Syllabus FALL 2007
Revolution & Romanticism
IDST-2400 (Focus: Fine Arts)

Instructor: Lynn Raley | e-mail

Meeting time: MWF 10-11

Location: AC 152

Office Hrs (AC 248): MTWF 11

THE CONCERT REPORT

Concert reports should be, on average, two to three pages, double-spaced. No citation is necessary. While you may include information learned from program notes, do NOT quote huge sections at length in order to 'pad' your report. Honest effort at engaging the music on an intellectual and emotional level is all I'm looking for.

The Concert as a Whole

Begin your report with a brief description of the concert, including the name and type of the performing group or soloists and the music you heard. Describe your general reaction to the concert.

Individual Compositions

Go into as much detail as possible on one piece or movement, mentioning all the other works in at least one descriptive sentence.

Suggestions:

  • Musical styles. How did the composition correspond to what you know about the musical style period in which it was composed--baroque, classical, romantic, etc.? Your appreciation of a work is often enhanced when you recognize its musical style.
  • Musical genres. What was the genre of the piece? (Piano Concerto, Symphony, etc.). What musical forms were employed--theme and variations, sonata form, ABA, etc.?
  • Memorable features. What features of the piece were most memorable--for example, did you tend to remember slower, lyrical sections; or triumphant parts; or fast, exciting parts? Were there any striking melodies and rhythms? Were there any unusual vocal, instrumental, or electronic effects?
  • Musical themes. Were there several contrasting sections or themes within a movement? Did you recognize variations of particular themes (development) or reappearances of musical ideas in different sections or movements?
  • Overall Destiny. How easy was it to follow the 'destiny' of the work's themes or melodies? What was "time's effect on the material?"
  • Emotions, images, and ideas. Did the composition evoke in you specific feelings or thoughts? Describe how the music depicted mood, character, drama. Tell how they relate to the form of the piece or movement.
  • Comparisons with other works. It is often illuminating to compare a work with other works on the program, or with other works you have studied, noting similarities and differences.
  • Performance Your discussion of performance will be more subjective:
    • Emotional projection. Did you think that the performer(s) succeeded in projecting the emotional meaning of the work?
    • Virtuosity. How difficult (in terms of performance) did the music sound to you?
    • Personal interpretation. Did the artist inject his or her personality into the performance, or did it seem to you to be a more 'respectful' approach (in other words, was it more about the music, or about the performer?)