Course Syllabus

Jump to Today

MUSIC 201 – Diatonic Harmony in Western Classical Music

Introduction to tonal harmony and counterpoint; diatonic chord progressions; species counterpoint; analysis of simple works.

 

Instructor: Huck Hodge | email: hhodge@uw.edu                              

TA: Sandesh Nagaraj | email: sanden2@uw.edu

 

Required Text:

Concise Introduction to Tonal Harmony, 2nd ed.

L. Poundie Burstein & Joseph N. Straus

Student set ID: 570608

 

J. S. Bach, 371 four-part chorales

 

NOTE on ZOOM MEETINGS

I would very much appreciate it if you would "unmute" your cameras on Zoom. This helps me feel more like I'm talking to other humans and less like I'm talking to some monolithic abyss. It will also help me, via your facial expressions, to gauge which things from the lecture require more explanation, which things are painfully obvious, etc. 

 

EVALUATION

  1. Exercises and Analysis [50%] – Students will regularly be assigned specific exercises and analysis activities either from the textbook or the instructor in preparation for the lectures.  
  2. Midterm [25%] 
  3. Final [25%]

An incomplete grade (I) is given only when a student has done satisfactory work up until the last two weeks of the quarter but cannot complete the remaining work because of illness or other circumstances beyond the student’s control. The instructor must file a written statement with the head of the department or the dean of the college listing the work that a student will need to do to remove the incomplete. For further information on incompletes, refer to the Office of the University Registrar Incomplete Grades webpage and the university grading policy on their use.

 

COURSE SCHEDULE

Week 1: January 3-7

READ: Burstein/Straus, Chapter 4: Four-part harmony, pp. 44-53

Jan. 3: Burstein/Straus, Chapter 4, pp. 44-48: Four-part harmony, basic rules

Arcadelt, Il Bianco_e Dolce_Cigno 

Jan. 7: Burstein/Straus, Chapter 4, pp. 48-53: Realizing Roman numerals in four-part harmony

Corelli, La Folia

The rule of the octave:

\new PianoStaff << \new Staff { \new Voice = "right" { \relative c' { \clef treble \time 4/4 <e g c>4 <f g b> <e g c> <d a' c> | <d g b> <c f c'> <f g d'> <e g c> \bar "||" | <g c e> <d g d'> <d fis c'> <d g b> | <d g b> <c g' c> <f g b> <e g c> \bar "|." | } } } \new Staff { \new Voice = "left" { \relative c { \clef "bass" c4 d e f | g a b c | c b a g | f e d c | } } } \new FiguredBass { \figuremode { <_>4 <4 3> <6> <6 5> | <_> <6> <6 5> <_> | <_> <6> <6+ 4 3> <_> | <2> <6> <4 3> <_> | } } \new Lyrics { \lyricsto "left" { I V I II | V IV V I | I V V/V V | V I V I | } } >>

Homework assignment due Monday January 10:

InQuizitive Chapter 4: Four-part harmony

 

Week 2: January 10-14

Burstein/Straus, Chapter 4 (cont'd.)

January 10: Burstein/Straus, Chapter 4, pp. 48-53, Realizing Roman numerals in four-part harmony (finish); pp.51-53, Realizing figured bass

January 12: Burstein/Straus, Chapter 4: Realizing figured bass (finish)

Homework assignment due Wednesday January 19: 

Workbook Ch. 4

 

Week 3: January 19-21 (no class Jan.17)

READ: Burstein/Straus, Chapter 5: Voice Leading, pp. 55-64

January 19: Burstein/Straus, Chapter 5, pp. 55-59: Harmonic progression, Kind of motion

Homework assignment due Monday January 24:

InQuizitive: Chapter 5: Voice Leading

 

Week 4: January 24-28

Burstein/Straus, Chapter 5 (cont'd.)

