(file last updated: [8/10/1998 - 15:26:44])
Undergraduate Concentration
The Department of Music offersa broad-based undergraduate concentration that combines the studyof history, theory, composition, and performance. The core ofthe program consists of two years of theory (with associated labsthat provide further training in the musicianship skills necessaryfor all musical endeavors) and three semesters in the historyof Western music. The remaining courses are electives, givingstudents flexibility to shape the program in accordance with theirinterests. Qualified students may elect to do the PerformanceProgram in addition to the concentration.
Graduate Program in Music
The department offers graduateprograms in three areas: Composition and Theory, Musicology, andPerformance. The department also offers, in conjunction with theProgram in Women's Studies, a joint M.F.A. in music and women'sstudies.
Composition and Theory
The department offers threedegree programs in composition and theory: M.A. (normally oneyear), M.F.A. (normally three years), and Ph.D. (normally oneor more years following the completion of M.F.A. requirements).The programs are designed to help students develop a command ofthe craft of composition. That objective is supported by studiesin theory and analysis and in electro-acoustic music.
Musicology
The department offers threedegree programs in musicology: M.A. (normally one year), M.F.A.(normally two years), and Ph.D. (normally one or more years followingthe completion of M.F.A. requirements). The programs offer anintegrated approach to the understanding of the nature, structuralbasis, and historical development of music. Students may electto emphasize or concentrate in music history, or in theory andanalysis. In the music history program, a variety of techniquesand methodologies, including source studies, style development,and historiography, are applied to different repertories and historicalproblems. The theory and analysis program features work in thehistory of theory as well as analytic work in the context of theoryconstruction involving the evaluation of pretonal, tonal, andcontemporary analytic models. Courses consist of proseminars andseminars: proseminars survey an array of topics illustrating therepresentative avenues of research and methodological approacheswhile seminars typically concentrate on a single topic.
Performance
The department offers an Artist'sdiploma in instrumental performance. The Artist's diploma is aone-year program of study for the young professional instrumentalistperformer (or chamber ensemble). It provides an opportunity forfurther work in preparation for entering competitions, auditionsand/or further graduate work, in the context of a strong graduatemusic department.
Music and Women's Studies
The department offers an interdisciplinaryprogram in women's studies and music, leading to a joint M.F.A.in music and women's studies. Topics include feminist theory,gender studies, cultural history, and the investigation of workby and about women.
Before admission to the concentration,candidates will normally pass MUS 101a and b, with accompanyinglabs MUS 102a and b, preferably during their first year, witha grade of B or higher, and must demonstrate competence at thekeyboard.
Instruction under the basicpiano program is offered for those who are deficient at the keyboard.The required proficiency must normally be demonstrated by theend of the sophomore year. No fee is charged for this instructionand no credit is granted.
The general requirements foradmission to the Graduate School, as specified in an earlier sectionof this Bulletin, apply to candidates for admission tothis area of study. Students are advised to submit scores on theGraduate Record Examinations. Applications received after thedeadline will be considered on a rolling basis until the programis filled.
Applicants for study in compositionand theory are required to submit evidence of qualificationin the form of examples of original work in musical compositionand advanced work in musical theory; they must also take a departmentalwritten test in basic musicianship and analysis. Applicants foradmission in musicology should submit examples of theirprose writing on music. Musicology applicants wishing to specializein theory and analysis should also submit examples of advancedwork in musical theory. Applicants for the Artist's diplomashould arrange for an audition. Audition repertoire should compriseof three works of contrasting style.
Admission is granted for oneacademic year at a time. Readmission will be refused in caseswhere students have not demonstrated a capacity for acceptablegraduate work.
Eric Chasalow, Chair
Composition. Analysis. Electronicmusic.
Martin Boykan, GraduateAdvisor (Composition)
Composition. Analysis.
Eric Chafe
Music of Monteverdi. Bach.Wagner. Seventeenth century. Postromantic music. Analysis.
Judith Eissenberg
Violin, Lydian String Quartet.Chamber music performance and analysis.
Neal Hampton
Director, Brandeis Orchestra.Jazz history.
Allan Keiler
Nineteenth-century music. Theoryand analysis. Beethoven.
Robert Marshall, GraduateAdvisor (Musicology)
Music of J.S. Bach. Mozart.Eighteenth century.
Sarah Mead
Director, Brandeis UniversityEarly Music Ensembles.
Bob Nieske
Director, Jazz Ensemble. Jazzimprovisation and composition.
James Olesen
Chorus. Chamber Choir. Director,performance activities.
Jessie Ann Owens, GraduateAdvisor (Women's Studies)
Renaissance music. Historyof theory. Analysis.
David Rakowski, UndergraduateAdvising Head
Composition. Theory and analysis.
Mary Ruth Ray
Viola, Lydian String Quartet.Director, Performance Program.
Rhonda Rider
Cello, Lydian String Quartet.Director, Artist Diploma Program.
Daniel Stepner
Violin, Lydian String Quartet.Performance and analysis.
Yehudi Wyner
Composition. Performance andanalysis.
A.Concentrators take 12 semester courses.
Theory (six semesters):Mus 101a and 101b (with associated lab MUS 102a and b), and MUS103a and 103b (with associated lab MUS 104a and b). Placementat the appropriate level is by an examination given at the beginningof the semester. Students may exempt any portion of this sequenceby examination.
History (three semesters):MUS 121a, MUS 122b,MUS 123b.
Electives (three semesters):Any courses numbered above 20, however MUS 111a and b (PrivateInstruction for Instrumentalists), or 112a and b (Private Lessons:Voice), may be taken once only for concentration credit. ANTH62a may be taken as an elective for the concentration or minorin music.
Alternate programs:At any time prior to the completion of the junior year, the studentmay, in consultation with his or her advisor, submit an alternateproposal for the completion of the concentration. Such proposalswill be considered by the department on the basis of their coherenceand appropriateness to specific goals.
B.All concentrators in music are required to participate in oneof the faculty-supervised performance activities of the musicdepartment (such as Early Music Ensemble, Orchestra, Chorus, ChamberChoir) with or without credit, as the student chooses, and inMusic Colloquium. In addition, solo recitals may be given by students.
