Music appreciation

Part 1

1. Go to the "Composer Project" Discussion forum. If you last name begins with N-Z, you are in the Classical group. Please choose a composer who lived in your assigned time period (check their birth and death dates). You may find this list helpful. Let's try for one student per composer, so check the list to see if anyone has already chosen your composer.
2. You are responsible for researching this composer and submitting a report on that composer for the rest of your classmates to review. Please choose your composer by the due date indicated in the course calendar.

Part 2

1. Begin conducting research on your composer. Your final report should include the following:
   • Biographical information on the composer including birth and death dates, location, instruments played, teachers/education, prominent students, positions held, and influence on music history.
   • Style period of the composer including musical characteristics.
   • Detailed analysis of two works by selected composer.
   • A list of important works by the composer.
   • Brief review of a CD containing works by the selected composer.
   • Citations and a "Works Cited" page must be included. You must cite the Oxford Companion to Music article for your composer. Please review the attached Writing Guidelines (Writing Guidelines.doc).
   NOTE: It is a good idea to write your response in a word processor first, then copy it into Blackboard.
2. By the end of the due date indicated in the course calendar, you must post your report under your group forum, either Baroque or Classical.

Part 3 ( to be answered at a later date)

Go to the other group forum and compare your composer's work with the composers from a different genre. For example, if you are in the Baroque group you will go to the Classical group and compare your composer's work with at least two composers in the Classical period. You must complete this part by the end of the due date indicated in the course calendar. Post your answer in the form of a response in the discussion board.Compare/contrast the at least five of the following Elements of Music:

• Contrast of Mood or Unity of Mood?
• Dynamics - Contrasting volumes or same throughout, gradual or sudden changes?
• Rhythm - Fast or Slow Tempo? Are there any tempo changes? Simple or complicated rhythms?
• Texture - Homophonic, Polyphonic, or Monophonic?
• Melody - Simple or busy, Stepwise or disjointed, staccato or legato, etc.
• Instrumentation - Vocal or Instrumental? Which instruments are used?
• Form - Binary, Ternary, Sonata, Rondo, etc.
• Purpose - Sacred, Secular, etc.