Music. Learn, enjoy, appreciate.

Why does history remember some composers and not others? What is it about the music of some composers that continues to appeal to us?

In this music appreciation course, we will examine the biographical details, historical and social backgrounds, musical styles and great works of composers. Composers include Handel, Haydn, Schubert, Chopin, Brahms, Puccini, Vaughan Williams and George Gershwin – eight more of the greatest composers of classical music.

Aims

This course aims to enhance your understanding and appreciation of classical music, by introducing you to the lives and music of some more of the greatest composers of all time: who they were, what they were trying to achieve, and what makes their music so wonderful.

Outcomes

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• list some great composers of classical music
• list some examples of compositions of great composers, and describe their place in the composer’s output
• describe some of the features of the development of classical music.

Content

Handel

• The Baroque Period: historical and social background.
• Handel’s life: Germany, Italy, England.
• Handel’s Musical Style.
• Listening includes: Messiah, Fireworks Music, Water Music, Zadok the Priest.

Haydn

• The Classical Period: historical and social background.
• Haydn’s life: Rohrau, Vienna, the Esterházy family, London.<