MHS122: Myths, Music, and Manipulated Realities, 1750-1880

Asynchronous, online
Instructor: Pallas Catenella
E-mail: priedler@u.rochester.edu
Office hours: by appointment
Class Zoom room: https://rochester.zoom.us/j/94576865150 (we will use this for check-ins, office hours,
and exam review sessions)
Course Description and Objectives
The eighteenth and nineteenth centuries brought renewed interest in ancient myths, fantastical magic, and
otherworldly experiences. Music was increasingly harnessed to manipulate perceptions of everyday life.
In this course, we will dwell in the space between myth and reality, travelling from C.P.E Bach’s new
worlds of interiority to the devilish legends of Paganini and Liszt, from Gluck’s austere portrayals of
ancient gods to Wagner’s obsession with the dramatically mythical. Over the course of the semester, we
will ask: how is music used to evoke feelings of the fantastic and manipulate perceptions of the “real”?
What does this reveal about social, political, and cultural landscapes of the time? And finally, what myths
of Classical and Romantic tradition persist even today?
Together, we will define the major styles and genres of the period and analyze pieces and composers in
relation to their broader social, historical, and artistic contexts. Students will compose persuasive
arguments about music and society in both short and long prose forms, casual and academic audiences
alike.
Class Texts
Most of our class readings will be from the Oxford Anthology of Western Music, Volume II. (Second
edition, ISBN9780190600327) edited by Móricz and Schneider. (Notated as OA in this document.) I
missed the school’s deadline to order these for the bookstore, so will not be requiring you to purchase this
anthology (and will be scanning the assigned readings and posting them on Blackboard instead).
An optional text that you might find useful is the Oxford History of Western Music: College Edition
(ISBN9780195097627) edited by Taruskin and Gibbs. Most of my lecture supplements are scanned from
this textbook.
What does “Asynchronous” mean for us?
We will not be meeting as a class in person or over Zoom! Instead, the class consists of interactions
through Blackboard. Note: there will be more moving parts because of the asynchronous format. To help
you keep track of where we are in the course, I have created a course checklist for your major
assignments. This can be found in the “Course documents” folder on Blackboard.
Weekly posting: This course is separated into three units. At the beginning of unit 1, you will be broken
up into groups of 5-6. Once a week, you are expected to read the assigned material, complete the assigned
listening, watch the week’s lectures, and contribute to the class discussion forum. I recommend you
complete these tasks in this order, but it is up to you. I will post prompts (questions, debate topics, etc.) in
the forum ahead of time. Please respond to these prompts with a paragraph (4-5 sentences) in which you
develop an argument and/or respond productively to your fellow group members. These are due by
11:59pm EST Thursday every week (e.g. the introduction video is due by 11:59 pm EST on Thursday,
August 26). Your discussion posts are not graded, but they will factor into your participation grade (for
more on the participation policy, see below). Optional readings will also be made available on
Blackboard.
Check-in with Pallas: At the beginning of Unit 2, I will ask you to attend a small group Zoom meeting
with me to check in (to see how you’re doing, whether you have anything you want to bring to my
attention, etc.). I am also available throughout the semester to meet over Zoom if you have any questions
or need to talk about anything.
Assessment
Participation: 30%
Test #1 (September 27-28): 15%
Test #2 (November 1-2): 15%
Test #3 (December 1-2): 15%
Final Project (See below for due dates): 25%
Participation policy
This course is in an asynchronous format, so there is no in-class time. 75% of your participation grade is
contributing to the weekly prompts; 25% is watching the lectures. (Hint: Blackboard tells your instructors
a) whether you’ve clicked on a video and b) how much of the video you have watched. I tell you this
beforehand to avoid awkwardness!)
Please note: More than three (3) unexcused missed forum postings in the semester will negatively affect
your final grade in the course. If your grade is an A, your fourth unexcused missed posting lowers the
grade to A-, your fifth to a B+, etc. Consistent and/or excessive lateness of postings will have a similar
effect. If you must miss a posting due to illness, professional engagement, or family emergency, please
notify me by email.
Tests
There will be a test at the end of each unit, non-cumulative. The tests will be untimed (open for 24 hours)
and open book. You can use your notes and anthology, but please do not consult fellow students. I will
post a review sheet on Blackboard and schedule at least two opportunities for synchronous exam review
over Zoom before each test. The tests will contain the following components/weighting:

