Curriculum Committee Approval: 09/01/2020
Lecture Contact Hours: 48-54; Homework Hours: 96-108; Total Student Learning Hours: 144-162
CUYAMACA COLLEGE
COURSE OUTLINE OF RECORD
MUSIC 117 – INTRODUCTION TO MUSIC HISTORY AND LITERATURE
3 hours lecture, 3 units
Catalog Description
Survey of art music in Western civilization from the ancient period to the present. Musical styles will be
studied within the context of concurrent developments in society, politics and other arts.
Prerequisite
None
Recommended Preparation
“C” grade or higher or “Pass” in MUS 001 or equivalent
Entrance Skills
Without the following skills, competencies and/or knowledge, students entering this course will be
highly unlikely to succeed:
1) Recognize and analyze the elements of musical notation.
2) Construct, notate and analyze intervals, triads and 7th chords.
3) Construct, notate and analyze major and minor scales and key signatures.
4) Analyze rhythmic patterns in simple and compound meter.
Course Content
1) Music of Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire
2) Music in the Middle Ages: plainchant, early polyphony, Ars antiqua and Ars nova, minstrels, and
representative composers
3) Music of the Renaissance: polyphony, motet, the reformation, madrigals, popular music, and
representative composers
4) Music of the Baroque: monody, opera, the rise of instrumental music, Italy, Germany, France,
American colonies, and representative composers
5) Music of the Classical period: style, forms, opera, and representative composers
6) Music in the Romantic period: the piano, the orchestra, program music, grand opera, the minstrel
show, religious music, and representative composers
7) Music of the 20th Century: influence of science and industry, atonality, musicology, electronic
music, computer music, jazz and representative composers
Course Objectives
Students will be able to:
1) Describe and compare significant figures, works, places, styles, and forms of Western music from
the Ancient through the 20th century periods.
2) Identify and analyze the notation, performance practice, harmonic and non-harmonic language,
compositional form, and theoretical treatises that characterize Western art music from the Ancient
through the 20th century periods.
3) Correlate developments in Western art music with trends in society, politics, and the other arts
from the Ancient through 20th century periods.
4) Compare and contrast music compositional styles on both micro and macro levels within each
musico-historical period.
5) Differentiate genre and style based on aural and visual presentation.
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Method of Evaluation
A grading system will be established by the instructor and implemented uniformly. Grades will be
based on demonstrated proficiency in subject matter determined by multiple measurements for
evaluation, one of which must be essay exams, skills demonstration or, where appropriate, the symbol
system.
1) Written tests and quizzes that measure the student's ability to identify significant figures, works,
styles and forms in Western music.
2) Listening tests and quizzes that measure the student's ability to aurally recognize and identify
specific musical genres and style features.
3) Homework assignments that measure the student's ability to integrate musical style developments
with larger social, political and artistic trends.
4) Analysis exercises of musical compositions that measure the student's ability to observe, describe
and apply musical structures such as notation, performance practice, form and harmonic language
at both the micro and macro levels.
Special Materials Required of Student
None
Minimum Instructional Facilities
Smart classroom equipped with piano, whiteboard with music staves, stereo audio system
Method of Instruction
1) Lecture
2) Class discussion
3) Discussion of textbook assignments
4) Analysis of compositions
Out-of-Class Assignments
1) Reading and listening assignments
2) Short answer worksheets that cover assigned reading
3) Concert reports
Texts and References
1) Required (representative example): Comprehensive history of Western music text combining
musical analysis with a broader historical and cultural context such as: Burkholder, J. Peter, Donald
Jay Grout, and Claude V. Palisca. A History of Western Music, 9th ed. Norton, 2014.
2) Supplemental:
a. Burkholder, J. Peter and Claude V. Palisca. The Norton Anthology of Western Music Vol. 1, 7th
ed., Norton, 2014.
b. Burkholder, J. Peter and Claude V. Palisca. The Norton Anthology of Western Music Vol. 2, 7th
ed., Norton, 2014.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
1) Observe and identify musical elements in recorded or live performances.
2) Identify the features, important figures, and significant works of the major style periods in the
Western classical music tradition.