C.Additional requirements for candidates for degrees with distinction:To be eligible for honors in music, candidates must demonstratesuperior ability through their overall record and a capacity forindependent thought beyond the limits of their course program(such as a written thesis, an approved project in original composition,or a senior recital).
Performance Program
The performance program isavailable to qualified music concentrators by audition (normallyat the end of the first year). The requirements are:
A.Completion of all concentration requirements.
B.Two additional electives concerned primarily with issues of performance,to be approved by the Director of the Performance Program. (MUS10a and b through MUS 15a and b and MUS 111a and b and MUS 112aand b may not be used as electives for the Performance Program.)
C.Private lessons and ensemble.
D.Recitals in the junior (MUS 117a and b) and senior year (MUS 118aand b). The recital in the senior year may be taken as 99d (SeniorProject) by petition.
The minor in music consistsof the equivalent of six semester courses:
A.Theory (MUS 101a and b, with accompanying labs MUS 102a and b).
B.History: Two courses from among MUS 121a, MUS 122b, and MUS 123b.
C.Any additional course numbered higher than 20.
A.Four courses (two per semester), of which two are MUS 299a andb (Individual Research and Advanced Work), taken with a memberof the Lydian String Quartet or other performance faculty, addressingtopics such as pedagogical and coaching techniques, orchestralconducting, contemporary string techniques, early music performance,and performance practice; and two are graduate-level proseminarsor seminars in music history, analysis, or theory.
B.Lessons and chamber music coaching with the Lydian String Quartet(20 hours a semester).
C.Two full-length concerts, one a solo recital, the other a solorecital or chamber music concert.
D.One year of residency.
E.Attendance at departmental colloquia.
Composition and Theory
A.Six courses at the graduate level: seminars in composition, proseminarsin tonal writing; proseminars and seminars in tonal and nontonalanalysis.
B.Satisfy the language requirement in one language (French, German,or Italian, or another language by petition).
C.A composition that is begun during the first semester, completedin time to be performed in the spring graduate composers' concert.
D.One year of residency.
E.Attendance at departmental colloquia.
Musicology
A.Six courses at the graduate level: proseminars and seminars inmusicology (including an array of courses in different historicalperiods, in music analysis, and in history of theory).
B.Satisfy the language requirement in French or German.
C.A seminar paper written during the first semester, expanded withindependent supervision of a faculty member during the secondsemester.
D.One year of residency.
E.Attendance at departmental colloquia.
Composition and Theory
A.Sixteen courses at the graduate level: proseminars and seminarsin composition, seminars in tonal and non-tonal analysis, a coursein electro-acoustic music (or demonstrate a proficiency), anda proseminar in music history or its equivalent.
B.Satisfy the language requirement in one language (French, German,or Italian, or another language by petition).
C.Examinations: Demonstration of competence by means of a portfolioreview and written general examination at the end of both thesecond and third years of study (at the discretion of the faculty,in exceptional cases, a student may be allowed to waive the examat the end of the third year).
D.Thesis: An original composition, the scope to be approved by thefaculty in composition.
E.Two years of residency.
F.Attendance at departmental colloquia.
Musicology
A.Twelve courses at the graduate level: proseminars and seminarsin musicology (including an array of courses in different historicalperiods, in music analysis, and in history of theory).
B.Satisfy the language requirement in French and German. Studentsmay substitute a language other than French by petition. The Germanrequirement should be satisfied in the first year.
C.Thesis: Either a thesis that is an analytical or historical studyof a topic acceptable to the music faculty or revised copies oftwo seminar papers that have been certified by the seminar instructorand at least one other faculty member as demonstrating a highdegree of competence in research writing. Two copies of the thesismust be submitted to the department chair in final form no laterthat December 1 for a February degree, or April 1 for a May degree.
D.Two years of residency.
E.Attendance at departmental colloquia.
A.WMNS 205a or another course designated as a foundational course.
B.Two courses at the graduate level listed as electives in women'sstudies, one in music, and one from another department.
C.Two courses at the graduate level in the music department.
D.Participation in the Women's Studies Colloquium Series.
E.Attendance at departmental colloquia.
F.Thesis: An analytical or historical study of a topic with a women'sstudies focus, approved by the program advisor and the Women'sStudies Graduate Committee; the thesis can be a chapter of a dissertation,an expanded and revised seminar paper, or other substantial study;the thesis is certified by the program advisor and at least oneother faculty member. Two copies of the thesis must be submittedto the department chair in final form no later than December 1for a February degree, or April 1 for a May degree.
Composition and Theory
A.Satisfactory completion of requirements for the M.F.A. in Compositionand Theory.
B.Two semesters of MUS 401d (Dissertation Research).
C.Three years of residency.
D.Examination: Oral qualifying examination.
E.Dissertation: An original musical composition and a thesis ona theoretical or analytical subject. Two copies of the thesis,as well as an abstract not to exceed 350 words in length, shouldbe submitted to the department or committee chair no later thanDecember 1 for a February degree, or March 1 for a May degree,of the academic year in which the Ph.D. degree is to be conferred.Upon completion of the thesis, the candidate is expected to defendit in a Final Oral Examination. The faculty in composition attemptsto arrange for the performance of dissertation compositions wheneverpossible.
F.Attendance at departmental colloquia.
Musicology
A.Satisfactory completion of all requirements for the M.F.A. exceptthe thesis.
B.Examination: At the end of the second year, candidates must demonstratecompetence by means of a written general examination.
C.Three years of residency.
D.Four courses at the graduate level, normally MUS 401d (DissertationResearch), or other courses as recommended by the faculty.
E.Dissertation proposal: 15-20 page prospectus of the dissertationdeveloped in consultation with the dissertation advisor and presentedto the faculty for their approval, no later than the end of thethird year of residency.
F.Dissertation on a historical, theoretical, or analytical subject.Two copies of the doctoral dissertation, as well as an abstractof the dissertation not to exceed 350 words in length, shouldbe submitted to the department or committee chair no later thanDecember 1 for a February degree, or March 1 for a May degree,of the academic year in which the Ph.D. degree is to be conferred.