• Listening analysis (these will resemble the analysis performed in your bi-weekly lectures) – 25%
• Short term definition – 25%
• Short essays (these will resemble the weekly prompts) – 50%
Note: since test #3 is based on fewer weeks of content, it will only consist of listening analysis and short
term definition. There will be no short essays on test #3.
Final project assignment
I will release more detailed information about the final assignment on September 13th. Broadly, I will ask
you to change your reader’s mind about something (that is, develop an argument). The prompt will be
to link a musical piece, composer, or moment to our theme of myths, magic, and manipulated realities.
You have two options for this final assignment: 1) to write a 5-6-page academic paper (double-spaced,
12-point Times New Roman); or 2) to create a 10-15 minute public-audience podcast. You will be able
to choose your essay/podcast topic, although it is subject to approval. For an example of the genre of the
podcast, see the episode on “the most successful pirate of all time” on This American Life:
https://www.thisamericanlife.org/616/i-am-not-a-pirate/act-two-3.

• Abstract + annotated bibliography (October 1): 10%

• First draft of paper/script (November 16): 20%
• Presentations (Video recorded over Zoom, explain your project to your peers) (November 23):
20%
• Peer review (watch your groupmates’ presentations, and give feedback) (December 4): 20%
• Final draft of paper/podcast (December 11): 30%
Code of Conduct Online
Students are expected to conduct themselves in a way that respects the cooperative standards of our
community. We will all benefit from a class consisting of individuals with diverse backgrounds,
experiences, perspectives, and opinions. In order to maintain a respectful atmosphere for learning, I ask
that we all:

• Listen openly to one another’s ideas, perspectives, values, and beliefs

• Communicate constructively and respectfully, especially when we disagree
Please be in touch via email if you have any concerns at all about the classroom environment or the
course content, or have suggestions as to how our class can be a more inclusive space. Further
information about inclusivity, accessibility, and expected behavior can be found in the “Course
documents” > “Policies” folder on Blackboard.
A note about well-being
Over the last year and a half, the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted everyone’s life in varying ways.
While your studies are important, I want to take this moment to emphasize that your number one priority
should be your physical and mental well-being. Please let me know as soon as possible if you have any
concerns, illnesses, or emergencies that might affect your schoolwork and we can work together to make
sure that you have a successful, fulfilling, and safe semester.
More generally, I am very open to feedback about the course structure if you have any comments,
concerns, or suggestions as we progress through the semester together. My virtual door is always open!
Course Schedule1
Unless otherwise notated, assignments are due by 11:59pm EST Thursday (e.g. the introduction video is
due by 11:59pm EST on Thursday, August 26). Specific information will be available in clearly marked
folders on Blackboard (e.g. specific instructions for your introduction video are under “Course
Schedule” > “Unit One” > “Week 1: Introductions” > “Introduction Video”)

UNIT ONE
Week 1 (Aug. 25-Aug. 27): Introductions

• Submit by 11:59pm EST Thursday (Aug. 26)

o Introductory survey (for me)
o Introduction video (for your classmates) containing the following information:
▪ name
▪ major/instrument
▪ where you are in the world (this can be a city, state, country, etc. whatever you
want to share!)
▪ favorite mythical or magical tale
o Syllabus quiz
• Watch
o The introduction videos of your group members by 11:59pm EST Monday (Aug. 30)
Week 2 (Aug. 30-Sept. 3): The Mirror and the Lamp

