PHIL1911W

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is one of the greatest composers in the Western classical canon. He is also the one who seems to have the strongest hold on the modern imagination. This seminar will explore Mozart's life and music through both listening and viewing. Why should anyone today care about music by someone who lived more than 200 years ago? Part of the answer is that this music, like the plays of Shakespeare and the paintings of Rembrandt, is of such greatness and power that every age since has found something in it to value. Mozart is also an intriguing figure for other reasons. What we know about his personality seems wildly at odds with the sublime character of his music. The music itself presents us with a mystery: much of it is so lighthearted that one wonders how it manages to be so profound at the same time. No prior knowledge about music is required, just an open mind.

001475

Periodic Fall & Spring