Module MUSI3281: THE MUSIC OF BRAHMS

Department: Music

MUSI3281: THE MUSIC OF BRAHMS

Pre-requisites

Corequisites

Excluded Combinations

Aims

• An in-depth study of the music of Brahms through an examination of (a) musical scores (b) musicological writings (c) central issues concerned with Brahms, his life, music and cultural environment.

Content

• An examination of one of the nineteenth-century's most challenging, complex and influential composers.
• The study will include
• (a) an in-depth examination of Brahms' music through analysis of scores.
• (b) a concurrent study of the extensive musicological writings and commentaries of Brahms over the last 120 years.
• (c) a study of the cultural environment and reception history of Brahms and his music.
• (d) a study of the central issues concerned with Brahms' style and compositional method (such as classicism, romanticism, intellectualism, archaism and modernism).
• (e) the influence of Brahms on his contemporaries and on later generations (such as Schoenberg).
• (f) Brahms as the central figure in the 'polarisation' of ideas and principles in the second half of the nineteenth century.

Learning Outcomes

• At the end of the module students should know and understand the following:
• (a) the nature, scope and style of Brahms' music
• (b) the historical and cultural context of Brahms and his music
• (c) an extended bibliographical knowledge of writings on Brahms and his music
• (d) central issues concerned with Brahms' music (such as classicism, romanticism, intellectualism, archaism, modernism etc)
• (e) analytical and investigative techniques appropriate to the study of Brahms' music
• (f) the influence of Brahms's music and musical thinking on contemporaries later generations.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• The teaching takes place through weekly lectures and termly tutorials and will be accompanied by directed reading and formative essays (or other appropriate exercises).
• Some reading exercises or analytical exercises will form assignments for tutorials.
• The format is designed to ensure the active participation of students in the learning process, offering opportunities for discussion and the development of critical thinking.
• Formative exercises 'bed down' knowledge-based and critical concepts taught in lectures, and may form the basis of discussion and hands-on training in tutorials.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment

Regular formative exercises will be set for contribution to the classes (some will be purely analytical; others will be directed reading of musicological writings). Further formative assignments will be set for the tutorials.