Step into the splendor of courts and palaces through music written for monarchs and empresses—from Elizabeth I and Marie Antoinette to Catherine the Great. Spanning Renaissance to 20th century, hear works by Byrd, Purcell, Handel, Gluck, Haydn, Elgar, Vaughan Williams, Walton and more. Composed for grand occasions—births, weddings, coronations, funerals—or simply to delight, this music captures the drama, elegance and celebration of royal life.

DELIVERY MODE

• Face-to-Face

COURSE OUTLINE

• William Byrd and Elizabeth I – music in honour of Gloriana/Astrae the Virgin Queen
• Queen Mary II and the music of Henry Purcell – court odes and funeral music
• Queen Caroline and Handel – music for her coronation and funeral
• Maria Theresa, Marie Antoinette and Marie Therese and the music of Haydn – symphonies and operas at Eszterháza, Vienna and Paris
• The Russian Empresses Anna, Elisaveta Petrovna and Catherine and Great – Italian and German composers working at their courts, and their patronage of the Russian composers Bortyansky and Berzovsky
• Queen Elizabeth II and the music of Elgar, Vaughan Williams, and William Walton

LEARNING OUTCOMES

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

1. Discuss both the differences and similarities between the repertoire composed for these queens and empresses
2. Appreciate the achievements of the various composers in reflecting the different demands of the sovereigns and composing for their tastes
3. Discuss the concept of court patronage and how it has changed from the Renaissance to the 20th century
4. Outline the different performance styles heard in the musical examples used