Outline

Overview

This unit will survey the main lines of musical development between 1750 and 1890, with primary focus on the composition of music, and how this relates to the social and aesthetic currents of the time. The overview given in the lecture series will be reinforced by detailed focus on individual works in the tutorials from both historical and analytical perspectives. Topics will include the emergence and codification of classical form and syntax; style and genre in the works of the first Viennese School; Beethoven's 'heroic' and 'late' styles; national opera traditions; symphonic poem and music drama; nationalism and exoticism; and the conflict between progress and tradition.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	The ability to read musical notation and basic knowledge of music theory.
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	David Larkin, david.larkin@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	Zoltan Szabo, zoltan.szabo@sydney.edu.au
	Ardi Echevarria, ardi.echevarria@sydney.edu.au
	Gabriella Vici, gabriella.vici@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Final exam	Final exam Aural and written examination	30%	Formal exam period	2 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Tutorial assignment Written assessment	15%	Week 05	800 words
Outcomes assessed:
Small test	In-class listening test Listening test	10%	Week 06	30 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Essay Written assessment	30%	Week 08	1700-2000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Participation	Tutorial participation Participation	15%	Weekly	Weekly involvement
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Essay: Students will be required to write one essay of between 1,700 and 2,000 words during the semester. The due date will depend on the the essay question chosen (for further information, see Canvas). Students may wish to discuss the choice of essay question and the resources needed with their tutors.

Tutorial assignment: Students will be required to find two academic texts relating to a musical work of their own choosing and then to write an 800-word reflection on how these texts have enhanced their understanding and appreciation of the work by Week 5.

Listening test: A test worth 10% of the total mark allocation will be conducted during the lecture period in Week 6. This will be based on the set works, though not necessarily limited to the excerpts studied in tutorials. Students will be required to identify the sections of the works and to answer a number of focussed questions. Scores will be provided for some excerpts. There will also be a short essay question on a topic related to the content covered in Weeks 1-5.

Tutorial participation: Students are expected to have listened to the set work with the score before each tutorial, and to contribute actively to tutorial discussion by preparing answers to the Tutorial Questions on the set work (these will be made available on the unit website at least a week in advance of class). There is weekly assigned reading from the textbook, although this may not be
actively tested in the tutorials.

Final exam: There will be a final two-hour exam for this unit in June. The exam will consist of six sections:

A: Listening tests (excerpts taken from the set works or from works played in the lectures)
B: Detailed analysis of part of one of the set works (a short-list of examinable portions will be provided closer to the exam)
C: Score-based questions (score excerpts taken from the set works or scores used in the lectures)
D: Brief definitions of key terms
E: General knowledge questions about musical compositions and practices 1750-1890 (drawn from information in the set text or mentioned during lectures)
F: Mini-essay questions which will draw on the main themes of the unit.

Further information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The questions on the listening test are mostly factual rather than evaluative in nature. The short essay will be graded according to the quantity, relevance and accuracy of the information supplied, with the quality of written expression of lesser importance.

The tutorial participation mark will be based on a student’s attendance and involvement in class discussion over the course of the semester. The emphasis will be on the quality rather than necessarily the quantity of comments.

The final exam will mostly involve testing factual knowledge; the short-answer questions will be marked with an emphasis on the accuracy and quantity of the information conveyed raised rather than on sophistication of expression.

The essay and tutorial assignment will be marked according to the SCM academic grade descriptors, which are as follows:

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	Demonstrates high level of initiative in research and reading; sophisticated critical analysis of evidence; high level engagement with theoretical issues, innovative use of reading/research material and impressive command of underlying debates and assumptions; properly documented and written with style, originality and precision.
Distinction	75 - 84	Demonstrates initiative in research and wide, appropriate reading; complex understanding of question and ability to critically review material in relation to underlying assumptions and values; analyses material in relation to empirical and theoretical contexts; properly documented; clear, well-developed structure and argument with some signs of literary style.
Credit	65 - 74	Evidence of broader understanding than pass level; offers synthesis with some critical evaluation of material; coherent argument using a range of relevant evidence; some evidence of independent thought, good referencing. A high credit (70-74) shows some evidence of ability to problematise and think conceptually.
Pass	50 - 64	Written work meets basic requirements in terms of reading/research; relevant material; tendency to descriptive summary rather than critical argument; makes a reasonable attempt to avoid paraphrasing; reasonably coherent structure; often has weaknesses in particular areas, especially in terms of narrow or underdeveloped treatment of question; acceptable documentation.
Fail	0 - 49	Work may fail for any or all of the following reasons: Unacceptable paraphrasing; irrelevance of content; poor spelling; poor presentation; grammar or structure so sloppy it cannot be understood; failure to demonstrate understanding of content; insufficient or overlong word length.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Towards the classical style	Online class (3 hr)
Week 02	Haydn: servitude and mastery	Online class (3 hr)
Week 03	Mozart: classical perfection	Online class (3 hr)
Week 04	Operatic currents in the late eighteenth century	Online class (3 hr)
Week 05	Beethoven: the heroic style and alternatives	Online class (3 hr)
Week 06	At the boundaries: late Beethoven and Schubert	Online class (3 hr)
Week 07	Romantic ideas: music, nature and the other arts	Online class (3 hr)
Week 08	Paris 1824-1848: fantasy and spectacle	Online class (3 hr)
Week 09	Bel canto and the Italian stage	Online class (3 hr)
Week 11	The New Germans: symphonic poem and music drama	Online class (3 hr)
Week 12	Nationalist and exotic voices	Online class (3 hr)
Week 13	Tradition, religion and musical holy wars	Online class (3 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

(1) Students are required to be in attendance at the correct time and place of any formal or informal examinations. Non-attendance on any grounds insufficient to claim special consideration will result in the forfeiture of marks associated with the assessment. Participation in a minimum number of assessment items may be included in the requirements specified for a unit of study.

(2) Students are expected to attend a minimum of 90% of timetabled activities for a unit of study, unless granted exemption by the Dean, Head of School or faculty member most concerned. The Dean, Head of School or faculty member most concerned may determine that a student fails a unit of study because of inadequate attendance. Alternatively, at their discretion, they may set additional assessment items where attendance is lower than 90%.

(3) In addition to the rule above, full (100%) and punctual attendance is a requirement in all activities where students have a role as active participants in the class or activity. Active participation includes situations where the student’s contribution is to perform, rehearse or direct rehearsals in a small or large ensemble, or to give seminar and tutorial papers or presentations or undertake assessment tasks. Active participation also includes all one-to-one studio teaching and supervision. Except in cases of illness or misadventure, failure to attend activities or classes where a student is an active participant will be seen as failure to meet the requirements of the unit of study.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

The set text for this unit of study is:

Burkholder, J. Peter, Donald J Grout and Claude V. Palisca. A History of Western Music. 10th edition. New York: Norton, 2019 (the 9th edition (2014) is also acceptable)

The sections from this text assigned for weekly reading are indicated on Canvas

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. describe the main lines of musical development between 1750 and 1890
LO2. recognise and analyse a number of highly significant musical works from the classical and romantic eras
LO3. show awareness of various critical paradigms which have openly or covertly shaped music historiography and criticism
LO4. trace links between music and the other arts, philosophy and the history of ideas
LO5. display your awareness of best practices in scholarly research and conventions governing academic writing
LO6. engage respectfully but critically with the views of others

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Four of the tutorial set works have changed since the unit was last offered. No other substantive changes have been made since this unit was last offered.

Additional information

More information can be found on Canvas

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

MCGY2612: Music in the Classical and Romantic Eras

Semester 1, 2020 [Normal day] - Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect