The text covers the fundamentals of music and the physics of sound, a survey of music from the Middle Ages to the present, and a concluding chapter on popular music in the United States. Each chapter includes learning objectives, key terms, an end-of-chapter overview, and listening guides; a glossary is included. The text is available …
Understanding Music: Past and Present (Clark, Heflin, Kluball, Kramer; 2015) (CC BY-SA)Read More »
A music appreciation textbook that features musical examples and photographs that represent the demographics of our students today. Special attention has been paid in choosing to represent women and minorities.” The online version features embedded interactive timelines and numerous video examples. Chapter introductions are well-written. Instructors should note that the units on Medieval and Renaissance …
Text explores music as a mobile art shaped by human movement and technological transmission, employing a case-study methodology to develop broader conceptual themes including “colonialism, migration, diaspora, copyright, and hybridity.” Musical examples span Western and non-Western traditions across several genres. Organized in three thematic parts: Migration, Mediation, and Mashup. Part 1 explores three different groups …
Music on the Move (Fosler-Lussier; 2020) (CC BY-NC)Read More »
Text is organized thematically according to the social function: storytelling, political expression, spirituality, dance, domestic entertainment, and more. The chapters can be taught in any order. A complete set of PowerPoint slides and learning objectives is included. Some chapters arrive at interpretive conclusions that are not the only defensible readings, which may support critical discussion …
Resonances: Engaging Music in Its Cultural Context (Morgan-Ellis; 2020) (CC BY-SA)Read More »
This text examines the connections between the Bible and music across three parts: a historical survey; an analysis of the interpretation of texts through musical setting; a section on composers from the Middle Ages to the present day. Musical examples are embedded throughout. Its utility for a general music appreciation course is limited by its …
This short course focuses exclusively on Schubert’s settings of Goethe’s poems for solo voice and piano. The original German texts with parallel English translations, scores for four songs, and recordings of all discussed works are provided in the unit. Its narrow focus makes it unsuitable as a standalone text. However, it could be used as …
Schubert’s Lieder: Settings of Goethe’s Poems (The Open University; 2007) (CC BY-NC)Read More »
This text collects essays by composers, performers, academics, journalists, and arts administrators. Authors include Alex Ross, Ara Guzelimian and Unsuk Chin. Part I addresses issues in nonprofit arts organizations. Part II presents case studies. Because of the high profile of many of its authors, essays from this collection are suitable for supplementary reading.Disclaimer: Please note …