• Submit
o Respond to prompt in group on Blackboard
• Listen
o C.P.E. Bach, Fantasia in C Minor Wq. 63/6/iii (OA #3)
o J.C. Bach, Sonata in D Major, Op. 5 No. 2, first movement (OA #4)
o Pergolesi, “A Serpina penserete” and “Son imbrogliato io già” from La serva padrona
(OA #5)
o Gluck, “Che farò senza Euridice?” and “Deh placatevi con me” from Orfeo ed Euridice
(OA #7; Blackboard)
• Read
o “What is the Enlightenment?” from The Oxford History of Western Music (Blackboard)
o Rousseau, “Letters on French Music” (1753) (Blackboard)
o OA pages 10, 13-14, 17, 19-20, 40, 43
o Wikipedia entries for La serva padrona and Orfeo ed Euridice for a brief summary of the
plots (Blackboard)
o Optional readings:
▪ Supplement to lecture 1.1 (Blackboard)
▪ Supplement to lecture 1.2 (Blackboard)

1
N.B. Readings and course schedule are subject to change at the instructor’s discretion. At least one
week’s notice will be provided, and I will generally only change by swapping something out or dropping
something—there will never be any last-minute additions to your workload.
 ▪ Supplement to lecture 1.3 (Blackboard)
▪ Gluck, “Dedication to Alceste” (Blackboard)
• Watch
o Lecture 1.1
o Lecture 1.2
o Lecture 1.3
Week 3 (Sept. 6-Sept. 10): The Myth of Haydn

• Submit
o Respond to prompt in group on Blackboard
• Listen
o Haydn, Symphony No. 45 in F# Minor (“Farewell”), first and fourth movement (OA #10)
o Haydn, String Quartet in E-flat Major (“The Joke”), fourth movement (OA #11)
o Haydn, Symphony No. 104 in D Major (“London”), first movement (OA #12)
• Read
o “Haydn’s Duties in the Service of Prince Esterhazy” (1761) (Blackboard)
o OA pages 58, 63, 73-74 (introduction and portion on mov. 4), 84-85
o Optional readings:
▪ Benjamin Wolff, “How to Tell Your Boss It’s Time to Go” (Blackboard)
▪ Supplement to lecture 1.4 (Blackboard)
▪ Supplement to lecture 1.5 (Blackboard)
▪ Supplement to lecture 1.6 (Blackboard)
• Watch
o Lecture 1.4
o Lecture 1.5
o Lecture 1.6
Week 4 (Sept. 13-Sept. 17): The Myth of Mozart

• Submit
o Respond to prompt in group on Blackboard
• Listen
o Mozart, Symphony No. 31 in D Major (“Paris”), K. 297, first movement (Blackboard)
o Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 17 in G Major, K. 453, first movement (OA #17)
o Mozart, “Se vuol ballare,” from Le nozze di Figaro (Blackboard)
o Mozart, Overture, “Notte e giorno faticar,” and “Là ci darem la mano” from Don
Giovanni (OA #14; Blackboard)
• Read
o “Account of a Very Remarkable Young Musician” (1764) (Blackboard)
o “From Mozart’s Letters” (1778) (Blackboard)
o OA pages 131-132 (introduction and paragraphs on “La ci darem”), 169-171
o Wikipedia entries for Le nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni for brief summaries of the
plots (Blackboard)
o Optional readings:
▪ Supplement to lecture 1.7 (Blackboard)
▪ Supplement to lecture 1.8 (Blackboard)
 ▪ Bonnie Gordon, “What Don Giovanni, an Opera About a Charismatic Rapist,
Can Teach Us About Don Trump,” Slate (2016) (Blackboard)
• Watch
o Lecture 1.7
o Lecture 1.8
o Lecture 1.9
**Final project prompt and Test #1 review sheet released on Monday (Sept. 13)**
Week 5 (Sept. 20-Sept. 24): The Myth of Beethoven

