Graduate Course Offerings

An introduction to the history of film music. We start the semester with a brief introduction to various theoretical approaches to film music and film sound, learning important terminology along the way. We then launch a historical survey, beginning with the accompaniment of silent film in the early twentieth century and concluding with an examination of present-day film music. An important goal of this course is to acquaint students with the study of primary sources. This includes the direct analysis of film production materials (shot-by-shot diagrams, recording logs, cue sheets) and the interpretation of composer interviews, notes, and essays. Secondary sources will be assigned to provide students with a general introduction to the current state and scope of film music scholarship.

This course explores a variety of nineteenth-century musical practices, examining the styles, genres, forms, and musicians that have been considered—in at least some sense of the term—“Romantic.” Our focus is the interaction of Italian, German, French, and Russian musical traditions, though our journey also includes detours to England, the United States, Norway, Spain, and Bohemia. We concentrate on some of the most popular genres of the century—symphony (or symphonic poem), opera, and piano music—with briefer considerations of song, chamber music, concerto, ballet, and oratorio. Another important component of this course is the examination and interpretation of primary sources, particularly historical essays on aesthetics, criticism, and the diaries and travelogues of musicians. We will supplement these sources with recent historical and analytical studies by leading musicologists and theorists. 

Course description coming soon.

Study and application of significant contemporary methods of music analysis for both tonal and post-tonal repertoire. Prepares students for additional graduate courses in music theory; as such, it should be taken in the student’s first year of study. Required of all DMA candidates.