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Music History 1: 17th & 18th Centuries (MUSI10047)

Undergraduate level 1Points: 12.5On Campus (Southbank)

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Overview

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This subject examines music, culture and society in Western Europe and its areas of influence from the seventeenth to the late eighteenth centuries. By examining musical works, historical documents, and modern scholarship, students explore the development of musical styles and performance practices during this period.

In-class discussions, quizzes, and exercises support students as they examine current scholarship on authenticity and performance practice, music and politics, gender and sexuality, and music and meaning.

Students engage in an individual project on a work relevant to them, which they explore from performative, historical and analytical perspectives. Three tutorial assignments support them through the research process, culminating in the final essay.

Intended learning outcomes

On completion of this subject students should be able to:

  • interpret seventeenth- and eighteenth-century music in relation to social, cultural and political contexts;
  • distinguish both aurally and conceptually between major music genres and styles from the 17th and 18th centuries;
  • recognise, critically appraise, and apply period-specific performance practices;
  • undertake basic academic research using music-specific bibliographic tools;
  • discuss music convincingly using technical vocabulary appropriate to the subject level.

Generic skills

Upon successful completion of this subject, students will have acquired the skills to:

  • apply principles of critical thought to analyse and evaluate complex information, arguments, and propositions;
  • engage receptively with diverse and novel perspectives, demonstrating intellectual flexibility and an openness to new ideas and paradigms;
  • conduct independent critical inquiry by formulating precise questions, identifying and evaluating relevant sources, and synthesizing information to form a reasoned judgment;
  • construct and deliver persuasive, research-based arguments in both written and oral forms, using evidence effectively to support a coherent position.

Last updated: 22 January 2026