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MUHL 588 (SPRING 97):
Special Studies in the Music of the 20th Century:
Three East-European Composers: Bartok, Bacewicz, Lutoslawski


Course Description Texts and Materials Internet Projects Student Evaluation Schedule

Course Description

This course presents new insights into the music of three composers whose East European backgrounds and cultural orientations differ, yet whose music has similar traits. We will study the characteristics of musical style of each of the composers, examine their interrelationships, as well as consider different responses to common musical and cultural themes (folk music, neoclassicism, symmetry, nature, sonority, the musical ideas of Stravinsky, Schoenberg, and Szymanowski). The study of topics in the output of each of the composers will be accompanied with work on an Internet publication project.


Texts and Materials

1. Books available at USC Bookstore or at the Polish Music Reference Center Required:

Bartok Bela. Bela Bartok Essays. Ed. Benjamin Suchoff. Lincoln and London:
University of Nebraska Press, 1992 (1st ed. 1976). USC
Rosen, Judith. Graz yna Bacewicz. Her Life and Work. Los Angeles: Friends of Polish
Music, 1984
Thomas, Adrian. Grazyna Bacewicz. Chamber and Orchestral Music. Los Angeles:
Friends of Polish Music, 1985. Optional:
Rae, Charles Bodman. The Music of Lutoslawski. London: Faber & Faber, 1994
Gillies, Malcolm, ed. The Bartok Companion. London: Faber & Faber, 1993
2. Scores, books and tapes on reserve at the Polish Music Reference Center
Books as listed above, plus:
Laki, Peter, ed. Bartok and his World. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1994.
Stucky, Steven. Lutoslawski and his Music. Cambridge University Press, 1981.


Internet Projects

Description: This project replaces the standard "term paper" with a project to be published electronically. The final version consists of an HTML file on a diskette, accompanied by its printout for proofreading. The text file (ASCII Text for DOS, with basic HTML coding) may be linked to audiovisual material (.gif or .jpeg image files, sound files). You may work on these files using your computer account (with any wordprocessor). Save the files in ASCII format; at the end of the semester the completed material will be transfered to a class web-site. The best projects will become permanent elements of the web pages created at the PMRC for two Polish composers, Bacewicz and Lutoslawski.

Links to Students' Projects:


Oral presentation

During the third part of the semester students will present their work in class in a mini-lecture of a duration ca. 15 minutes. These presentations will be based on the Internet projects, with a narrowed focus and additional sound illustrations (which may include performances of short works). Students working on individual pieces will discuss the music, while students preparing bibliographical entries will focus on one period (e.g. the formative years, the late period), or one topic (e.g. compositions for cello, comparison of different performances of one work).


Student Evaluation

(a) Two midterm exams, 25 % each, 25 February, 15 April -- 50 %
(b) Reading Report; due on 4 March -- 10 %
(c) Internet Project; due on 22 April -- 25 %
(d) Oral presentation -- 10 %
(e) Participation in class discussions -- 5 %

Schedule


Back to PMRC Home Page


Copyright 1996 by Maria Anna Harley
Send your comments and inquiries to: mailto:maharley@bcf.usc.edu
This page updated in March 1997 by M. A. Harley