Punctured by revolutions, the 19th century was an era marked by social, political, and economic unrest.
From the French Revolution at the end of the 18th century, through the multiple rebellions in 1848, the
Franco-Prussian War in 1871, and the instability that led to the First World War, the spirit of revolution
ran strong in the 19th century. This course looks at the evolution of one of the premiere musical genres of
the 19th century—the symphony—within the larger context of its time. How do the early beginnings that
emphasize a strict adherence to musical form reflect the social upheaval brought on through the French
Revolution? In a time of strong juxtapositions, how does the symphony articulate the aesthetics of the
sublime and the beautiful, the monumental and the miniature, the public and the private, the individual
and the nation?

In this class we will examine the symphonies of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Berlioz,
Tchaikovsky, Dvorak, Brahms, Mahler, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, and William Grant Still. Attention to
musical form and style, composer biography and placement in music history, and contemporary
musicological methodologies will be presented in a way that engages those from all musical backgrounds.
We will consider how western composers and their collaborators create, approach, and understand performance.
Grades will be determined by class participation, and written assignments (no prerequisites required).