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Intimacy of Creativity: Entering the Minds of Composers

Approx. 5 hours to complete

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Course Summary

This course delves into the intimate and creative minds of composers, exploring the relationship between intimacy and creativity in music.

Key Learning Points

Learn how composers use their personal experiences and relationships to create music
Explore the intersection of creativity and intimacy in music
Discover unorthodox techniques and methods for enhancing your own creativity

Learning Outcomes

Gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between intimacy and creativity in music
Develop new techniques for enhancing your own creativity
Learn how to use personal experiences and relationships to create music

Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course

A basic understanding of music theory
Familiarity with music composition software

Course Difficulty Level

Intermediate

Course Format

Online
Self-paced

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Notable People in This Field

John Adams
Meredith Monk

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Description

Bright Sheng guides us through three works — by Brahms, Beethoven, and Sheng — for an intimate look inside the composer's mind. This course strives to give students a new appreciation of music, based on an understanding of the craft behind each work. This class is perfect for those wanting to gain a unique perspective on the creative process of music composition, while challenging traditional notions of how composers approach formal structure, melody, and harmony.

Week 1 focuses on the question “what is melody?”, and on the meticulous design of Brahms's Intermezzo, op. 118, no. 2. Week 2 concentrates on the fundamentals of harmony, and how Beethoven thought of harmony to generate his Symphony No. 7 in A Major, op. 92. Week 3 applies the same paradigm to a living composer, Bright Sheng himself, and reveals how he found inspiration in the works of these titans of music in his Four Movements for Piano Trio. While helpful, it is not expected students have a background in music to take the course.

Outline

Orientation and Module 1: Melody
Introduction and Course Overview
1.1 Telling a Story through Music
1.2 Brahms and Romanticism
1.3 What is a Melody?
1.4 Opening Theme Analysis
1.5 Understanding Melodic Shape - Octave Displacement
1.6 What is Development?
1.7 Continued Development of the Theme
1.8 Inversion
1.9 What is Form?
1.10 Analysis of Section B Theme
1.11 Relationship Between A and B Sections
1.12 Quotation of the Main Theme and Final Thoughts
Assignments and Grading
Quiz 1

Harmony
2.1 Beethoven and the Classical Period
2.2 What is Harmony?
2.3 What is Harmony? (cont.)
2.4 Analysis of Movement I Introduction
2.5 Analysis of Movement I Introduction (cont.)
2.6 Long-Range Harmonic Analysis of Movement I Introduction
2.7 Analysis of Movement II
2.8 Analysis of Movement III
2.9 Analysis of Movement IV
Quiz 2

Post Tonal Music Composition
3.1 Musical Anarchy
3.2 Establishing a New Order
3.3 Harmonic Language of Movement II
3.4 Structure of Movement II
3.5 Analysis of Movement III
3.6 Rhythmic Development of Movement III
3.7 Discussion of Movements I and IV
3.8 Performance
Quiz 3

Summary of User Reviews

Read reviews for Intimacy & Creativity: Entering the Minds of Composers course on Coursera. Users have rated the course highly for its insightful content and engaging delivery. Many users found the course to be an eye-opener in terms of understanding the creative process of composers.

Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course

Insightful content that offers an eye-opening understanding of the creative process of composers.

Pros from User Reviews

Insightful and engaging content
Great delivery by the instructor
Valuable information for aspiring composers
Well-structured course curriculum
Excellent production quality

Cons from User Reviews

Some users found the course to be too basic
Lack of practical exercises for learners
Not suitable for those without a background in music
Some users felt that the course was too theoretical with little practical application
Limited interaction with other learners and the instructor