MUSIC 6442

Modern Harmony: A Survey of Harmonic Practices from the Mid-20th Century to the Present

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2023-2024.

This course is a composition seminar designed to shed light on the myriad harmonic structures and processes that result in many composers' distinctive musical voices. It will survey several harmonic practices that arise from the mid-20th century to the present by examining post-serially derived techniques, modern adaptations of tonality and modality, spectral lineages, microtonality, non-Western influences, negative harmony, stasis/circularity, and non-harmony. Students will hone their theoretical skills by listening to, analyzing, reading/writing about, and presenting on music by a variety of composers from Duke Ellington to Ben Johnston, to Kaija Saariaho, and beyond. Likewise, there will be opportunities to implement ideas that arise throughout the semester in a series of short composition projects.

When Offered Spring.

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