Music Context Studies (MUCS)

MUCS 101. Introduction to Music: Historical Perspective. (2 Credits)

A chronological-historical approach toward an understanding of music with a focus primarily upon great musical works of the Western tradition, and the development of a coherent, Christ-centered, theology of the Arts. NOTE: This course does not fulfill the entire VPA theme and covers only the domain of VPAM. (2)

Tags: VPAM

MUCS 102. Introduction to Music: Interdisciplinary Perspective. (2 Credits)

A topical-interdisciplinary approach toward an understanding of music with a focus primarily upon great musical works of the Western tradition, and the development of a coherent, Christ-centered, theology of the Arts. NOTE: This course does not fulfill the entire VPA theme and covers only the domain of VPAM.

Tags: VPAM

MUCS 103. Introduction to Music: World Music & Sociology of Sound. (2 Credits)

A sociological approach toward an understanding of music with a focus upon Global/World music, and the development of a coherent, Christ-centered, theology of the Arts. NOTE: This course does not fulfill the entire VPA theme and covers only the domain of VPAM.

Tags: VPAM

MUCS 261. Music Before 1600. (2 Credits)

Focus on repertories, development of polyphony, notational systems, values, and performance-practice issues. Emphasis on philosophical mindsets, iconography, major composers, sources, printing, bibliographic aids. Ties to modern compositional process. Offered spring semester only. (lin)

MUCS 262. Baroque and Classical Music Eras. (4 Credits)

Major trends, issues, and concepts of taste, aesthetics, and expression in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century music. The rise of new dramatic and instrumental media and forms; issues of performance-practice, improvisation, and ornamentation. Focus on media, composers, with attention to matters of musical structure and style. The issue of stylistic overlap and transition in music. Offered fall semester only.

MUCS 263. Nineteenth-Century Music. (2 Credits)

Impact of literature, nature, and nationalism on music; programmatic elements. Emphasis on social history, composers, works, genres, style, and performance-practice. The rise of scholarship; post-romanticism. Offered spring semester only.

MUCS 274. World Music. (4 Credits)

An introduction to the music of Asia, Oceania, Africa, Latin and Native America, with emphasis on relevant historical, faith and cultural contexts, as well as aural analysis of representative repertoire. Required for music majors; offered fall semester.

Tags: GP

MUCS 275. Musical Theater: London. (2 Credits)

Offered as part of the Arts in London program. Students will explore Musical Theater as a communication art form. Emphasis will be placed on understanding historical development, establishing criteria for evaluating live performance, and developing basic presentation skills. Cross-listed with COMM 275. Alternate years; offered summer in odd years. NOTE: This course does not fulfill the entire VPA theme and covers only the domain of VPAM.

Tags: VPAM

MUCS 321. Church Music Practices. (2 Credits)

A course focusing on the integration of music performance and literature with the Christian faith. Emphasis upon the biblical and theological foundations of church music and related arts, worship practices, and issues from Old Testament and New Testament times through the present day. Hymnology and church music literature across a variety of performance media and periods. Materials and methods for the church musician. Alternate Years; offered spring in odd years.

MUCS 322. English Cathedral Music. (2 Credits)

Offered as part of Arts in London program, the course will explore English cathedral music repertoire in an intensive on-site experience. Emphasis will be placed on the music literature in its actual historical context. Alternate years; offered summer in odd years.

MUCS 323. Piano Literature. (2 Credits)

Historical overview of materials of the harpsichord, clavichord, and piano to the present day. Brief attention to the function of the piano in the church. The literatures in survey; focus on typologies. Alternate years; offered fall in even years.

MUCS 324. Art Song Literature. (2 Credits)

Definition and development of the lied, melodie, lirica da camera, and British and American art song to the present time; discussions of the form as it relates to Spanish, Scandinavian, and Slavic contributions. Alternate years; offered fall in odd years.

