Exploring keyboard works

About this course

This course surveys keyboard music from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern periods, with repertoire including works by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and Debussy. Sessions examine genres and topics such as dance forms, preludes and fugues, trio sonatas, chorale preludes, piano sonatas and organ design. Teaching is seminar-based, combining guided listening, exercise work, discussion, tutor-led feedback, aural training and music analysis. Attention is also given to how the mechanisms and development of keyboard instruments, particularly the pipe organ, relate to musical composition.

What you'll learn

• Identify characteristic features across a range of keyboard genres.
• Analyse structure and compositional techniques in selected keyboard works.
• Explain relationships between instrumental design and musical composition.

Is this course right for you?

The course is intended for learners at Improver level who can follow basic Western staff notation, including melody direction, bar numbers, dynamics and repeat signs. No experience of playing a keyboard instrument is required, but participants should be prepared to engage with seminars, guided listening, exercises, discussion and music analysis.

• Basic music-reading ability is required; the source gives approximately Grade 2 piano skills as an example.
• Keyboard performance experience is not required.
• The course suits learners exploring classical keyboard repertoire and the composing process.

Before you go

• Recordings of performances discussed in class may be purchased separately if desired.