COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course covers mainstream techniques of musical composition developed in the twentieth century. It emphasizes the development of writing, interpretation, criticism, and analysis of compositions created with these techniques.

OBJECTIVES: To develop tools to understand, interpret, criticize, and discuss the diverse musical product of this century.

APPROACH: The class meets in lecture two seventy-five minute periods per week. Course objectives are realized through the analysis of examples and scores, music writing, performance, criticism, and listening to selected recordings. Each student will develop a semester project based on an aspect of twentieth century music literature, its creation, or its performance. Performance related analysis demonstrations or original compositions are always appropriate. Projects will be presented during the last weeks of the semester.

BACKGROUND: New ways to control melody, harmony, rhythm, texture, sound effect, and performance media began around 1890. Innovations in composing methods, artistic objectives, and musical instruments have been continuous since that time. New electronic technology (sound recording and reinforcement, musical instruments, computing, scoring, multi-media) has advanced dramatically in the last two decades.

Musical styles, composition processes and performance media have changed rapidly and diversely in this century. Some of the new methods contrast sharply with established practices and were developed as ways to break new ground. Other methods are a continuation of traditional procedures. Both trends are innovative, often mixed in some fashion in the works of an individual composer.

The twentieth century is marked by an explosion of ideas in science, technology, communication. This is evident in the development of several strong, vivid, and divergent styles in both art and popular music. Television, recording and radio have made more people aware of world cultures and subcultures. In music, ideas and styles tend to cross over cultural boundaries to influence the thinking of composers in other cultures. New combinations in musical culture have developed (for example, mixtures of jazz or folk music and art music).

At the same time, there is unparalleled effort to preserve and perform music of the past. The revival of earlier period practices is an important contemporary trend in musical composition. This juxtaposition of the old and the new has produced new eclectic approaches to the composition of music.

See Composer's Tools for additional information about modern philosophies and composing techniques.

Course Fee: A computer acess fee of $25.00 per semester is attached as a course fee to Ear Training (Mus 131, 132, 231, 232), Analysis (Mus 303) and Composition (Mus 215, 415, 615). This is a one-time fee so if you are charged twice, see Kevin Smith, CMC manager, to arrange for a refund. The fee gives you full access to CMC for a semester.

Week 1	
Chapter 8: Polyphonic texture  (pp. 199-208).  
Start listening list.  	
Case studies (pp.208-218).  Begin analysis application.
Week 2	 
Analysis application due. 
Review Chapter 8 and appendices B, D, E, and F.	Written application 1 due. 
Chapter 8 test. Start Chap.9.
Week 3	
Chapter 9: Rhythm in the Twentieth Century (pp. 219-234).  
Start listening list.	Questions about checkpoint 1 (pp. 235-342).
Questions about checkpoint 2.  Perform rhythms pp. 240-242. Start
applications, p. 243.
Week 4	
Written application 1a and 1b due.  Perform selected work in class.
Review chapter.	Chapter 9 test.  Start Chapter 10, pp. 245-254.
Week 5	
Chapter 10: Scale Resources.
Start listening list.	Questions about checkpoint 1 (pp. 255-268).
Questions about checkpoint 2 (pp. 268-275).
Week 6	
Questions about checkpoint 3 and Scale drills.
Review chapter. Use scale drill sheet for part of review. 
Written exercise, p. 267-268 due.
Chapter 10 test.  Start Chapter 11. 
Week 7	
Chapter 11: Chords and Harmony, pp.277-288
Start listening list, p. 313	Questions about checkpoint 1 (pp. 288-300).
Questions about checkpoint 2 (pp. 301-314).
 Start applications.  
Week 8	
Questions about checkpoint 3. and applications.  Discuss analysis
applications 1 and 2.  Review chapter. Use chord drill sheet for part of
review.	Choice of repertoire or written application due.
Chapter 11 test.

Spring Break	
no class	

Week 9
Chapter 12, Pitch in Sets (pp. 315-322.  Start listening list
(non-serial compositions). 	Questions about checkpoint 1 (pp.
323-333).
Questions about checkpoint 2 (pp. 334-344).
Week 10	 
Terms, probs.1-5. questions pp. 334-344.
Chapter review.	Chapter 12 Test.
Start Chapter 13.
Week 11
Chapter 13, Twelve-Tone Composition (pp. 345-356).  
Start listening list.	
Questions about checkpoint 1 (pp. 357-367).
Questions about checkpoint 2 (pp. 369-373)
Week 12	
Questions about applications.
Applications due. Chapter 13 Test.
Start Chapter 14.
Week 13	
Chapter 14, Studies in Twentieth Century Music (pp. 375-389).
Discuss analysis models and procedures. Summary.
Week 14	
Semester Projects (8)	
Week 15	
Semester Projects (8)	

Final Exam	
 	
Specifications for a Semester Project

GENERAL POLICIES

GRADING: The grade is a percentage of points earned on chapter tests, a semester project and selected assignments. Letter grades are assigned as follows; A = 90-100%, B = 80-89%, C = 70-79%, D = 60 - 69%, F = less than 60%.

You are responsible for regularly attending all classes for which you are registered.

Should an absence from class be unavoidable, you are responsible for reporting the reason to your instructors. (Be aware that Fronske Health Center does not provide documentation of your health problems.) In addition, you are responsible for making up any work you miss. Your instructors are under no obligation to make special arrangements for you if you are absent.

Students will not be allowed to make up tests and assignments missed because of unapproved absence. Unless students are otherwise instructed, work will be completed in advance of officially approved absences. A request for an approved absence must be supported by institutional or other credible documentation. Unforeseen absences involving health or family emergencies are considered individually.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY: Following is an excerpt from university policy stated on p. 66 of the Undergraduate Catalog 1995-97.

NAU regards acts of academic dishonesty-including but not limited to plagiarism, forging an instructor's signature, stealing tests, copying themes or tests from other students, or using "crib notes"-as very serious offenses.

If you are charged with academic dishonesty, you are subject to the Arizona Board of Regents' Code of Conduct and procedures established by NAU that are outlined in the Student Handbook.

Academic dishonesty (cheating) is representation of someone else's work as one's own or making false statements or reports. Dishonesty is unacceptable and will result in loss of points or formal proceedings leading to dismissal from the class, the program or the university.