Course Catalog
Most of these classes have been taught in the past by John Gibbons at the Graham School of General Studies (University of Chicago. The purpose of this section is to give readers an idea of the breadth of subject matter John teaches, and to provide ideas for future classes.
Some Recent Courses
Browse these pages to see detailed syllabus info, reading lists and student evaluations.
American MastersAmerican classical music has evolved its own heterogeneous identity, characterized by energy and optimism – from its Eurocentric beginnings, exemplified by composers such as MacDowell and Griffes, through the encounters of Americans abroad with such musicians as Boulanger and Stravinsky.
The Bohemian & the Bourgeois: Paris in the Age of ChopinThe era of the so-called bourgeois King Louis-Phillippe ushered in a culture of astonishing richness. The relative peace and prosperity of this era created an ideal climate for experimentation, and Paris in 1830 became a Mecca for artists, musicians, politicians, and businessmen from across Europe.
Culture Moscow & Saint Petersburg in the Age of RealismThis course examines the literary and musical awakening of Russia in the middle of the 19th century.
Fin de Siecle Vienna and BerlinFrom the indulgent cafe culture of Vienna to the bitter cynicism of Brecht and Weill’s Berlin, these two cities represent the culmination — and, ultimately, the destruction — of an entire European culture.
French and Spanish MastersThe French classical tradition is one of the world’s most enduring, from 10th century Notre Dame polyphony to postwar modernism, while the Spanish tradition offers a rich diversity of Arabic and European influences.
Haydn & Mozart: Evolution of the Classical StyleThis course gives the oft-overlooked Haydn his due as the father of classical style before turning to Mozart, its culmination.
Romanticism and Reaction: Rachmaninov and Prokofiev (Class)The two Sergeis: giant men, giant pianists, and giant composers whose music has not always gotten the respect it deserves.
Aesthetics & Ideology in MusicSome musical masterpieces are relevant not only because of their intrinsic musical elements but also because of their iconic cultural significance. Such works illuminate key moments in history—moments when music played an especially important role—from the Reformation through the Soviet Revolution to Nazi Germany.
Bach and HandelThe exact contemporaries Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frederick Handel (both born in 1685) represent the pinnacle of Baroque art in its most exalted and characteristic phases.
Beethoven's Late PeriodBeethoven’s oeuvre is conventionally divided into three periods. This course examines the unique characteristics of Beethoven’s final period with its increasingly personal yet loftily philosophical character.
Choral and Spiritual MasterworksRequiems, masses, and cantatas comprise some of the most powerful musical experiences in the Western canon. Through CDs and DVDs, this course will examine such iconic masterworks as the Bach passions, the requiems of Mozart, Berlioz, and Verdi, and cantatas ranging from Bach to Stravinsky.
Dvorak and the Rise of Musical NationalismDvořák is an archetypal nationalistic composer. Czech language and culture became a point of ethnic pride during centuries under the German-speaking Hapsburg empire...
Great Romantic Concertos and VirtuososAn entertaining picture of this most visceral of musical traditions will emerge through our consideration of CDs, DVDs, musical analysis, and contemporary documents.
History of the Symphony: The Northern MastersThe symphony in Scandinavia and Britain forms a vital tradition that is complementary to the better-known central European tradition of composers such as Beethoven.
History of Western Music 1Trace the evolution of Western music from the medieval era through the 20th century through a lively mix of piano demonstrations, CD and DVD recordings, lectures, and analysis.
Introduction to OperaOpera is paradoxically the most grandiose and human of genres: a combination of dramaturgy, singing, ballet, and orchestra — and a fascinating chronicle of social history.
Italian Opera from "The Barber of Seville" to "Turandot"For roughly a century, opera in Italy constituted an authentically popular yet highly sophisticated art form that evolved its own characteristic, organic nature and yet reflected a complex array of aesthetic, social, and political developments.