MUSIC 7222

Haydn and Sonata Form

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2019-2020.

Regarding his methods of composing, Haydn commented, "Once I had seized upon an idea, my whole endeavor was to develop and to sustain it in keeping with the rules of the art…."  This suggests that a fundamental aspect of Haydn's music is that it is inherently developmental: in all relevant domains, and on all levels from the smallest (e.g., Schoenberg's "developing variation") to the construction of entire movements. It also suggests the existence of an inherent tension between Haydn's music and theories of sonata form, both traditional and recent. The seminar will investigate this complex of topics in detail, focusing on a central repertory such as late string quartets or the "London" symphonies.

When Offered Fall.

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