Series of 19 lecures—a whirlwind exposure to the music of Western Civilization from today all the way back to Gregorian Chant. Going backwards instead of forwards through time first widens our context from what we know—our current aesthetics— helping us to better hear the different concerns and beauty of earlier music. You'll come to know and love many masterpieces composed throughout the past thousand years. These are recordings from a live lecture series.

This is my unorthodox intro to Western music! We cover: 20th century—Post-modernism, Rock and Pop music, Jazz, Experimentalism, Serialism, Neoclassicism, Modernism; 19th century Romanticism; 18th century Classicism; 18th and 17th centuries Baroque; 16th and 15th centuries Renaissance; 14th thru 11th centuries Medieval Music.

My vision was to begin with whatever was number one on the Bill Board charts and work my way back through Gregorian Chant!

Overview of Western Music
Postmodern Era (1985-present) return to tonality and embrace of all possible styles
Contemporary Era (1945-1985) experimentation and complexity
Early Modern Era (1900-1945) extending and breaking tonality
Romantic Era (1820-1900) chromatic harmony
Classical Era (1750-1820) sonata form
Baroque Era (1600-1750) instrumental music and tonality
Renaissance (1400-1600) vocal polyphony and imitation
Medieval Era (ca. 800-1400) vocal plainchant to polyphony