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MUMH 5711 (Seminar in Musicology): Mahler’s Vienna, Adorno’s Mahler
Dr. Notley, Fall 2009
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:00–3:20 p.m.
Office: Room 319Phone: 565–3751
Hours: Tues. 11–12; Thurs. 3:30–4:30;E-mail:
and by appointment: the set hours may change because of committee meetings
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES
The first part of this course will be devoted to a survey of selected movements from Mahler’s nine completed symphonies and Das Lied von der Erde and to readings concerned with both analytical questions and the Viennese milieu that was critical to his development as a composer. The remainder of the course will be reserved for a close reading of Adorno’s Mahler: A Musical Physiognomy. Like Adorno’s other writings on music, this book finds social and historical meaning embedded in the music itself.
The musicology graduate program has an ongoing objective of strengthening students’ ability to think critically. In this course, as in other seminars, this objective is especially important. Other general goals of this course are for students to do the following:
- Acquire close knowledge of an important repertory
- Study traditional ways of understanding music as such and as part of a particular milieu
- Learn to think about music in more innovative ways that are associated above all with Adorno’s work
MATERIALS
Students must purchase a copy of Adorno’s Mahler: A Musical Physiognomy and eight Dover scores, all of which are available at the UNT book stores. Other materials are on reserve in the music library (carrel 404) and its audio library, both on the fourth floor of Willis Library.
EXPECTATIONS: Each student must lead class discussions twice, write two short (five-page) papers, and complete a final project, which will involve giving a formal presentation and writing a longer (10–15 page) paper. The distribution for the final grade is as follows:
Attendance: 6 %
Participation:14 %
Leading class discussion:15 % (7 1/2 % each)
Two short papers:20 % (10 % each)
Final paper and presentation:45 % (15 % for presentation, 30 % for final paper)
LEADING CLASS DISCUSSION: You will be given detailed assignments for each class. The student leading the discussion must keep it going. Other students are expected to participate in each class, but the student leading the class must prepare especially well to get full credit.
SHORT PAPERS: These will be on assigned topics, although you will have a choice of topic. The short papers will not involve research but rather will be exercises in listening, critical thinking, and developing a thesis in five well-organized and argued pages.
ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION:
- A seminar works only if all students attend class and participate in the discussions regularly: you learn from preparing for class and engaging in discussion. Students are therefore expected to be present and prepared for each class. The six attendance points are there for each student to keep or lose—as are the fourteen participation points! (I’ll take notes on each student’s participation after every class.)
- A student will lose two (2) points from his or her attendance grade for each unexcused absence and will be dropped from the roll with a WF or receive an F at the end of the semester after four (4) absences of any kind. The university recognizes only two types of absences as excused: for religious holidays or for school-sponsored activities. For an absence to be considered excused, I must receive proper documentation. Absences for auditions and other important events may be considered excused: you must check with me first. The university does not recognize illness as a reason for an absence to be excused.
- Late arrival sand early departures count as absences.
- An absence from any one of the classes devoted to final presentations will result in the subtraction of five (5) points from the student's final grade.
Weekly Overview (subject to revision)
Week, ClassesTopics
1 (8/27)Introduction
2 (9/1, 9/3)Mahler’s First and Second Symphonies
3 (9/8, 9/10)Mahler’s Third and Fourth Symphonies
4 (9/15, 9/17)Mahler’s Fifth Symphony
PAPER NO. 1 ASSIGNED
5 (9/22, 9/24)Mahler’s Sixth and Seventh Symphonies
6 (9/29, 10/1)Mahler’s Eighth and Ninth Symphonies
PAPER NO. 1 DUE
7 (10/6, 10/8)Mahler’s Ninth Symphony (continued) and Das Lied von der Erde
8 (10/13, 10/15)Adorno, Mahler: A Musical Physiognomy, Chapter 1
PAPER NO. 2 ASSIGNED
9 (10/20, 10/22)Adorno, Mahler: A Musical Physiognomy, Chapters 2 and 3
10 (10/27, 10/29)Adorno, Mahler: A Musical Physiognomy, Chapter 4
PAPER NO. 2 DUE
11 (11/3, 11/5)Adorno, Mahler: A Musical Physiognomy, Chapter 5
PROPOSAL FOR FINAL PAPER DUE
12 (11/10Adorno, Mahler: A Musical Physiognomy, Chapters 6
NO CLASS ON THURSDAY, 12 NOVEMBER
13 (11/17, 11/19)Adorno, Mahler: A Musical Physiognomy, Chapters 7 and 8
(11/24, 11/26)NO CLASS BECAUSE OF THANKSGIVING
14 (12/1, 12/3)Final presentations will begin
15 (12/8, 12/10)Final presentations
FINAL EXAM TIME (Tuesday, 15 December, 1:30–3:30): Final presentations
FINAL PAPER: due for all students on Thursday, 17 December, by 4 p.m.
IMPORTANT GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
The College of Music complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act in making reasonable accommodation for qualified students with disability. If you have an established disability as defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act and would like to request accommodation, please see me as soon as possible. My office hours and office number are shown on this syllabus.
GRADE OF I-INCOMPLETE
University policy specifies that the grade of I-incomplete is “a non-punitive grade given only during the last one-fourth of a semester and only if a student is (1) passing the course; (2) has justifiable reason why the work cannot be completed on schedule; and (3) arranges with the instructor to finish the course at a later date by completing specific requirements that the instructor must list on the grade sheet. All work in the course must be completed within the specified time (not to exceed one year after taking the course).”
PENALTIES FOR CHEATING
The UNT Code of Student Conduct and Discipline provides penalties for misconduct by students, including academic dishonesty. Academic dishonesty includes cheating and plagiarism:
The term “cheating” includes, but is not limited to, (1) use of any unauthorized assistance in taking quizzes, tests, or examinations; (2) dependence upon the aid of sources beyond those authorized by the instructor in writing papers, preparing reports, solving problems, or carrying out other assignments; or (3) the acquisition, without permission, of tests or other academic material belonging to a faculty member or staff of the university.
The term “plagiarism” includes, but is not limited to, the use, by paraphrase or direct quotation, of the published or unpublished work of another person without full and clear acknowledgement. It also includes the unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling of term papers or other academic materials.
(Source: Code of Conduct and Discipline at the University of North Texas)
Penalties: If you engage in academic dishonesty related to this class, you will receive a failing grade on the test or assignment, and a failing grade in the course. In addition, the case will be referred to the Dean of Students for appropriate disciplinary action.