Dissertations should demonstratethe competence of the candidate as an independent investigator,his or her critical ability, and effectiveness of expression.Upon completion of the dissertation, the candidate is expectedto defend it in a Final Oral Examination.
G.Attendance at departmental colloquia.
Master's Degree
Students may normally holdonly one master's degree in the department. For example, a studentwho earns the joint M.F.A. degree in music and women's studiesmay not apply for the M.F.A. in musicology.
Language Requirements
Language examinations to testreading proficiency are administered by the music department.Students will be asked to translate several passages with theaid of a dictionary. Foreign language course credits do not inthemselves constitute fulfillment of the language requirements.Examinations will be offered twice during the academic year (normallyin September and February). In case of failure, an examinationmay be taken more than once.
Instrumental Proficiency
At least moderate proficiencyat the piano is required of all candidates for advanced degrees.
MUS 1a Introduction to Music
[ ca ]
Enrollment limited to 175.
A general introduction to thematerials and forms of music, and a study of musical literature.Training in analytical listening, based on selected listeningassignments. Open to nonconcentrators who are assumed to havelittle or no previous knowledge of music. Usually offered everyyear.
Staff
MUS 2a The Western Traditionas Seen through Chamber Music
[ ca ]
The focus will be on the stringquartet and music for strings and keyboard. Key works from theBaroque through recent music will be performed, examined, andplaced in cultural context. Composers represented will includeBach, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Debussy,Ravel, Stravinsky, Schonberg, and Ives. Usually offered everyyear.
Lydian String Quartet and Mr.Wyner
MUS 5a Fundamentals of Music
[ ca ]
Signature of the instructorrequired.
For the general student withno musical background. Two hours a week will be devoted to thenotation of music, including scales, intervals, keys, triads,rhythm, and meter. The third hour will be devoted to sightsingingand dictation. Reading knowledge of music is not required; a placementexam to be given before the first day of instruction is required.Usually offered every year.
Staff
MUS 5b Introduction to Theoryand Musicianship
[ ca ]
Signature of the instructorrequired.
For the student who alreadypossesses some reading knowledge of music. Two hours a week willbe devoted to elementary harmony and counterpoint. The third hourwill be devoted to sightsinging and dictation. A placement examto be given before the first day of instruction is required. Usuallyoffered every year.
Staff
MUS 10a Early Music Ensembles
(Formerly MUS 95c)
Offered exclusively on acredit/no credit basis. Signature of the instructor required.Admission by the consent of the instructor based on an audition.Instrumental and/or vocal experience, and competency in sight-readingrequired. Two semester hours credit. A maximum of four coursecredits will be allowed for all enrollments in Ensemble (10a,b-15a,b)alone or Lessons and Ensemble together. May be undertaken as anextracurricular, noncredit activity.
Examines the performance ofmusic written before 1750. A large collection of historical instrumentsis available for student use and instruction. Solo, ensemble,and one-on-a-part opportunities. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Mead
MUS 10b Early Music Ensembles
(Formerly MUS 95c)
[ cl30 ]
Continuation of MUS 10a. SeeMUS 10a for special notes and course description. Usually offeredevery year.
Ms. Mead
MUS 11a Chamber Choir
(Formerly MUS 95c)
Offered exclusively on acredit/no credit basis. Signature of the instructor required.Vocal experience and sight-reading skill required. Two semesterhours credit. A maximum of four course credits will be allowedfor all enrollments in Ensemble (10a,b-15a,b) alone or Lessonsand Ensemble together. May be undertaken as an extracurricular,noncredit activity.
Explores unusual repertory,Bach cantatas, 17th-century oratorios, 16th-century motets andmadrigals, 19th-century lieder, and 20th-century works. Singersprepare independently outside of scheduled rehearsals. Opportunitiesfor one-on-a-part ensemble singing and solo works. Usually offeredevery year.
Mr. Olesen
MUS 11b Chamber Choir
(Formerly MUS 95c)
Continuation of MUS 11a. SeeMUS 11a for special notes and course description. Usually offeredevery year.
Mr. Olesen
MUS 12a University Chorus
(Formerly MUS 95c)
Offered exclusively on acredit/no credit basis. Signature of the instructor required.Admission by the consent of the instructor based on an audition.Two semester hours credit. A maximum of four course credits willbe allowed for all enrollments in Ensemble (10a,b-15a,b) aloneor Lessons and Ensemble together. May be undertaken as an extracurricular,noncredit activity.
Performs in concert great literaturefrom the 16th to the 20th centuries. Aspects of singing, musicianshipskills, and ensemble building are emphasized. Usually offeredevery year.
Mr. Olesen
MUS 12b University Chorus
(Formerly MUS 95c)
Continuation of MUS 12a. SeeMUS 12a for special notes and course description. Usually offeredevery year.
Mr. Olesen
MUS 13a Jazz Ensemble
(Formerly MUS 95c)
Offered exclusively on acredit/no credit basis. Signature of the instructor required.Admission by the consent of the instructor based on an audition.Two semester hours credit. A maximum of four course credits willbe allowed for all enrollments in Ensemble (10a,b-15a,b) aloneor Lessons and Ensemble together. May be undertaken as an extracurricular,noncredit activity.
This 18-piece ensemble rehearsesone evening a week and performs (published and original big bandarrangements) at Brandeis and other area colleges. All participatingmusicians are encouraged to write for the ensemble. Usually offeredevery year.
Mr. Nieske
MUS 13b Jazz Ensemble
(Formerly MUS 95c)
Continuation of MUS 13a. SeeMUS 13a for special notes and course description. Usually offeredevery year.
Mr. Nieske
MUS 14a Orchestra
(Formerly MUS 95c)
Offered exclusively on acredit/no credit basis. Signature of the instructor required.Admission by the consent of the instructor based on an auditionbefore the director of the orchestra. Two semester hours credit.A maximum of four course credits will be allowed for all enrollmentsin Ensemble (10a,b-15a,b) alone or Lessons and Ensemble together.May be undertaken as an extracurricular, noncredit activity.