MUCS 326. Solo String Literature. (2 Credits)

Survey of the major concerto, sonata, and concert repertoire for violin, viola, and cello. Alternate years; offered fall in odd years. (lin)

MUCS 327. Woodwind Literature. (2 Credits)

(Section 1) 327-1. Flute. Historical overview of the flute. Survey of the major repertoire. Offered fall semester only. lin; (Section 2) 327-2. Single Reeds. Historical overview of the single reed instruments. Survey of the major repertoire. Offered fall semester only. lin; (Section 3) 327-3. Double Reeds. Historical overview of the double reed instruments. Survey of the major repertoire. Offered fall semester only. (lin)

MUCS 328. Brass Literature. (2 Credits)

(Section 1) 328-1. Trumpet. Historical overview of the trumpet. Survey of the major repertoire. Offered fall semester only. lin; (Section 2) 328-2. Horn. Historical overview of the horn. Survey of the major repertoire. Offered fall semester only. lin ;(Section 3) 328-3. Low Brass. Historical overview of the low brass instruments. Survey of the major repertoire. Offered fall semester only. (lin)

MUCS 329. Percussion Literature. (1 to 2 Credits)

Tutorial under the supervision of the primary teacher. Offered fall semester only.

MUCS 331. Organ Literature and Performance Practice. (3 Credits)

Survey of organ music and historical organ performance practices of all major periods. Alternate years; offered fall in odd years.

MUCS 335. Music of the African Diaspora. (2 Credits)

A general overview of major African-derived musical practices scattered throughout the world. Emphasis on the diasporal unities that are common features in style traits, representative genres, and social trends present in music of the Americas, Caribbean, and Africa. Alternate years; offered fall in even years.

MUCS 355. American Music. (2 Credits)

An historical overview of the major musical genres, styles, and performers of music of the United States; focuses on concert music, folk music, popular music, jazz, and other forms of social music in the United States. Alternate years; offered spring in odd years.

MUCS 356. Jazz History. (2 Credits)

Provides a general overview of the major jazz styles prominent in the United States during the 20th century. Particular attention is given the role of instrumental performance trends, the emergence of representative genres, key performers, and social trends that influenced jazz. Alternate years; offered spring in even years.

MUCS 361. Twentieth-Century Music. (4 Credits)

Consideration of prominent streams of musical practice, important contributors, along with related issues and controversies of the twentieth century. Emphasis on significant works and emerging stylistic elements. Offered spring semester only.

MUCS 363. Introduction to Music Research and Bibliography. (2 Credits)

Techniques in musical research with attention to data control, writing style, and format procedures. Major categories of musical bibliography, including comprehensive exposure to reference sources. Selected problems in music history requiring bibliographic solution. Manuscript work, major institutional collection; issues and sources in the history of music theory and criticism. Alternate years; offered fall in even years.

MUCS 421. Chamber Literature. (2 Credits)

Major contributions in the genre to the present day. Alternate years; offered spring in odd years.

MUCS 422. Choral Literature. (2 Credits)

Major contributions in the genre to the present day. Emphasis on repertoire control and stylistic analysis of representative works. Alternate years; offered spring in even years.

MUCS 424. Opera Literature. (2 Credits)

Survey of the genre from its inception circa 1600 to the present. Coverage of major works with in-depth examination of representative examples. Video presentations regularly included. Alternate years; offered fall in even years.

MUCS 425. Symphonic Literature. (2 Credits)

Survey of the field, focusing on major contributions from the eighteenth century to the present. Emphasis on repertoire control and stylistic analysis of representative works. Corollary ties to the development of the symphony orchestra. Alternate years; offered fall in odd years.

MUCS 433. Style Analysis. (2 Credits)

Major structural processes in music, and relations to surrounding theoretical and aesthetic principles. Criteria for critical analysis, hearing, and assimilation. Selected works representing crucial stylistic principles. Includes a focus on integrative issues, such as ties between rhetoric and music, artifice and expression, and humor as a form determinant. Alternate years; offered spring in even years.

MUCS 434. Seminar in Context Studies. (2 Credits)

Topics will change on a rotational basis. Examples include: Studies in Bach; Studies in Mozart; Studies in Stravinsky; the Renaissance Mass and Motet; Concerto literature; Studies in American music; Studies in jazz; in-depth analysis of specific issues, including research on cutting-edge scholarship; applications to performance practice, and interdisciplinary studies. Alternate years; offered spring in odd years. (lin)

MUCS 494. Senior Capstone. (2 Credits)

An integrative approach connecting students' shared core experiences with their understanding of the aesthetic, cultural, and vocational issues within a diverse musical landscape. Open to senior music majors. Fall semester only.

General Education: SHAR

MUCS 495. Directed Study. (1 to 4 Credits)

Independent, directed research in selected field of music history and literature.