This course explores the creation, performance, and reception of music within the context of Western cultural, religious, political and artistic ideals, and related non-Western traditions, from Greek antiquity to ca. 1750. Topics of exploration include the development of musical notation, musical instrument technology, the interrelationships of music theorists, composers, performers, patrons, and audiences, music as a communicative and expressive art, aesthetics, and musical analysis and criticism.

This course explores the creation, performance, and reception of music within the context of Western cultural, religious, political and artistic ideals, and related non-Western and popular traditions, from ca. 1750 to ca. 1920. Topics of exploration include musical instrument technology, the interrelationships of music theorists, composers, performers, patrons, and audiences, nationalism, the influence of folk and non-Western music traditions on Western art music, popular music traditions, music as a communicative and expressive art, philosophy and aesthetics of the Enlightenment and 19th century, and musical analysis and criticism.