Introduction to Music In this course we will develop critical listening skills through guided study of selected works of Western classical, popular, and folk music, as well as a sampling of music from non-Western cultures. Students will examine how music uses basic sound materials—such as rhythm, melody, timbre, texture, and harmony—to create meaning and expression, how those uses have changed over time from the Middle Ages to the present, and how music relates to its social and historical context and to the other arts. Previous musical training is not required. 3 hrs.

Music in the United States In this course we will examine folk, classical, and popular music in the United States from the 17th century to the present. We will use historical and analytical approaches to gain insight into the music, the musicians, and the social and cultural forces that have shaped them. Students will explore music’s relation to historical events, other artistic movements, technological changes, and questions of national identity and ethnicity. Topics will include music in the British colonies, minstrelsy, American opera and orchestras, jazz, popular music, and the experimentalist composers of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Music in Western Cultures In this course we will develop skills for assessing music’s social, economic, and political importance in Western societies. Through a series of units focusing on various aspects of music (such as composition, performance, dissemination, and reception) and on various eras from ancient Greece to the present, students will engage with the principal questions and methods of historical musicology.

Larry Hamberlin

Reviews and ratings for Larry Hamberlin at Middlebury College.Larry Hamberlin teaches Introduction to Music, Music in the United States, Music in Western Cultures and more.  Explore top rated instructors and find the best for you.Is Larry Hamberlin good ? Find out on MiddCourses.

I took this during J Term. It was a very easy class to get an A in, with lots of extra credit and easy assignments. Overall though, I found Professor Hamberlin to be quite boring during lectures. However, there is no participation grade so you can just skip if you want a few times and get away with it. 