• Submit
o Respond to prompt in group on Blackboard
• Listen
o Beethoven, Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major (“Eroica”), Op. 55, first movement (OA
#20)
o Beethoven, Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67 (OA #21)
o Beethoven, Wellingtons Sieg, Op. 91 (Blackboard)
• Read
o Selections from K.M. Knittel, “The Construction of Beethoven” (Blackboard)
o “Beethoven’s Heiligenstadt Testament” (1802) (Blackboard)
o “First Reactions to Beethoven’s ‘Eroica’ Symphony” (1805) (Blackboard)
o OA pages 208-209, 226-228
o Optional Readings:
▪ Supplement to lecture 1.10 (Blackboard)
▪ Supplement to lecture 1.11 (Blackboard)
• Watch
o Lecture 1.10
o Lecture 1.11
o Lecture 1.12
** Optional synchronous exam review sessions will be held over Zoom (times/dates TBD) **
Week 6 (Sept. 27-Oct. 1): TEST #1

• Submit
o Test #1 released 8:30pm Monday (Sept. 27) and due by email 11:59pm Tuesday (Sept.
28)
o Abstracts and annotated bibliographies due by email 11:59pm Friday (Oct. 1)

UNIT TWO
Week 7 (Oct. 4-Oct. 8): Murderous Brides, Pagan Goddesses, and Cases of Mistaken Identity

• Submit
o Respond to prompt in group on Blackboard
o Check in with Pallas!
• Listen
 o Rossini, Overture and the beginning of Act I Scene 1 (“Piano, pianissimo,” and “Ecce
ridente in cielo”) from The Barber of Seville (OA #23; Blackboard)
o Bellini, “Casta diva” from Norma (OA #25)
o Donizetti, “Mad Scene” from Lucia di Lammermoor (OA #26)
• Read
o OA pages 280, 289-290, 298-300
o Wikipedia entries for The Barber of Seville, Norma, and Lucia di Lammermoor for brief
summaries of the plots (Blackboard)
o Optional Readings:
▪ Supplement to lecture 2.1 (Blackboard)
▪ Supplement to lecture 2.2 (Blackboard)
▪ Supplement to lecture 2.3 (Blackboard)
• Watch
o Lecture 2.1
o Lecture 2.2
o Lecture 2.3
Week 8 (Oct. 11-Oct. 15 (Half week for Fall Break)): Ghosts!

• Submit
o Respond to prompt in group on Blackboard
• Listen
o Weber, “Wolf’s Glen Scene” from Der Freischütz (OA #27)
o Schubert, Erlkönig and Der Doppelgänger (OA #29; OA #34)
• Read
o “Schubert Remembered by a Friend” (Blackboard)
o OA pages 310 (Introduction before the description of the Overture), 315-319, 331-332,
and 354
o Wikipedia entry for Der Freischütz for a brief summary of the plot (Blackboard)
o Optional Readings:
▪ Supplement to lecture 2.4 (Blackboard)
▪ Supplement to lecture 2.5 (Blackboard)
• Watch
o Lecture 2.4
o Lecture 2.5
Week 9 (Oct. 18-Oct. 22): Fairies and Demons

• Submit
o Respond to prompt in group on Blackboard
• Listen
o Meyerbeer, “Infernal Waltz” and “Ballet of the Nuns” from Robert le diable
(Blackboard)
o Berlioz, Symphonie fantastique, fifth movement (OA #39)
o Felix Mendelssohn, Midsummer Night’s Dream, overture (OA #40)
• Read
o “The Program of the Symphonie Fantastique” (Blackboard)
o OA pages 400-401 and 429-430
 o Wikipedia entries for Robert le diable, and Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream for
a brief summary of the plot (Blackboard)
o Optional readings:
▪ Supplement to lecture 2.6 (Blackboard)
▪ Supplement to lecture 27 (Blackboard)
▪ Supplement to lecture 2.8 (Blackboard)
• Watch
o Lecture 2.6
o Lecture 2.7
o Lecture 2.8
**Test #2 review sheet released on Monday (Oct. 18)**
Week 10 (Oct. 25-Oct. 29): National Sounds, Secret Codes, and Devilish Virtuosity

