Survey of American Music

Catalog description

This course explores the history of music in the United States through the prism of the nation's most persistent cultural issue, race relations. From the earliest transatlantic contacts to the present day, the act of music-making is viewed as a complex response to both the inherited traditions of Europe and Africa and a changing environment. Topics include spirituals, gospel, and Protestantism; minstrelsy and the entertainment industry; nationalism and the symphony; experimental music of the 20th century; and vernacular genres such as folksong and the blues. Students complete all the requirements for A MUS 214, plus additional readings, written work, and presentations. Only one of A MUS 214, T MUS 214 or A MUS 334 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s) A MUS 100.