Beethoven to Mahler

A dark figure in a black hood overcomes a swooning young boy riding a white horse.

In German and Scandinavian folklore, the Erlking lurks in the forest threatening humans, especially children. Goethe's "Erlkönig" is considered one of the greatest ballads every written and was a popular lieder text in the classical era. The best known musical setting is by Franz Schubert. ("The Erlking" by Albert Sterner, ca. 1910. Image is in the public domain. Source: Wikimedia Commons.)

Instructor(s)

MIT Course Number

21M.250

As Taught In

Spring 2014

Level

Undergraduate

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Course Description

Course Features

Course Description

This course surveys Romantic musical genres including song, choral music, opera, piano sonata, character cycle, concerto, symphony, and symphonic poem, including the composers Beethoven, Schubert, Berlioz, Chopin, Brahms, Wagner, Verdi, Tchaikovsky, and Mahler. Written essays and oral presentations are based on live performances as well as listening and reading assignments.

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Related Content

Teresa Neff. 21M.250 Beethoven to Mahler. Spring 2014. Massachusetts Institute of Technology: MIT OpenCourseWare, https://ocw.mit.edu. License: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA.


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