ILP #1--part 2

Part 2 of "Stravinsky's Rite of Spring: Modernism, Ballet, and Riots"

If part one presented us with a crash-course history lecture emphasizing France and Vienna--both meccas of musical innovation at the time--then part 2 presents to us musical theory lesson, one with  granular emphasis on the musical mechanisms that give the operatic work it's intrinsic edge. A primer on music theory and the foundational structures that drive rhythm and harmony, this section proved to be the easiest to complete despite accenting materials that a layman might not be familiar with.

Piano dictations.

Harmony and Counterpoint

I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of content; how nuanced and succinct the structures and layouts were. Much consideration was  given to articulating the right musical excerpts given the students apparent level and exposure to such nomenclature.  Things get a little complicated when the terminology ramps up as they bare no relation to real-world application. As an example, some of the terminology includes: polyphony design, S-A-T-B voicing, Tonic triads, and cadential progressions. Scary, sure, but again, all of these elements are presented for the layman. Also peppered throughout are listening examples, piano exercises, and pitch structures--these serve a supplementary function but are recommended as they work to evoke an era.

Diagram displaying different time lengths

That is the long and the short of it. A piece of information that I decided to forgo up until now is that I am a classically trained musician. I have extensive knowledge of the saxophone, clarinet, and the piano; along with years of rigorous music theory study. As a result I was put into an interesting position when presented with the materials of this MOOC. Questions like, Was I learning anything? Are these questions hard? How long is this course? gave way to more questions of an ancillary nature; "What was this section in aid of?" "Could they have phrased this section more succinctly? "Did the more salient points of this musical section come across alright?"

Much can be learned from a common school textbook, or building manual; a "how to" periodical or even a hand-out brochure. Much can also be learned from website/applications of this nature, whether hidden behind a paywall or , as in the case of this MOOC, provided free of charge by benevolent patrons from all around. I would also argue that a great deal could be surmised from understanding how OTHER people learn; how others TEACH; and how applications like these aid the common user. 

I learned a great deal these past two weeks about the importance of careful curation of content. The delicate structuring of lesson plans and the need for educational milestones pertinent now more than ever. The landscape of information is constantly evolving and expanding so to are technological advancements in the fields of geography, military, culinary, astronomy, and of course education. 

If this MOOC were an indicator of the sorts of quality experiences available for free, now and forever, then I will happily bow my head in respect of this technological revolution. The democratization of education is close at hand. Let's do our part to see it through.