Theorizing Timbre
Long dismissed as a “secondary parameter,” timbre has become increasingly central to contemporary musical practice and scholarship. This seminar will confront the challenges of conceptualizing timbre and orchestration through analysis of musical works (mostly from the past fifty years), study of theories and treatises, and discussion of recent research in music theory, musicology, and music cognition. Coursework includes weekly listening and analysis, short written assignments, in- class presentations, and a final analytical paper.