The ensemble gives severalconcerts each year, sometimes joining with the chorus to performlarge-scale works. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Hampton
MUS 14b Orchestra
(Formerly MUS 95c)
Continuation of MUS 14a. SeeMUS 14a for special notes and course description. Usually offeredevery year.
Mr. Hampton
MUS 15a Wind Ensemble
(Formerly MUS 95c)
Offered exclusively on acredit/no credit basis. Signature of the instructor required.Admission by the consent of the instructor based on an auditionbefore the director of the orchestra. Two semester hours credit.A maximum of four course credits will be allowed for all enrollmentsin Ensemble (10a,b-15a,b) alone or Lessons and Ensemble together.May be undertaken as an extracurricular, noncredit activity.
The Wind Ensemble gives oneto two concerts a semester. Members of the Wind Ensemble may beasked to play with the orchestra as needed for large-scale works.Usually offered every year.
Mr. Hampton
MUS 15b Wind Ensemble
(Formerly MUS 95c)
Continuation of MUS 15a. SeeMUS 15a for special notes and course description. Usually offeredevery year.
Mr. Hampton
MUS 32b Everybody Singsthe Blues: A Jazz Survey
(Formerly MUS 192b)
[ ca ]
This course may not be repeatedfor credit by students who have taken MUS 192b in previous years.
The history of jazz is examinedby exploring the various incarnations of the blues idiom throughoutjazz's history. Aural and written examinations in addition toa final paper will be required. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Hampton
MUS 38a A History of Musicin the United States
[ ca ]
Exploration of the tensionsbetween folk, popular, and cultivated traditions. Course willfocus on select repertories, beginning with New England psalmsinging from the 18th century and closing with musical theater,jazz, and art composers from the 1920s and 1930s. Usually offeredin odd years.
Staff
MUS 42a The Music of JohannSebastian Bach
[ cl2 ca]
The originality and magnitudeof Bach's achievement will be measured in reference to the musicaland cultural traditions he inherited. Representative works foreach genre will be discussed to uncover the elements of Bach'sindividual style and the nature of his genius. Usually offeredin odd years.
Mr. Chafe
MUS 45a Beethoven
[ cl9 ca]
A study of the most influentialmusician in the history of Western civilization. Although attentionis given to his place in society, emphasis falls on an examinationof representative works drawn from the symphonies, concertos,chamber music, and solo piano works. Usually offered in odd years.
Mr. Keiler
MUS 51b The Symphony
[ ca ]
Enrollment limited to 35.
The course's purpose is toexamine a major genre of Western classical music--the symphony.By analyzing representative masterpieces, students will acquirean understanding of the development of musical style in the Classic,Romantic, and Modern periods. Usually offered in even years.
Ms. Owens
MUS 53a Music for the Ballet
[ ca ]
Enrollment limited to 35.
Focuses on a series of masterpiecesin the ballet repertoire from the romantic era to around 1970.Emphasizes ballet schools and styles, including the music of composerssuch as Tchaikovsky, Debussy, Stravinsky, Ravel, Prokofiev, Copland,Chopin, and Schumann, and choreographers such as Bournonville,Petipa, Ivanov, Nijinsky, Balanchine, and Graham. Usually offeredevery third year. Last offered in the fall of 1996.
Mr. Chafe
MUS 56b Romanticism andMusic
[ cl23 cl43ca ]
The expressive and stylisticdimensions of Romanticism as a musical movement in the 19th century.Topics include Wagnerian music drama, the relation of poetry tomusic in the works of Schumann, Berlioz, and Liszt, the rootsof Romanticism in Beethoven's music as well as its aftermath andflowering in the 20th century. Usually offered in odd years.
Mr. Keiler
MUS 57a Music and Culture:From Romanticism to the Modern Era
[ cl23 ca]
Beginning with a considerationof the meaning of Romanticism and its manifestation in the stylesof several major composers, the course will center on the variouscomposers and aesthetic movements of the period before World WarI. Usually offered in odd years.
Mr. Chafe
MUS 58b Construction ofGender in Opera
[ ca ]
Enrollment limited to 20.
We consider the constructionof gender in a representative selection of operas from the 17thcentury to the present. Drawing on the new methodologies of feministmusicology, we explore the representations of men and women andtheir roles in society. Usually offered in even years.
Ms. Owens
MUS 97a Independent Projects
(formerly MUS 97c)
Signature of the instructorrequired. This course yields half-course credit and is normallyopen only to music concentrators in their junior and senior years.May be taken twice for credit if no undue duplication of contentis involved.
Reserved for projects suchas directed readings, preparation of a work for performance, orinternships that do not require written work (papers or compositions).Usually offered every year.
Staff
MUS 97b Independent Projects
(formerly MUS 97c)
Signature of the instructorrequired. This course yields half-course credit and is normallyopen only to music concentrators in their junior and senior years.May be taken twice for credit if no undue duplication of contentis involved.
Reserved for projects suchas directed readings, preparation of a work for performance, orinternships that do not require written work (papers or compositions).Usually offered every year.
Staff
MUS 98a Directed IndependentStudy
Signature of the instructorrequired. Open to qualified undergraduates.
One-semester course with onesemester credit. Requires written work such as a historical oranalytical essay, preparation of a critical edition, or the creationof an original musical composition. Usually offered every year.
Staff
MUS 98b Directed IndependentStudy
Signature of the instructorrequired. Open to qualified undergraduates.
One-semester course with onesemester credit. Requires written work such as a historical oranalytical essay, preparation of a critical edition, or the creationof an original musical composition. Usually offered every year.
Staff
MUS 99d Senior Project
Signature of the instructorrequired.
A full-year course with twosemester course credits. Open to seniors with a grade point averagein music of 3.00 or above. Admission by petition. May involvea thesis, musical performance, or composition. In all cases, itmust produce written work. Usually offered every year.
Staff
Except in the rarest circumstances,graduate credit is not allowed for courses numbered below MUS185.
MUS 101a Theory and MusicianshipI: Part 1
[ ca ]
Admission by placement examto be given during the first day of instruction. Corequisite:MUS 102a. Signature of the instructor required.
