era, we will discover this rich musical history through a philosophical and aesthetic lens that questions the nature and purpose of art.

Week 1:  Fin-de-siècle: The End of Common Practice, 1894-1913, February 3

Week 2:  Riots and Scandal: The Rite of Spring and the Second Viennese School, 1913-1935, February 10

Week 3:  Music at a Crossroads: Neoclassicism and Modernism, 1935-1964, February 17

Week 4:  The Other Side of the Pond: American Minimalists, Chance Music and
Experimentalists, 1964-1987, February 24

Week 5:  What Now? A Look at Music of Today, 1987-modern era, March 3

Note:  Take all 5 classes or choose the weeks that interest you most. Classes will be held online via Zoom.