This course satisfies the Music degree Communication Intensive in the Minor (CI-M)
requirement, which entails 5000 words of formal writing, and incorporates oral presentation, revision, abstract-writing, and citation practice.
Sample student work is presented courtesy of the students and used with permission.
Paper 1 (Including Revision)
The first paper will be a listening-based analysis of a work not covered on the syllabus, composed between 1900 and 1945. The length will be a minimum of 1500 words. Students will subsequently revise the paper to integrate reliable additional secondary sources and to incorporate professorial feedback, and resubmit it for a new grade.
Sample Student Work
“Development and Stasis in Messiaen’s L’ascension (PDF),” by MIT student
Paper 2 (Including Peer Review of Abstracts and In-class Presentation)
The second paper will compare the sounds and techniques of two aesthetically related works, one composed between 1945 and 1990 and one composed between 1990 and the present, neither of which is covered on the syllabus. After initial work to understand the chosen pieces, students will draft a thesis statement and abstract to share with peers. The final paper length will be a minimum of 2500 words, due at the final class. On the due date, each student will give a short presentation about their work.
Sample Student Work
“Steve Reich’s Phases of Phases: A Comparison of Electric Counterpoint and Radio Rewrite (PDF - 1.4MB),” by Erin L. Main
Live Event Reviews
Each student must attend two live events featuring music since 1900. I will provide and update listings of approved events; alternative choices must be suggested and approved in advance. Generally, concerts that feature just one twentieth-century work will not be acceptable. Details of logistics (e.g. ticket prices and locations) are your responsibility to find online. Within about a week of attending each event, you should submit a formal review (ca. 500 words). In your report, you should address the following: The quality of the performance, the effectiveness of the piece, the reactions of the audience, and the reasons you did or did not enjoy the performance. These may be written in first person but should be formal, well-constructed, and carefully edited. Please note: One of the concert reports may be substituted with a Composer Forum talk in the MIT Music Library.
Sample Student Work
“Three musicology talks on modern composers (PDF),” by Erin L. Main
“Morton Feldman’s String Quartet No. 2 (PDF),” by MIT student
“Messiaen Live: A Retrospective (PDF),” by MIT student
