Music since 1945 Listening Journals

We've finally come to the end of the semester and the end of another round of 352WI students writing about the music they encounter. This year's students were all eager to explore music a bit off the beaten path, more than usual, so if you look you'll see blog postings about Anthony Braxton, Libby Larson, and Philip Glass's pioneering opera Einstein on the Beach, seen here in legos:

And isn't that a perfect way to end the semester. See you next year!

1900-1945 Listening Journals

Another batch of listening journals is up for your enjoyment, this time all from the time period of 1900-1945. One of the students approached her piece as though it were a part of Disney's Fantasia, so in that spirit, here is another early twentieth century work as imagined by the artists at Disney:

As usual, you can find links to the listening journals on the right hand side of the blog.

Classical Listening Journals

It's time for listening journals in Conservatory 352WI again, and this year we have three writers bringing new listening journals for you to read once a month. Their blogs are listed at the blogroll to the right, so dig in and discover some music from the Classical period that you might have overlooked.

Listening Journals Up for Music Since 1945

We're knee-deep in finals right now, which means that students are busy with projects including their last listening journal. In many ways, the music from the past 60 years is among the most diverse that we have explored and is a good opportunity to uncover styles you never even considered, like Meredith Monk's vocal virtuosity or John Zorn's stylistic cornucopia. So take the time to listen through the list at the right and be sure to let the students know if you've been enjoying their writing.

1900-1945 Listening Journals Available

Just in time for Spring Break, the listening journals for music from 1900-1945 have been posted. With this unit, we've entered into music that many are either unfamiliar with or perhaps a bit nervous about. In fact, this video sums up many people's reactions to this music.

Music in the early 20th century certainly was full of brash experimentation, but it produced music as strange and as beautiful as any ever produced. You can find out about some of that music by digging into the blogroll at the right. Enjoy!

Romantic Listening Journals Now Available

We're approaching the mid-point of the semester, which means we are rapidly nearing the end of the Romantic era in 352. Over the past month, we've watched how our standard performing repertoire was created and listened to Beethoven and Schumann and Wagner and Verdi, but what of those composers who were important in their day but forgotten now like Louis Spohr? What of those composers who are interesting sidelights few ever experience like Anthony Philip Heinrich? These listening journals will give you a chance to peek under the hood of Romantic music and see perhaps what those living at the time thought about the music that was happening all around them. As usual, you'll find them through the blogroll on the right. Enjoy!

Classical Listening Journals

Although we are firmly in February, in many ways this fourth week of class still seems like one of the first weeks. However, by the listening journals that are now posted by students taking 352WI, we know that a quarter of our semester is already behind us. The five students listed in the blogroll to the right have been listening to little-known music by established masters like Mozart and even less-known music by composers many have never encountered like Madalena Laura Lombardini Sirmen. I know you'll enjoy reading their thoughts and joining in their conversation through the comments, so pick a link and enjoy.