As an exploration of some of the ways composers have responded to their surroundings, this course follows on from the previous term's 'Music all Around', but you do not need to have attended that course to sign up for this one. We begin with Grieg, Britten, Ravel, Fauré and others recreating bell sounds. After a session exploring the influence of birdsong, from a concerto by Vivaldi to piano music by Messiaen, we join Beethoven, Bridge, Debussy, Weir and others as they contemplate the night sky. Bridge, Debussy and Britten are among those portraying the sea, Gershwin, Elgar and Chabrier bring home musical souvenirs of foreign travel, and we enjoy gardens in the company of Delius, Ravel, Falla and Takemitsu.
Course aim
This course aims to explore some of the ways in which composers have responded to their surroundings, prompting some of the most vivid and enjoyable music in the western classical tradition.
Do I need any particular skills or experience?
- This course is for beginners
- This course is for improvers
By the end of the course I should be able to:
- identify three features of composers' surroundings that prompted musical responses.
- identify specific details that suggest those responses, in music from two or more of the sessions.
- compare the responses of any two composers to the same stimulus.
- Identify and discuss with the tutor and other students aspects of the music we listen to.
What else do I need to know?
You may wish to bring a folder for handouts, a notepad and pen. Nothing else is needed
View full course information sheet
Music All Around: How Environment Inspires Musical Composition
