Music 234 - Early Music Performance Practice: Sing Like Dido; Play like Orpheus

How do we know how the art music of Europe was performed 400 years ago? What does it mean to sing and play in a historically informed manner in the modern era? How do we improvise and ornament? How do we shape this music, expressing its style and drama? This course introduces a practical application of early music performance practice, and examines the historical, editorial, and theatrical aspects of masterworks such as Monteverdi's Orfeo, Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, Bach's St. Matthew Passion, Jacquet de la Guerre's Judith, and more. The course will include regular in-class performances or presentations, opera screenings, and a field trip to a major early music performance in Boston.

Prereq: MUSIC-100 or MUSIC-231 or passing Music Theory Placement Test.