Indispensable Composers: A Guide
W 2020

Description

We shall study what distinguishes the great composers from the merely good.

Anthony Tommasini, the chief classical music critic of The New York Times, recently published a book, in which he presents 17 indispensable composers. He is a writer of immense musical knowledge who shares his insights about many favorite pieces.

The book is intended as a guide and perfectly fulfills its aim: it presents highly readable mini-profiles of the greats. The author is entertaining, highly enthusiastic, and very knowledgeable.

Each of our presentations can be illustrated by musical examples played (via computer) in the class.
We strongly encourage you to do so; a tutorial will be provided.

Weekly Topics

1. Introduction; Claudio Monteverdi                   1

2. J.S. Bach                                                                  39 

3. G.F. Handel                                                             65 

4-5. The “Vienna Four”: F.J.Haydn                       91 

6. W.A. Mozart                                                         113

7. L. van Beethoven                                                145

8. Franz Schubert                                                    175

9. Frederic Chopin & Robert Schumann           205

10. Giuseppe Verdi & Richard Wagner              247

11. Johannes Brahms                                              307

12. Claude Debussy                                                 339

13. Giacomo Puccini                                                369

14. A. Schoenberg, I. Stravinsky, B. Bartok       397

 

Note: The 14 chapters had been collapsed into 13 presentations as the 4th chapter is very short and serves just as an introduction to “The Vienna Four’ (Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert). This can easily be expanded by splitting into two Chapter 10 (the longest) or by one additional class where each participant presents her/his favorite composition (in 5-6 minutes).

Bibliography

  • The Indispensable Composers by Anthony Tommasini, Penguin, 2018