Topics in 16th Century Music (351-0-1)
Topic
Music in the Era of John Dowland
Instructors
Linda Austern
847/491-5705
l-austern@northwestern.edu
Office Hours: E-mail instructor to arrange a meeting.
Meeting Info
RCMA Lower Level 121: Tues, Thurs 11:00AM - 12:20PM
Overview of class
In conjunction with Northwestern's Fall 2025 John Dowland Festival and the approaching 400th anniversary of Dowland's death on February 20, 1626, this course considers representative aspects of music and musical culture during the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, and as we approach them today, through a focus on Dowland's life and times, works, and enduring reputation. We will closely examine international trends in the performance, creation, circulation and patronage of vocal and instrumental music in the genres in which Dowland worked, especially solo lute music, string-ensemble music, psalms, and ayres for vocal ensemble and solo voice plus lute. We will also investigate Dowland's place in the revival of sixteenth- and early seventeenth-century music and musical instruments from the late nineteenth century to the present, and twentieth- and twenty-first century composers and compositional trends inspired by Dowland.
Registration Requirements
Juniors, seniors and graduate students; all majors welcome.
Learning Objectives
Know basic styles and genres of sixteenth- and early seventeenth-century Western music through a focus on Dowland and those around him; understand the world of Western, and especially English, musicians and musical practices in the early modern era; and ways to think about performance practices for early modern music, and new music inspired by it, in the twenty-first century.
Teaching Method
Lecture-discussion and as much in-class performance as students want.
Evaluation Method
Class discussion, short assignments and a final project.
Class Materials (Required)
These will be on Library Reserve, posted on Canvas Course Reserves, and available through links in the syllabus and on Canvas.
Class Materials (Suggested)
K. Dawn Grapes, Dowland (Oxford University Press, 2025), available as an e-book or in hard cover.
Class Notes
It will incorporate Dunbar Festival and Segovia Classical Guitar series performances of works by Dowland, Orlando Gibbons, and their contemporaries.
Class Attributes
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area
Enrollment Requirements
Enrollment Requirements: REASON: Pre-registration is not allowed for this class. Please try again during regular registration.