Course Description
Summary
In this course we will explore the musical, intellectual and artistic world of Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971), one of the most exciting artists of the 20th century, and a composer whose range of interests and influences connected him to five hundred years of music and to many of the dominant artistic figures of his own time. We will watch videos of his principal operas and some of the ballets created to his music, as well as documentaries about his life. We will read about him in his own words and in the words of biographers, chroniclers and detractors. We will trace the influences on his early music and we will see how he continued to absorb influences throughout his life, "collaborating" with composers as diverse as Machaut, Gesualdo, Pergolesi, Bach, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Verdi, Debussy, Satie, Schoenberg and Webern. We will also trace his influence in current music.
Homework will be extensive and will include readings, listening assignments, brief in-class presentations, journals, and papers. A background in music theory and history are not required, provided that a student is ready to explore the
subject in depth.