A first course for studentswho already read music, but wish to develop a deeper involvement.Students investigate how music "works" by composingexercises based on examples of tonal music and literature thatstudents are practicing for performance. Focuses on elementaryharmony and voice-leading, counterpoint, analysis, and model composition.In the required one-hour lab (MUS 102a) students practice sight-singingand dictation, skills essential to music literacy. Usually offeredevery year.
Mr. Rakowski
MUS 101b Theory and MusicianshipI: Part 2
[ ca ]
Prerequisite: MUS 101a.Corequisite: MUS 102b. Signature of the instructor required.
The second semester introducesbroad concepts of theory and begins the process of learning towrite and analyze music. By the end of the year students willgain experience in counterpoint, harmony, and formal analysis.Throughout the year the relationship of repertoire and theoryis stressed. The ear-training and keyboard lab meets separately.Usually offered every year.
Mr. Rakowski
MUS 102a Theory and MusicianshipLab I: Part 1
Corequisite: MUS 101a. Enrollmentlimited to 10.
Designed to help students developessential music literary skills. Beginning sight-singing, simplemelodic and harmonic dictation rhythmic studies. Materials drawnfrom the corequisite lecture course. Keyboard harmony. Usuallyoffered every year.
Staff
MUS 102b Theory and MusicianshipLab I: Part 2
Corequisite: MUS 101b. Enrollmentlimited to 10.
See MUS 102a for course description.Usually offered every year.
Staff
MUS 103a Theory and MusicianshipII: Part 1
(Formerly MUS 162a)
[ ca ]
Prerequisite: MUS 101a,band 102a,b. Corequisite: MUS 104a. Enrollment limited to 20. Thiscourse may not be repeated for credit by students who have takenMUS 162a in previous years.
This course builds on MUS 101.New topics include chromatic harmony and an introduction to 20th-centurytechniques. More extended tonal composition. Usually offered everyyear.
Mr. Chasalow
MUS 103b Theory and MusicianshipII: Part 2
(Formerly MUS 162b)
[ ca ]
Prerequisite: MUS 103b.Corequisite: MUS 104b. Enrollment limited to 20. This course maynot be repeated for credit by students who have taken MUS 162bin previous years.
A continuation of MUS 103a.Usually offered every year.
Mr. Chasalow
MUS 104a Theory and MusicianshipLab II: Part 1
Prerequisite: MUS 101a,band 103a,b. Corequisite: MUS 103a. Enrollment limited to 10.
A continuation of MUS 102.More advanced exercises in sight-singing and dictation. Keyboardharmony. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Chasalow
MUS 104b Theory and MusicianshipLab II: Part 2
Prerequisite: MUS 104a.Corequisite: MUS 103b. Enrollment limited to 10.
A continuation of MUS 104a.Usually offered every year.
Mr. Chasalow
MUS 105a Advanced Harmonyand Counterpoint: Part 1
(Formerly MUS 164a)
[ ca ]
Prerequisite: MUS 104b orpermission of the instructor. Enrollment limited to 15.
Advanced harmony and counterpoint.Working of tonal forms. Analysis. Offered on request.
Mr. Wyner
MUS 105b Advanced Harmonyand Counterpoint: Part 2
(Formerly MUS 164b)
[ ca ]
Prerequisite: MUS 105a orpermission of the instructor.
A continuation of MUS 105a.Offered on request.
Mr. Wyner
MUS 106a Undergraduate Composition
(Formerly MUS 192a)
[ ca ]
Offered exclusively on acredit/no credit basis. Signature of the instructor required.
Students are introduced toa variety of compositional issues by writing five or six shortpieces and one longer project. Concurrently, pertinent examplesfrom the 20th-century classical repertoire will be discussed.Usually offered in odd years.
Mr. Rakowski
MUS 107a Introduction toElectro-Acoustic Music
(Formerly MUS 195a)
[ cl5 ca]
Prerequisite: Any musiccourse or permission of the instructor. Signature of the instructorrequired.
A course designed to give studentsbasic studio skills and a context for listening to and workingin electronic music. Topics include basic acoustics, sound design,digital and analog recording techniques, and assignments on thepioneers and current practitioners of electro-acoustic music.Hands-on experience in the use of MIDI-controlled synthesizers,samplers, and production equipment. Individual studio projectsbased on individual studio time. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Chasalow
MUS 110b The AuthenticityQuestion: Applying Historical Performance Practices
[ cl30 ca]
Prerequisite: MUS 5b or101b. Signature of the instructor required.
Explores the implications ofhistorically informed performance in Western music of the 16thand 17th centuries. Through study of early instrumental and vocalpedagogy, period instruments, ensembles and editions, studentswill discover how historical context influences our perceptionof music. Course will include field trips to historical instrumentworkshops. Usually offered in even years.
Ms. Mead
MUS 111a Private Instructionfor Instrumentalists
(Formerly MUS 111c)
Offered exclusively on acredit/no credit basis and yields half-course credit. Signatureof the instructor required. Admission by the consent of the instructorbased on an audition. Students registering for 111a must alsoregister for a departmental Ensemble (10a,b-15a,b,or 116a,b);111a may NOT be taken alone. A maximum of four course creditswill be allowed for all enrollments in Ensemble (10a,b-15a,b)alone or Lessons and Ensemble together. One credit may be appliedtoward the concentration and minor in music. Studio fee: No feefor concentrators; approximately $500 for non-concentrators. Limitedfinancial aid available.
Instrumentalists will take10, one-hour, private lessons per semester in the field of earlymusic, jazz, or classical training while participating in a departmentalensemble on that instrument. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Ray
MUS 111b Private Instructionfor Instrumentalists
(Formerly MUS 111c)
Continuation of MUS 111a. SeeMUS 111a for special notes and course description. Usually offeredevery year.
