MUSIC HISTORY TO 1800 - MuHi 330 Fall 2025 - Course Syllabus

Sep 22, 2026

MUSIC HISTORY TO 1800 outlines the MuHi 330 course covering the development of music from its beginnings through 1800. It traces early music across the Middle East and Asia, the growth of early polyphony and instrumental music, and stylistic changes through Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical periods in Europe and its colonies. The syllabus defines course goals for recognizing musical structures, analyzing music through theoretical lenses, comparing sources, and connecting music with historical and cultural contexts. It also specifies prerequisites, course pedagogy, required readings, and a detailed assignments and exams schedule with due dates and grading percentages.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

Course Information

Office Hours and Communication Guidelines

Course Description and Prerequisite

Course Goals and Objectives

Required Textbooks and Access Notes

Reading Homework, Quizzes, and Library Resources

Tentative Schedule and Final Exam Policy

Assignments and Grading

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MUSIC HISTORY TO 1800, MUHI 330 FALL 2025
| | --- | | Dr. Heather Platt
Ball State University, College of Fine Arts, School of Music
email: [hplatt@bsu.edu](hplatt@bsu.edu)
SI Brianna Komorech: [Brianna.komerech@bsu.edu](Brianna.komerech@bsu.edu) | | MEETING WITH AND EMAILING DR . PLATT | | Office Hours: MWF 10–10:50 and most MWF, 12–12:50, other days and hours are available upon request. Please email [hplatt@bsu.edu](hplatt@bsu.edu)
Please do not use Canvas to send messages me. Do not use the gradebook part of Canvas to message me because she Ie not receive that message in a timely manner.
I answers emails during business hours. | | COURSE DESCRIPTION | | The development of music from its beginnings through 1800. This includes early music in the Middle East and Asia, the growth of early polyphony and instrumental music, and the changes in style during the Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical periods in Europe and its colonies. Prerequisite: MuHi 200 passed with a grade of C or better (C– is not sufficient) . 3cr. | | COURSE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES | MuHi 330 is a UCC tier 1 course that enables students to accomplish the Experience-Information transformation in an active-learning environment that includes lecture, discussion, and textbook readings, listening exercises, writing exercises, and in-class activities. These methods help students: • recognize musical structures and forms; • become aware that social forces influence how music was composed and understood; • sort and filter musical experience through a theoretical lens; MuHi 330 also enables students to accomplish the Information-Knowledge transformation through a focus on active-learning pedagogies. These pedagogies help students: • compare various sources of information on relevant musical topics; • analyze music from various theoretical perspectives; • compare and contrast unfamiliar compositions with those studied in class. By the end of the course, students will be able to: • identify and use key terms appropriate to the study of music; • use music theory to identify the key elements of musical form, structure, genre, and style; • recognize and explain which elements of music from the Middle Ages through Classical era are similar to music from later periods, and which are different; • recognize and describe compositions from the Medieval through Classical periods; • explain the similarities and differences between music and other arts and cultural events; • recognize and explain how contemporary social institutions such as church and court influence the production and consumption of music; • explain how music fits into historical and cultural developments; 2 • relate new information to existing knowledge. This course is designed for most music majors, and many music minors. It is typically included in undergraduate music degrees nationwide and is designed to expose students to the canonic repertoire to 1800. Knowledge of this repertoire is necessary to be able to function as informed professional musicians in all vocations, including teaching, performing, composing, or audio technology. The 3 required books are listed below. The volumes are also available through the BSU bookstore. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain these volumes in a timely fashion so that they do not fall behind in the weekly assignments. J. Peter Burkholder et al, A History of Western Music, 10th edition, J. Peter Burkholder et al,(New York: Norton, 2019) . | ISBN-13: 978-0393668179 Note: When you purchase your textbook it will include a code that grants you access to Norton’s website, which includes audio recordings of all the compositions that will be studied this semester. Norton Anthology of Western Music (Eighth Edition) (Vol. 1: Ancient to Baroque) Eighth Edition New York: Norton, 2019. Norton Anthology of Western Music (Eighth Edition) (Vol. 2: Classic to Romantic) Eighth Edition New York: N

FAQs

What is the course prerequisite for MuHi 330?

MuHi 200 must be passed with a grade of C or better; C- is not sufficient.

How will students access audio recordings for the required works?

The Norton website provides audio recordings included with the textbook purchase code.

What are the major graded components and their percentages?

Graded items include a Library Assignment (3%), Machaut Assignment (5%), Tests 1–4 with percentages of 9%, 14%, 15%, and 14%, plus select research paper milestones and a Research Paper (20%).

When are key assignments and tests due?

The syllabus lists due dates such as Library Assignment on September 2 and Tests spanning September to December, with the final exam scheduled by the university and performance commitments restricted during that exam time.

Sep 22, 2026

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