Why is it that much classical music written after 1910 remains difficult for audiences? The answer lies partially in the splintering of compositional languages throughout the 20th century, languages that can leave listeners unnecessarily flummoxed and dissatisfied. In this class, Dr. Milbauer will lead—from the piano bench—a sweeping tour of compositional movements from the turn of the 20th century to the present, finding windows into understanding by linking newer composers with their better-known antecedents and by referencing visual arts, physics, literature, philosophy, dance, and history. After four weeks, students will be better equipped to derive meaning and beauty from this extraordinary repertoire, and will have a greater understanding of the principal “isms” of the last century: Impressionism, Expressionism, Symbolism, Serialism, Neo-Classicism, Dadaism, Surrealism, Minimalism, Aleatoricism, and Post-Modernism. This course assumes no prior study of music.
