Both magnificence and contemplation are moods frequently embodied in the music of the Renaissance and Baroque eras. Highlighted in this course will be Magnificat settings from the Renaissance and Baroque eras by Lambe, Palestrina, Lasso, Le Jeune, Byrd, Weelkes, Monteverdi, and Couperin. In addition there will be cantatas, sonatas and concertos by Vivaldi and Bach, including recently-discovered Vivaldi sonatas and concertos, and some new versions of Vivaldi concertos. The course will be based on the newest cutting-edge research into these composers’ works. Relevant digital images will accompany the music.

DELIVERY MODE

• Face-to-Face

SUGGESTED READING

• Christoph Wolff, Bach’s Musical Universe (2020)

COURSE OUTLINE

• Settings of the Magnificat canticle from the 1480s to the early 18th century: Lambe, Palestrina, Lasso, Le Jeune, Byrd (Great Service), Weelkes (Short service), Monteverdi, Couperin
• Vivaldi – the violinist and composer – concertos throughout his career, sonatas, Magnificat RV 610a
• Bach – his concertos and sonatas for violin, his Easter cantatas and Magnificat in E flat BWV 243a

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

1. Appreciate the changes in musical style and idiom in Magnificat settings from the Renaissance to early 18th century
2. Distinguish the major stylistic traits of the music of Vivaldi and Bach studied
3. Note the similarities and differences between the music of Vivaldi and Bach
4. Assess the context in which the music was composed