MUS 108
The Concerto
Last Offered Spring 2009
Division I
This course is not offered in the current catalog or this is a previous listing for a current course.

More than any other instrumental genre in music, the concerto by its nature tells stories. As in opera, the concerto focuses on a protagonist, usually a single soloist; the interest of the work lies in the dynamic musical interplay between that individual and the larger ensemble. This course will explore the development of the concerto, from its origins in 17th-century Italy through the 20th century. We will focus on the musical means by which composers of the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Modern periods, working in a wide variety of styles, created compelling musical narratives. We will also consider the cultural contexts within which concerti are composed and performed, giving particular attention to the persona of the virtuoso as exemplified by such figures as Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Clara Schumann, Liszt, Paganini, Horowitz, and Marta Argerich. Works to be studied will include several concerti to be performed on campus by the Berkshire Symphony with professional and student soloists.