Ms. Ray
MUS 112a Private Lessons:Voice
(Formerly MUS 112c)
Offered exclusively on acredit/no credit basis and yields half-course credit. Signatureof the instructor required. Admission by the consent of the instructorbased on an audition. Students registering for 112a,b must alsoregister for 11a,b, 12a,b, or by special arrangement 10a,b; 112amay NOT be taken alone. A maximum of four course credits willbe allowed for all enrollments in Ensemble (10a,b-15a,b) aloneor Lessons and Ensemble together. One credit may be applied towardthe concentration and minor in music. Studio fee: No fee for concentrators;approximately $500 for non-concentrators. Limited financial aidavailable.
Voice students will take 10,one-hour, private lessons per semester. Fundamental skills ofbreathing, resonating, and relaxing will be taught along withrepertory appropriate to the individual student. A 10-minute juryis required in second semester. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Oleson
MUS 112b Private Lessons:Voice
(Formerly MUS 112c)
Continuation of MUS 112a. SeeMUS 112a for special notes and course description. Usually offeredevery year.
Mr. Oleson
MUS 113a Introduction toConducting
[ ca ]
Prerequisite: MUS 103a,b;104a,b; and proficiency on an instrument or as a singer. Corequisite:Participation in departmental ensemble. Signature of the instructorrequired.
A minimum of five studentsis necessary. Score reading, score study and analysis, conductingtechnique, and conducting in class make up the curriculum of thiscourse. Usually offered in odd years.
Mr. Olesen
MUS 114a Performance andAnalysis
(Formerly MUS 199b)
[ ca ]
Admission by the consentof the instructor based on an audition tape. Preference givento formed groups. Signature of the instructor required. This coursemay not be repeated for credit by students who have taken MUS199b in previous years.
Explores the connection betweenanalyzing a composition and performing it. Does analysis revealsignificant aspects of the music which can inflect, clarify, pace,and color the performance? How is this enhanced understandingand projection achieved? This course is open to competent performersby audition only. Usually offered in odd years.
Mr. Wyner
MUS 116a Chamber Music:Performance and Analysis from the Player's Perspective
(Formerly MUS 16a)
Offered exclusively on acredit/no credit basis. Signature of the instructor required.Admission by the consent of the instructor based on an auditionbefore the Lydian String Quartet. This course yields half-coursecredit. May be repeated for credit. May be undertaken as an extracurricular,noncredit activity.
Applies theoretical knowledgeto music-making through study and performance of chamber musicin masterclass setting. Examines how performance practice, basicstructural analysis and historical context affect interpretation.Individual and ensemble preparation required. Additional ensemblecoaching assigned throughout the course. Usually offered everyyear.
Ms. Eissenberg
MUS 116b Chamber Music:Performance and Analysis from the Player's Perspective
(Formerly MUS 16b)
Continuation of MUS 116a. SeeMUS 116a for special notes and course description. Usually offeredevery year.
Ms. Eissenberg
MUS 117a Junior RecitalI
Signature of the instructorrequired. For music concentrators accepted into the performanceprogram only. Admission by the consent of the instructor basedon an audition. Two semester hours credit. Students may not enrollin MUS 111a,b or MUS 112a,b for credit while enrolled in MUS 117a,b.
Requires the preparation andperformance of a full recital of significant, representative,repertory appropriate to the instrument or voice of the student,including the selecting of repertory for a coherent program. Studentsare expected to demonstrate command of stylistic, technical, andexpressive aspects of the chosen music. Private lessons in supportof recital preparation are provided by department funds. Usuallyoffered every year.
Ms. Ray
MUS 117b Junior RecitalII
Continuation of MUS 117a. SeeMUS 117a for special notes and course description. Usually offeredevery year.
Ms. Ray
MUS 118a Senior RecitalI
Signature of the instructorrequired. For music concentrators accepted into the performanceprogram only. Admission by the consent of the instructor basedon an audition. Two semester hours credit. Students may not enrollin MUS 111a,b or MUS 112a,b for credit while enrolled in MUS 118a,b.
Requires the preparation andperformance of a full recital of significant, representative,repertory appropriate to the instrument or voice of the student,including the selecting of repertory for a coherent program. Studentsare expected to demonstrate command of stylistic, technical, andexpressive aspects of the chosen music. Private lessons in supportof recital preparation are provided by department funds. Usuallyoffered every year.
Ms. Ray
MUS 118b Senior RecitalII
Continuation of MUS 118a. SeeMUS 118a for special notes and course description. Usually offeredevery year.
Ms. Ray
MUS 121a History of Musicto 177
[ ca ]
Prerequisites: MUS 101aand b.
A survey of music history fromGregorian chant and the origins of Western polyphony to the endof the 17th century, considering major styles, composers, genres,and techniques of musical composition from a historical and analyticalperspective. Usually offered in even years.
Mr. Chafe
MUS 122b History of LateBaroque, Classical, and Romantic Music
[ ca ]
Prerequisites: MUS 101aand b.
A survey of music from Vivaldi,Bach, and Handel through the end of the 19th century. Major styles,genres, and techniques of musical composition are discussed froma historical and analytic perspective, based on a study of representativeworks. Usually offered in even years.
Mr. Keiler
MUS 123b History of MusicSince 1900
[ ca ]
Prerequisites: MUS 101aand b.
Surveys music history from1900 to the present, considering major styles, genres, and techniquesof musical composition from a historical and analytical perspective.Styles, techniques, and composers represented include impressionism,serialism, Debussy, Stravinsky, Schoenberg, Bartok, and Babbitt.Usually offered in odd years.
Mr. Rakowski
MUS 150a Women and Music,Past and Present: Style, Identity, Culture
[ ca ]
Enrollment limited to 30.
This course will focus on interactionbetween gender and culture in shaping music and musical life.Topics will be drawn from the following: spirituality (medievalchant, American gospel); sexuality (opera, African-American blues,rap); politics (female orchestras and bands, the "woman-composer");and women and pop music. Usually offered every fourth year. Lastoffered in the fall of 1995.
Staff
MUS 152b Women and AmericanMusical Theater
[ ca ]
Prerequisites: MUS 5b orMUS 101a. Enrollment limited to 40.
A musical and cultural examinationof the American musical, focused on women as characters and stars.The "Golden Age" (1943-1964), selected thirties musicals,Sondheim, racial issues, and other topics are viewed through abroad range of theoretical perspectives.
