Defining the String Quartet II: Beethoven
This course aims to enhance your understanding and appreciation of Ludwig van Beethoven’s music by exploring a genre at the very core of his development as a composer: the string quartet. Evenly distributed among the periods into which his life and work are customarily divided, his 16 quartets offer a broadly representative record of his changing musical language. The six quartets of the first period follow closely in the footsteps of Beethoven's teacher Haydn, the acknowledged “father" of the genre; the five quartets of the middle period significantly expand musical form as well as the range of dramatic expression; the remaining five quartets, written in the composer's idiosyncratic "late style," take the genre to unheard-of levels of innovation.
Defining the String Quartet II: Beethoven
This course aims to enhance your understanding and appreciation of Ludwig van Beethoven’s music by exploring a genre at the very core of his development as a composer: the string quartet. Evenly distributed among the periods into which his life and work are customarily divided, his 16 quartets offer a broadly representative record of his changing musical language. The six quartets of the first period follow closely in the footsteps of Beethoven's teacher Haydn, the acknowledged “father" of the genre; the five quartets of the middle period significantly expand musical form as well as the range of dramatic expression; the remaining five quartets, written in the composer's idiosyncratic "late style," take the genre to unheard-of levels of innovation.
Defining the String Quartet II: Beethoven
At a glance
- Institution: StanfordOnline
- Subject: Music
- Level: Introductory
- Prerequisites:
Defining the String Quartet II is designed to appeal to participants from different musical backgrounds, regardless of musical literacy. In order to earn a Verified Certificate highlighting the knowledge and skills you gain during the course you will need to upgrade to this option and complete activities marked "graded.” Although the ability to read music is not required to take the course and earn a Certificate, we occasionally supply musical notation for those who can. The optional activities marked ♪♪ assume that ability.
Some of the terminology introduced in this course may be new to participants. Nevertheless, we think most participants will find the course highly enriching to their musical understanding, whether or not the terms and analytical concepts are familiar to them in advance. Keep in mind that music students and scholars today find themselves constantly in the process of looking up unfamiliar terms, right up to the level of professors attending conferences, and we believe that developing this skill is an important part of musical education. We encourage you to soak in the discourse, use dictionaries and online resources, and learn through dialogue with fellow participants.
- Language: English
- Video Transcript: English