January 24: Burstein/Straus, Chapter 5, pp. 59-62: voice leading in four-part harmony; parallel octaves and fifths; leading tone

January 26: Burstein/Straus, Chapter 5, pp. 63-64: Chordal sevenths; Approaching perfect intervals in similar motion (direct octaves, direct fifths)

Homework assignment for Monday Janruary 31:

Workbook Ch. 5

 

Week 5: January 31 - February 4

READ: Burstein/Straus, Chapter 6: Harmonic Progression, pp. 67-74

January 31: Burstein/Straus, Chapter 6, pp. 67-69: Cadences

February 2: Burstein/Straus, Chapter 6, pp. 69-72: Functions and harmonic patterns; pp. 72-75: Harmonizing melodies

Homework assignment for Monday February 7:

InQuizitive: Chapter 6: Harmonic Progression

 

Week 6: February 7-11

Burstein/Straus, Chapter 6 (cont'd.)

February 7: Burstein/Straus, Chapter 6, pp.72-75: Harmonizing melodies. (Review for midterm)

February 9: midterm

Homework assignment due Monday February 14:

Workbook Ch. 6

 

Week 7: February 14-18

READ: Burstein/Straus, Chapter 7: Melodic Elaboration, pp.77-83

February 14: Burstein/Straus, Chapter 7, pp. 77-79: Arpeggiation, Octave doubling, Embellishing tones (passing tones, neighbors, suspensions)

February 16: Burstein/Straus, Chapter 7, pp. 79-83: Embellishing tones (passing tones, neighbors, suspensions), Other embellishments

Homework assignment due Monday February 23:

InQuizitive: Chapter 7: Harmonic Progression

 

Week 8: February 23-25 (no class Feb. 21)

February 23:  Burstein/Straus, Chapter 7 (cont'd.), Intro to Chapter 8: 

Homework assignment due Monday February 28: 

Workbook Ch. 7

 

Week 9: Feb 28 - March 4

READ: Burstein/Straus, Chapter 8: Species Counterpoint, pp.85-87, 1st Species

February 28: Burstein/Straus, Chapter 8, pp. 85-87, 1st Species

March 2: Burstein/Straus, Chapter 8, pp. 88-90, 2nd Species

Homework assignment due Monday March 7: 

InQuizitive: Chapter 8: Species Counterpoint

 

Week 10: March 7-11

Burstein/Straus, Chapter 8

March 7: Burstein/Straus, Chapter 8, pp.88-90, 2nd Species, Introduction to 4th Species.

March 9: Burstein/Straus, Chapter 8, pp.90-92, 4th Species. Review

Homework assignment due Friday March 11: 

Workbook Ch. 8

 

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Regular attendance is strongly advised. Students who cannot attend class regularly and promptly will jeopardize their success in the class and are therefore advised not to take the course.

A student who is anticipating being absent from class due to a Religious Accommodation activity needs to complete the Religious Accommodations request process by the second Friday of the quarter. Students who anticipate missing class due to attendance at academic conferences or field trips, or participation in university-sponsored activities should provide a written notice to the instructor ahead of the absence. The instructor will determine if the graded activity or exam can be rescheduled or if there is equivalent work that can be done as an equivalent, as determined by the instructor. If class is missed, it is the responsibility of the student to obtain any missed information from others class members first, and then the instructor if necessary. Missed classes will not alter the due date for assignments, tests, and other class responsibilities. However, in the event of extended illness, every effort will be made to assist the student in completing the required course work whenever possible if it is determined feasible to do so.

 

RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at Religious Accommodations Policy (https://registrar.washington.edu/staffandfaculty/religious-accommodations-policy/). Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request form (https://registrar.washington.edu/students/religious-accommodations-request/).

 

ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT

The university’s policy on academic misconduct is a part of the Student Conduct Code, which cites the definition of academic misconduct in WAC 478-121. According to Student Governance Policy, Chapter 209 Section 7.C, academic misconduct includes but is not limited to acts such as cheating, plagiarism, and unauthorized collaboration. Refer to the Community Standards & Student Conduct – Academic Misconduct webpage for more information.

Students have a right to due process, particularly regarding academic misconduct. Thus, the syllabus is important in providing students with a clear statement of the instructor’s expectations. For further discussion of what is meant by the students’ right to due process, refer to the Faculty Resource on Grading – Students’ Right to Due Process webpage.

Course Summary:

Date Details Due