Ms. Subotnik
MUS 182b Advanced MusicSeminar
(Formerly MUS 182a)
[ ca ]
Prerequisites: MUS 101band MUS 102b. Signature of the instructor required. Primarilyintended for music concentrators and minors in the junior or senioryear.
Historical and/or analyticaland interpretive approaches to the study of selected musical masterworks.Typical topics: the Brahms string quartets; the operas of Verdiand Wagner; Bach cantatas; the 19th-century German lied; Hadynsymphonies. Usually offered in odd years.
Staff
MUS 190a Jazz Composition
[ ca ]
Prerequisites: MUS 101band 102b or permission of the instructor.
Students will learn to writeand arrange pieces for jazz ensembles. Projects will be periodicallyread by the Brandeis University Jazz Ensemble. Topics includethe study of different styles and forms of jazz, especially theblues. Reading and listening assignments introduce the music ofsuch artists as Charlie Parker, Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane,and Billy Holiday. Usually offered in even years.
Mr. Nieske
MUS 199a Chamber Music Workshop
[ ca ]
Prerequisite: Audition tape.Preference given to preformed groups. Signature of the instructorrequired.
An intensive workshop for preprofessionaland adult amateur musicians. Daily rehearsals, master classes,and lecture demonstrations. Student concerts on the weekends.Usually offered every summer.
Lydian String Quartet
MUS 200b Proseminar in MedievalMusic
Broad coverage of the principaltopics and research techniques of medieval music; structure ofthe liturgy, chant notation, oral transmission theory, tropesand sequences, polyphonic notation, and rhythmic modes. Introductionto standard bibliographic tools including editions, facsimiles,microfilms, liturgical books, and reference books. Usually offeredevery third year. Last offered in the fall of 1997.
Staff
MUS 201a Proseminar in Musicof the Renaissance
An introduction to the fundamentalsof Renaissance musical language. Investigation of selected topicsin Renaissance musicology, such as editorial methods, archivalresearch, printed and manuscript sources, historiography, andanalytical approaches to Renaissance music. Usually offered ineven years.
Ms. Owens
MUS 202b Proseminar in Musicof the Baroque
Selected topics in the musicof the 17th and early 18th centuries. Sample topics: Monteverdioperas; tonality in 17th-century music; Bach and theology; thebeginnings of music criticism in the 18th century. Usually offeredevery third year. Last offered in the fall of 1990.
Mr. Chafe
MUS 204b Proseminar in Musicof the Eighteenth Century
In addition to tracing theevolution of the principal genres (e.g., sonata, symphony, stringquartet, opera buffa, opera seria), the course assesses the historicalposition of the major figures from Bach and Handel to Mozart andHaydn. Particular emphasis is placed on understanding the phenomenonof the "style shift" from baroque to classical style.Usually offered in odd years.
Mr. Marshall
MUS 205a Proseminar in Musicof the Nineteenth Century
A broad study of the principalstylistic developments and musical genres of the 19th century.Topics include significance of Beethoven on the musical thinkingof the 19th century, the rise of national schools of composition,especially opera, and program music and its aesthetic and compositionalbases. Usually offered every third year. Last offered in the fallof 1992.
Mr. Keiler
MUS 206b Proseminar in theMusic of the Twentieth Century
An examination of the musicof the 20th century from a variety of viewpoints: historical,theoretical, and analytical. Topics include several of the following:tonality and atonality in Germany and Austria, 1899-1923; 12-tonemusic and serialism; the French and Russian avant-garde; neo-classicism;experimental music in America; minimalism, neo-Romanticism, andeclecticism and recent music. Usually offered every fourth year.Last offered in the spring of 1991.
Staff
MUS 207a Seminar: Musicand Meaning
The problem of meaning hasreemerged as a central concern in musicology. Contemporary approachesto musical meaning in which interdisciplinary connections areemphasized will be considered. Possible topics of study includenarratology, hermeneutics, gender studies, psychoanalytic approachesto biography and musical content, and the work of Peter Kivy.Changes in attitudes toward musical meanings which have occurredin the 19th and 20th centuries will also be explored. Usuallyoffered in even years.
Mr. Keiler
MUS 208b Problems in CulturalHistoriography
Readings and discussion inthe history of historiographical theory as well as contemporaryissues in historiography as applied to musicology. Topics wouldinclude hermeneutics, structuralism, and post-structuralist theory,reception history, and applied psychoanalysis as it relates tohistorical themes and to biography. Usually offered in odd years.
Mr. Keiler
MUS 209a Seminar in Psychoanalysisand Biography: The Psychoanalytic Study of the Artist
The foundations of psychoanalytictheory in its contribution to the understanding of the artist.Topics include the relation of the artist to his work as seenfrom the perspective of psychoanalysis and creativity and thecreative process. In addition to the pioneering work of Freud,Rank, and Kris, more contemporary issues in psychoanalytic theory,for example, ego psychology, are explored. The possible directionsof applied psychoanalysis for musicology are considered. Usuallyoffered every fourth year. Last offered in the fall of 1990.
Mr. Keiler
MUS 210a Seminar in Musicof the Middle Ages
Usually offered in even years.
Staff
MUS 212a Seminar: AnalyzingEarly Music (1300-1600)
An investigation of analyticapproaches to pre-tonal music, including such issues as text-musicrelations, tonal structures, compositional planning, exegesis,use of pre-existing material. Usually offered in even years.
Ms. Owens
MUS 213b Seminar in Musicof the Renaissance
An investigation of a selectedtopic in Renaissance music. Usually offered in even years.
Ms. Owens
MUS 214b Seminar: BaroqueTopics
An in-depth investigation ofone selected topic in baroque music. Topics include the Monteverdimadrigals, 17th-century instrumental music, and the Bach Passions.The methodology employed varies according to the subject; emphasisis given to more recent research in most cases. Usually offeredevery third year. Last offered in the spring of 1992.
