MUS 333 - Haydn & Mozart

1 course unit

This course explores the music, biography, and reception of Joseph Haydn and W. A. Mozart, balancing historical views of these composers with critical evaluation of their significance today. What did these two men have in common, what made them unique, and what can their lives and music tell us about eighteenth century culture? Students will approach their vocal and instrumental music from the perspectives of style, structure, compositional process, and aesthetics. Close attention to biography and reception will uncover the composers’ relationships with audiences and patrons, and invite consideration of notions of celebrity and cosmopolitanism in the eighteenth century. Students will also attend to the variety of contexts in which Haydn and Mozart circulate today, even as commodities and brands. This course will incorporate multimedia resources (films, documentaries, websites) and may include a field trip to a performance.
Prerequisite(s): MUS 211 Music Theory III or permission of the instructor.