Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique and Program Music in the 19th Century
3-5 hours a week • Start today
Individual Course
Beethoven’s 9th Symphony and the 19th Century Orchestra
Course Length
3 weeks
3-5 hours a week
Featuring faculty from:
Harvard Faculty of Arts & Sciences
Enroll as Individual
Certificate Price:
$ 149
Enroll as Individual
Certificate Price:
$ 149
Discover Beethoven’s monumental 9th Symphony and other forms of orchestral music
Ludwig van Beethoven’s 9th Symphony premiered in Vienna in 1824 and continues to be one of the most popular symphonies in the repertoire. The monumental symphony’s size and complexity stretch traditional instrumental forms to the breaking point, and its famous choral finale changed our view of orchestral music forever. Harvard’s Thomas Forrest Kelly (Morton B. Knafel Professor of Music) guides learners through all four movements of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, highlighting aspects of symphonic form, describing Beethoven’s composition process, the rehearsals and premiere performance, and the work’s continued relevance today. You will learn the basics of musical form and analysis, the genres and styles used and the circumstances of this symphony’s first performance and subsequent history. Learners in this course need not have any prior musical experience. The course will be delivered via edX and connect learners around the world.
Self-Guided
edX
- Learning Outcome
Identify and describe the forms of 18th- and 19th- century orchestral music.
- Learning Outcome
Understand the instruments and voices of the orchestra and choir.
- Learning Outcome
Appreciate cultural context and performance circumstances of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony.
- Learn from Harvard faculty
- Do it on your own time
- Get a certificate, add it to your resume
- Be part of the Harvard Community
Faculty
Your Instructor
Thomas Forrest Kelly
Morton B. Knafel Professor of Music, Harvard University
Thomas is the Morton B. Knafel Professor of Music at Harvard University. He received his B.A. from UNC-Chapel Hill, and his Ph.D. from Harvard. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, an honorary citizen of the city of Benvento, and a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Artes et Lettres of the French Republic.
Complete your journey with this XSeries
These courses can be bundled together to receive a certificate at a discounted price.
- 5 Courses
- 4 Months
- Earn Your Certificate
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Ways to take this course
Audit or Pursue a Verified Certificate
A Verified Certificate costs $149 and provides unlimited access to full course materials, activities, tests, and forums. At the end of the course, learners who earn a passing grade can receive a certificate.
Alternatively, learners can Audit the course for free and have access to select course material, activities, tests, and forums. Please note that this track does not offer a certificate for learners who earn a passing grade.
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