• Submit
o Respond to prompt in group on Blackboard
• Listen
o Paganini, Caprices, Op. 1 No. 17 and 24 (OA #34)
o Liszt, Grand Etudes after Paganini, No. 6 (OA #35)
▪ Optional listening: Liszt, Reminiscences of Don Juan (OA #36)
o Chopin, Mazurka in E Major, Op. 6 No. 3 and Mazurka in A Minor, Op. 17 No. 4
(Blackboard; OA #46)
o Robert Schumann, Carnaval, Op. 9 No. 5, “Eusebius”; No. 6, “Florestan”; No. 7,
“Coquette”; and No. 8, “Replique” (OA #42)
• Read
o “Liszt, the All-Conquering Pianist” (Blackboard)
o “An Opus 2” from “From the Writings of Schumann” (Blackboard)
o OA pages 356, 360, 441-442, and 454
o Optional readings:
▪ Supplement to lecture 2.9 (Blackboard)
▪ Supplement to lecture 2.10 (Blackboard)
▪ Supplement to lecture 2.11 (Blackboard)
• Watch
o Lecture 2.9
o Lecture 2.10
o Lecture 2.11
** Optional synchronous exam review sessions will be held over Zoom (times/dates TBD) **
Week 11 (Nov. 1-Nov. 5): TEST #2

• Submit
o Test #2 released 8:30pm Monday (Nov. 1) and due by email 11:59pm Tuesday (Nov. 2)
• Otherwise, no new material (work on final project)

UNIT THREE
Week 12 (Nov. 8-Nov. 12): Arthurian Tales and Pirates!

• Submit
o Respond to prompt in group on Blackboard
• Listen
o Wagner, Prelude from Tristan und Isolde (OA #52)
o Wagner, “Senta’s Ballade” from The Flying Dutchman (Blackboard)
▪ Optional listening: Overture from The Flying Dutchman (Blackboard)
o Sea Shanty playlist on Spotify (Blackboard)
• Read
o OA 510, 513-514
o Wikipedia entries for Tristan and Isolde and The Flying Dutchman for brief summaries
of the plot (Blackboard)
o Optional readings:
▪ Supplement to lecture 3.1 (Blackboard)
▪ For more details on the fictions of/in Wagner’s Flying Dutchman: Arthur Groos,
“Back to the Future: Hermeneutic Fantasies in ‘Der fliegende Holländer,’” 19th-
Century Music 19/2 (1995) (Blackboard)
• Watch
o Lecture 3.1
o Lecture 3.2 (Note: this is slightly longer than usual lectures)
Week 13 (Nov. 15-Nov. 19): Legends of the East + “Guest” Lecturers (MHS222 Students)

• Submit
o Respond to prompt in group on Blackboard (this is your final Blackboard prompt!)
o First draft of final project due by email 11:59pm Tuesday (Nov. 16)
• Listen
o Bizet, “L’amour est un oiseau rebelle” from Carmen (OA #63)
o Puccini, “Un bel di, vedremo” from Madama Butterfly (OA #68)
o TBD
• Read
o OA 657-658, 697-698
o Wikipedia entries for Carmen and Madama Butterfly for brief summaries of the plot
(Blackboard)
o Judy Tsou, “How Puccini Composed Difference in ‘Madama Butterfly’” written for the
Santa Fe Opera Blog (2018) (Blackboard)
▪ Note: I’ve put videos of the music box and a corresponding example of the music
box melody in Madama Butterfly in the “Readings” folder for this week, in case
you’d like to listen!
• Watch
o Lecture 3.3
o Lecture 3.4
o TBD
**Test #3 review sheet released Monday (Nov. 15)**
Week 14 (Week of Thanksgiving): Half-Week
 • Submit
o Presentations due 11:59pm Tuesday (Nov. 23)
• Otherwise, no new material. Happy Thanksgiving!
** Optional synchronous review sessions will be held over Zoom during Monday and/or Tuesday of
Week 15 (times/dates TBD) **
Week 15 (Nov. 30-Dec. 4) TEST #3

• Submit
o Test #3 released 8:30pm Wednesday (Dec. 1) and due by email 11:59pm Thursday (Dec.
2)
o Peer review assignment due 11:59pm Saturday (Dec. 4)
**Final project due 11:59pm on December 11**