Selected Topics in Music Theory (335-0-1)
Topic
Piano Music of Debussy
Instructors
Richard D Ashley
847/491-5720
r-ashley@northwestern.edu
Office Hours: W 10-11 and by appt.
Professor, music theory and cognition program. Research and publications in music cognition focusing on expressive performance, musical communication, and long-term memory for music. President, Society for Music Perception and Cognition. Member, editorial board, Music Perception. Recipient of two Fulbright grants for research in the Netherlands and grants from National Endowment for the Humanities and U.S. Department of Education. Recipient, Bienen School of Music Exemplar in Teaching Award. Also teaches in the cognitive science program.
Meeting Info
RCMA 1-172: Tues, Thurs 9:30AM - 10:50AM
Learning Objectives
Goals of the course
• Deeper acquaintance with Debussy's piano music
• Facility with analytic techniques appropriate to this repertoire
• Improved ability to hear relationships between structure and performance in this repertoire
Structure of the course
• Unit I (two weeks): Introduction to the music and analytic techniques
• Unit II (eight weeks): Discussion of individual pieces, led by class members
Evaluation Method
This is a hands-on class; your work involves daily analysis and listening.
Grades on your daily work and class participation are crucial; keep up with the work.
No late assignments will be accepted.
A 15 page final paper is required, on one or two of the pieces we will study.
Attendance is expected at every class meeting. I allow two "free" absences, after which each absence lowers your final grade by 5 points.
Grades will be given on the following basis:
Daily assignments 50%
Class participation 10%
Final project 40%
Total 100%
I use a 10-point grading scale in converting these numbers to letter grades. Thus:
100-94 A 93-91 A-
90-88 B+ 87-84 B 83-81 B-
80-78 C+ 77-74 C 73-71 C-
70-68 D+ 67-64 D 63-61 D-
Class Materials (Required)
Debussy Preludes Books I and II, Images, and Estampes in editions of your choice, number all measures.
Books 1 & 2 -- Dover Publications, ISBN-10: 0486259706, ISBN-13: 978-0486259703, $14
Images -- Dover publications: ISBN-10: 0486457257; ISBN-13: 978-0486457253, $12
Estampes -- G. Henle, ISBN-13: 979-0201803876, $16