Mr. Chafe
MUS 215b Seminar: The BachSources
Investigation of problems raisedor illuminated by the early and original sources of the musicof J.S. Bach. Typical issues involve the chronology, authenticity,versions, and compositional origins of particular works, the implicationsof Bach's notational habits for editorial methods, and policyand for historical performance practice. Usually offered in evenyears.
Mr. Marshall
MUS 216a Seminar: Topicsin Bach Interpretation
The interpretation of the musicof J.S. Bach. Selected topics may include the Bach Passions, Bach'searly cantatas, the Leipzig cantata cycles, Bach's instrumentalcycles. Usually offered every third year. Last offered in thespring of 1997.
Mr. Chafe
MUS 217a Seminar: RecentDevelopments in Mozart Research
Assesses the current stateof the several areas of Mozart research: biography, source studies,work analysis, performance practice, and the composer's music-historicalposition in the development of the "classical style."Usually offered every third year. Last offered in the fall of1990.
Mr. Marshall
MUS 218b Seminar in theMusic of the Nineteenth Century
A detailed exploration of onehistorical, analytical, or stylistic issue of current significanceto 19th-century musicology. Topics included the two versions ofVerdi's Simon Boccanegra and cyclic organization in the song cyclesof Robert Schumann. Usually offered every fourth year. Last offeredin the spring of 1991.
Mr. Keiler
MUS 219a Seminar: Wagner
This seminar will study oneof Wagner's major works in depth and from a variety of approaches:analytical questions; the sketches and drafts; Wagner's writings.Special emphasis will be given to Wagner's Schopenhauerian aesthetics.Usually offered in even years.
Mr. Chafe
MUS 220a Seminar: The GermanPost-Romantic Period
This course will study topicsdrawn from the period between 1860 and 1914. Topics may includeMahler's songs and symphonies, the aesthetics of late 19th-centurymusic, the post-Romantic lied with particular emphasis on HugoWolf. Usually offered in odd years.
Mr. Chafe
MUS 221a Proseminar in SchenkerianAnalysis
The systematic study of theapproach to music analysis developed by Heinrich Schenker. Thebasic concepts of diminution, voice leading, prolongation, andstructural level are studied and their significance is appliedto smaller examples as well as the principal longer forms of tonalmusic. The student gradually masters all of the notational techniquesof linear analysis as they are applied to the tonal repertory.Usually offered in even years.
Mr. Keiler
MUS 224a Seminar in MedievalMusic Theory
Usually offered every thirdyear. Last offered in the fall of 1990.
Staff
MUS 225a Seminar: Topicsin the History of Theory to 1700
An investigation of topicsin music theory (including the tonal system, solmization, modality,counterpoint, composition, musica ficta, notation) based on aclose reading of theoretical treatises. Usually offered in oddyears.
Ms. Owens
MUS 226a History and Literatureof Western Music Theory: Baroque to 1850
Usually offered in even years.
Mr. Keiler
MUS 226b History and Literatureof Western Music Theory: 1850 to the Present
Usually offered in even years.
Mr. Keiler
MUS 227a Proseminar in Theoryand Composition
Technical projects in theoryand composition; baroque counterpoint; canon, fugue, and choraleprelude. Usually offered every year.
Staff
MUS 227b Proseminar in Theoryand Composition
Composition in classical formswith particular emphasis on sonata form. Usually offered everyyear.
Staff
MUS 228a Seminar in Twentieth-CenturyTechniques
Written exercises utilizingsome of the newer compositional techniques developed in the 20thcentury. Usually offered in odd years.
Staff
MUS 230a Electro-AcousticMusic Composition
Composing for electronic media.Advanced topics in software synthesis, sound design, studio production.Usually offered in even years.
Mr. Chasalow
MUS 231a Performance andAnalysis
Usually offered in odd years.
Mr. Wyner
MUS 233a Analysis of TonalMusic
Detailed examination of a fewcomplete works of the tonal repertory (from Bach to Brahms). Usuallyoffered in even years.
Staff
MUS 233b Analysis of ExtendedTonal Music
Works in this course are selectedfrom the late 19th and 20th centuries. Composers such as Wagner,Wolf, Debussy, early Schoenberg, Bartok, and Stravinsky. Usuallyoffered in even years.
Staff
MUS 234a Topics in Analysisof Early Twentieth-Century Music
Detailed examination of selectedworks composed between 1908 and 1951. Usually offered in odd years.
Staff
MUS 234b Topics in Analysisof Contemporary Music
Detailed examination of selectedworks since 1951. Usually offered in odd years.
Staff
MUS 235a Topics in Twentieth-CenturyMusic
Studies in 20th-century musicand the revolution in sensibility at the end of the 19th century. Close reading of texts by Stravinsky, Bartok, and the VienneseSchool; also discusses European and American music since WorldWar II. Usually offered in even years.
Mr. Chafe
MUS 246a Stravinsky
Usually offered every fourthyear.
Staff
MUS 270a Seminar in SerialMusic
Twelve-tone procedures in Schoenberg,Webern, and more recent composers. Primarily concerned with therealization of serial technique in specific compositions. Attentionis focused on questions of articulation, phrasing, form, and harmonicdistinction. Usually offered in odd years.
Mr. Boykan
MUS 270b Seminar in SerialMusic
A continuation of MUS 270a.Usually offered in odd years.
Mr. Boykan
MUS 291b Advanced Orchestration
Scoring as a means of projectinga musical idea; questions of phrasing, emphasis, and musical pacing.Analysis of scores as well as written exercises. Live performanceswhenever possible. Usually offered in even years.
Staff
MUS 292a and b Seminar inComposition
Group meetings and individualconferences. Opportunities for the performance of student worksis provided. Usually offered every year. Specific sections forindividual faculty members as requested.
Staff
MUS 299a Individual Researchand Advanced Work
Usually offered every year.
Staff
MUS 299b Individual Researchand Advanced Work
Usually offered every year.
Staff
MUS 401d Dissertation Research
Specific sections for individualfaculty members as requested. Required of all doctoral candidates.
Staff
Electronic Music Studios
Two studios with facilitiesfor the composition of electronic music are available to qualifiedstudent composers.
Director: Mr. Chasalow
Non-Western Musical Traditions