Music as a Mirror of History

By: Robert Greenberg, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Robert Greenberg

In the worlds of painting and literature, it's easy to see where history and art intersect. In Picasso's Guernica or Tolstoy's War and Peace, it's evident how works of art mirror and participate in the life of their times, sometimes even playing roles in historical events. But what about music?

In Music as a Mirror of History, Great Courses favorite Professor Greenberg of San Francisco Performances returns with a fascinating and provocative premise: Despite the abstractness and the universality of music - and our habit of listening to it divorced from any historical context - music is a mirror of the historical setting in which it was created. Music carries a rich spectrum of social, cultural, historical, and philosophical information, all grounded in the life and experience of the composer - if you're aware of what you're listening to. In these 24 lectures, you'll explore how composers convey such explicit information, evoking specific states of mind and giving voice to communal emotions, all colored by their own personal experiences. Music lovers and history enthusiasts alike will be enthralled by this exploration of how momentous compositions have responded to - and inspired - pivotal events.

Ranging widely across the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, you witness historical moments such as the French Revolution, the Napoleonic Wars, the Austrian-Ottoman conflict, the Hungarian nationalist movement, the movement for Italian unification, the economic ascent of the US, the Stalinist regime in the USSR, and World Wars I and II. Across the arc of the course, you'll see how these events were felt and expressed in the music of Mozart, Beethoven, Berlioz, Brahms, Verdi, Wagner, and many others, including modern masters such as Janáček, Górecki, and Crumb, and you'll hear superlative musical excerpts in each lecture. Join us for an unparalleled look into the power and scope of musical art.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2016 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2016 The Great Courses

fabulous history lesson

This series is a great take on music and history, I finished in three days.

Good Lectures to Listen to Again

Over the years I have owned this course I have listened over again three times.

Alternately Opinionated and Informational

I didn’t always agree with Dr. Greenberg’s political opinions but well-presented opinions should make you think, and we need more like his. Brilliant.

Greenberg never fails to deliver.

The history lesson alone is well worth the time for this course. Combined with the exposure to what for many would be unknown works by, I dare say, unknown composers makes this even more extraordinary. Well done.

Amazing

Love Greenberg and his books. Please, dont put chavez with ghandi. I loved the opportunity to learn about modern music in the last chapters.

Entertaining and informative

Subtle? No.
Opinionated? Yes.
History and music interwoven by an enthusiastic teacher.
Likely to engage historians in music and musicians in history.

Best there is.

I’ve listened to a lot of courses from the Great Courses but this one is my favorite. If you enjoy classical music, it’s excellent and what you’d expect from this professor. But the history portion is what stands out. With each work the professor reviews the historical events surrounding the piece and then shows how they relate back to the piece and it’s composer. This unique approach makes the course worthwhile on its own. But, with each and every chapter, I found myself learning more and understanding better the historical events, even in circumstances where I was relatively well versed in them. As I said the professor’s background and forte (no pun intended) is music, but, based on this course, I’d have to say that he is equally adept at being a historian. Definitely give it a listen.

Exceptional - Greenberg at his best!

I have enjoyed many of Professor Greenberg's courses, but this is immediately one of my favorites. I was expecting a music course with some historical tie-ins for context, but quite a bit of research went into the history component, and the result is nicely balanced, informative, and entertaining.

I came away from the course knowing more about music AND history. As usual, Professor Greenberg's enthusiastic delivery and wit transform what might otherwise be dry into an enjoyable experience.

Fascinating, informative, and entertaining

I’ve listen to countless of Professor Greenberg’s lectures, and this one as fascinating, informative, and entertaining as all his courses. What is particular here is that there is less music and more lecturing. I would’ve been happy for the course to be even longer so we could hear more of the music but his lectures are so fascinating I would certainly not want that part to be any shorter. And he can be so funny! And yet his humor never takes away from the seriousness of the subject matter. Highly recommended!

Too good too good too good

Thank you dr Greenberg! This is my number fifth or sixth book from you. You are a national treasure!