The Quest for Perfection:

CLASSICAL MUSIC

Graduate student (Education) of Dr. Sebastian L. Foti, Instructional Technology, EME 5403 Fall 1999, University of FloridaGainesville, Florida U.S.A.

Prelude Introduction

Music -- along with drama and dance -- is one of the performing arts. Its history runs further into the past than written language, but because it was not written down or recorded, nearly all early music is lost to us.

Classical music is a term often used to describe the long tradition of "serious" music from the European Middle Ages to the present. The classics are often associated with orchestral music, but they also include solo music for instruments, opera, and choral music. Periods of classical music can be broken into Early Music, Classic & Romantic, and the Modern Period.

Experiment with surfing the Internet to find a wealth of information that falls in line with your classical musical tastes. You can locate, preview and download music; you can discover multi-media presentations on your favorite composers; or, you can find resources for composing music with a computer.

Your generation will take part in innovative advances in music technology and it is vital that you understand the evolution of different types of music in our world.

Have you ever wondered why certain kinds of classical music seem to become immortal? How is classical music a reflection of the times in which it was created?

Articulation The Task

Would you like to share your classical music knowledge with friends around the world?

Your task then is to produce a web document (web page, or multimedia presentation, informative summary, persuasive essay) that will show us how certain historical events in the world influenced the composition and development of classical music.

Your document must contain the following:

• An introduction of yourself and how your musical interests have developed. Be sure to include what instruments you study, have studied, or plan to study (and don't forget the instrument of the human voice). Allow your dreams to be shared! Go ahead and show off - include a graphic or photograph of yourself.
• A brief history of classical music: Early Music, Classic & Romantic, and the Modern Period.
• Descriptions of your favorite composers (three to five would be great) and links to the best web sites for each. Also, a list of 5 contemporary classical composers from the 20th century.
• A description of two top classical music performers or classical music composers from anywhere in the world who, in your opinion of course, have received high acclaim. Be ready to argue, support, and/or document your opinion.
• An explanation of the mechanics of music.
• A description of the families of orchestral instruments.
• An explanation of the elements of music.
• An explanation of the impact of classical music on modern culture.
• An evaluation of your web exploration.

Scale Your WEB Resources

General Classical Music Composers Women Composers

Performers Quartets & Symphonies Search Links

Music Classical Music Sites Opera Sites Preview/Purchase Links

Computer Music Links

World Music Links

Scherzo The Process

The process is relatively simple and can be great fun.

Read through the entire Quest before starting. Do not get overwhelmed -- everything will work to your benefit.

Your instructor will decide what type of document you are to prepare based on what you already know. Here are the steps to follow. When you have finished step 6, you are done.

The first step is always the most difficult to take. Breathe deeply and begin your journey through time and the Quest for Perfection: Classical Music!

1  Introduce yourself, your goals and your musical tastes

Begin with  a paragraph to introduce yourself and how your musical interests have developed. Some questions you may want to use as a basis for this introduction are the following:

• To what kinds of music have you been exposed?
• Who has helped influence your musical interests?
• Do you play an instrument?
• What radio/cable stations do you enjoy?

You may also want to include a graphic or picture of yourself here.

2  Composers you most admire (three to five composers would be wonderful!)

For this section, you need to write a paragraph for each of your favorite composers. Be sure to include all of the following for each group/composer:
 

• Composer's style of music
• Your favorite compositions or cd titles for each composer
• Why you like the composer
• A minimum of 3 links to the best web sites for each.

3 History of Classical Music

For this section, write a coherent summary explaining the development of the genre. You may begin with answers to the following questions.

• From where does classical music come?
• From where does opera music come?
• Who were some of the early composers/performers?
• What significant events or eras contributed to the birth of classical music?
• What were some of the original instruments?
• How or why did classical music become so important to so many cultures?

4     A description of two contemporary (modern) performers/groups/symphonies from around the world

• Name their native country or culture
• Describe them in your own words: what were they like? how did they get started?
• Why did people like their music: how did they become famous?
• What were some of their most memorable or highly-performed compositions?

5.    CLASSICAL MUSIC in Modern Culture

• Explain why you think classical music is so prevalent in our culture today.
• Explain why you think is will or will not ever die out.

6  Summary

Write a paragraph that summarizes your experience in this WebQuest. Some items you may want to include in this paragraph are the following:

• New sites you have found
• Usefulness to you in the future
• New concepts you have learned
• New software processes you have mastered
• Sites you plan to continue to visit

Coda Evaluation. . .

You will be evaluated on your web document, ability to guide others, and your participation in this project. Please refer to the guidelines for the brochure to get more details.

. . . and Conclusion

Bravi tutti! (Hooray for all of you!) You completed your mission; you have been exposed to some new classical musical experiences on the web; and, you now have a great classical music guide that you can use and continue updating in the future!