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Developing Themes: Music in the 'Long Nineteenth Century' - MUS00189C

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  • Department: Music
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: C
  • Academic year of delivery: 2023-24
    • See module specification for other years: 2024-25

Module summary

This module examines music in the ‘Long Nineteenth Century’ from a contemporary perspective, embracing cultural, historical and musical contexts.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 1 2023-24

Module aims

This module introduces the concept of the ‘Long Nineteenth Century’. Acknowledging that this period of music defies simple categorisation, we will approach its outputs from different, but fundamentally connected, angles (a thematic approach, in fact). One strand considers issues that require a modern critical perspective, such as: our relationship with ideas of genre, value, aesthetics, history writing, performance, gender and accessibility. Significant cultural touchstones also emerge, including nationalism, narrative, musical meaning, and modernism. A second, supporting theme for engaging with such contexts will be developing musical understanding. You will be introduced to some of the approaches to handling – for example – musical forms, themes and tonality, as well as how these techniques and practices (and the motivations behind them) might be perceived and understood.

Case studies on individual composers allow representative insight into some of the major issues and developing changes of the time, as seen through work by individuals such as Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Hensel, Bruckner and Wagner. Consideration of composers who were active around the turn of the twentieth century, such as Rachmaninoff, Strauss, Schoenberg, Elgar and Sibelius, also sheds light on the relationship between musical periodisation and broader historical events.

In this module, you will build on opportunities to talk about and practically engage with this music and associated cultural considerations on their own terms through structured discussion points, as well as having scheduled time for individual and group-based examinations of musical scores and other source materials. Weekly seminar teaching will be supported by a number of GTA-led sessions in the last weeks of the project that help students develop the research skills they will need to write their essay.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the taught part of the project you should be able to:

  • Understand a range of musical styles, ideas and practices in the ‘Long Nineteenth Century’;

  • Apply skills gained in analysing musical works and discussing these critically within their cultural context to understand how they are constructed;

  • Lead and contribute actively to collaborative, group-based discussions and activities relating to this period of music;

  • Communicate with clarity and insight through written and oral work that builds on independent research.

In this module you will also demonstrate the following learning outcomes for independent work:

  • Present effective formative group or individual seminars on chosen topics – LO A7;

  • Analyse music or demonstrate understanding of appropriate analytical techniques – LO A9;

  • Demonstrate techniques of detailed critical listening such as transcription and/or ‘close readings’ of aural sources – LO A12.

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 30
Essay/coursework 70

Special assessment rules

None

Additional assessment information

This assessment has two components:

1) Critical sourcework exercise (30%):

A piece of writing (c.1000 words) comparing and contrasting viewpoints on a controversial topic, with appropriate referencing and academic tone. Students will be given suggested topics and a starter list of sources to draw on, and will be expected to supplement this with further reading.


2) Essay (70%):

A discussion of a relevant topic with title agreed in tutorial. (c.2500-3000 words)

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 30
Essay/coursework 70

Module feedback

You will receive written feedback in line with standard University turnaround times.

Indicative reading

Suggested reading/listening:

Beard, David, and Kenneth Gloag. (2005) Musicology: The Key Concepts. Oxford: Routledge.

Beer, Anna. (2016) Sounds and Sweet Airs: The Forgotten Women of Classical Music. London: Oneworld Publications.

Dunsby, Jonathan and Arnold Whittall. (1988) Music Analysis in Theory and Practice. London: Faber Music.

Cook, Nicholas. (1998) Music: A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press.

Cook, Nicholas. (2014) Beyond the Score: Music as Performance. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Goehr, Lydia. (2007) The Imaginary Museum of Musical Works, second edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Grimley, Daniel, ed. (2004) The Cambridge Companion to Sibelius. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Kramer, Lawrence. (1909) Music as Cultural Practice, 1800-1900. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Samson, Jim, ed. (2004) The Cambridge History of Nineteenth Century Music. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Macdonald, Malcom. (1990) Brahms (Master Musicians series). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Rosen, Charles. (1997) The Classical Style: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven. London: Faber and Faber.

Rosen, Charles. (1995) The Romantic Generation. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

Ross, Alex. (2007) The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Tanner, Michael. (2010) The Faber Pocket Guide to Wagner. London: Faber & Faber.

Tarrant, Christopher and Wild, Natalie. (2022) The Symphony: From Mannheim to Mahler. London: Faber Music Limited.

Whittall, Arnold. (1987) Romantic Music: A Concise History from Schubert to Sibelius. London: Thames & Hudson.

Indicative listening:

Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, Op. 55; String Quartet No. 14 in C minor, Op. 131

Schubert: String Quintet in C major, D. 956; Piano Sonata in B-flat major, D, 960

Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique

Brahms: Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90; String Quartet in A minor, Op. 51, no. 2

Hansel: Concert Overture in C major

Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 in E-flat major WAB 104

Wagner: Tristan und Isolde

Schoenberg: Verklärte Nacht

Chaminade: Piano Sonata in C minor, Op. 21

Sibelius: Symphony No. 7 in C major, Op. 105

Rachmaninoff: Symphony 2 in E minor, Op. 27

Elgar: Symphony No. 2 in E-flat major, Op. 63

Strauss: Eine Alpensinfonie


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University constantly explores ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary. In some instances it may be appropriate for the University to notify and consult with affected students about module changes in accordance with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.