Music Appreciation

This Music Appreciation textbook was created under an ALG Round Five Textbook Transformation Grant.

The author of this text has intentionally kept it general in nature in order to create a platform for those who want to expand content into more in depth studies of the mentioned concepts and traditions. I believe that appreciation of any subject comes from open-minded exposure to that topic. With the arts this generally must happen at a moment when the message and meaning of the work resonates naturally with the appreciator.

Each instructor of music appreciation brings a unique expertise in differing genres. I encourage you to utilize this text along with musical examples of your choice. The music appreciation specific goals (found in the syllabus) vary between individual classes as the instructors see fit. These goals will be achieved by those who have competently met all of the requirements of the course. For the course that this text accompanies the goals for each student are:

• To gain basic exposure to the elements of music and their treatment in music
• To learn historical and cultural signifiers in a diverse body of music • To approach listening to music actively/analytically and to reflect on the experience
• To understand the factors that contribute to musical style in their own music and music presented in the course
• To gain knowledge about differing musical aesthetics and trends
• To become more knowledgeable and sensitive to varied human expression through music

If we endeavor together to reach these course goals the successful student will be able to:

• Describe elements of music that s/he hears, employing correct musical terminology
• Place music into an appropriate historical and cultural context
• Listen critically and discuss a wide variety of musical styles
• Analyze the stylistic features of a diverse group of musical styles
• Identify nationalistic tendencies in musical expression
• Identify musical diversity and aspects of our global society