GENERAL COURSE INFO
Ludwig van Beethoven’s 9th Symphony premiered in Vienna in 1824, and continues to be one of the most popular symphonies in the repertoire. The monumental symphony’s size and complexity stretches traditional instrumental forms to the breaking point, and its famous choral finale changed our view of orchestral music forever.
Harvard’s Thomas Forrest Kelly (Morton B. Knafel Professor of Music) guides learners through all four movements of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, highlighting aspects of symphonic form, describing Beethoven’s composition process, the rehearsals and premiere performance, and the work’s continued relevance today.
You will learn the basics of musical form and analysis, the genres and styles used and the circumstances of this symphony’s first performance and subsequent history. Learners in this course need not have any prior musical experience.
There are five modules in this sequence. Monteverdi's L'Orfeo and the Birth of Opera; Handel’s Messiah and Baroque Oratorio; Beethoven's "Ninth Symphony"; Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique and Program Music in the 19th Century; and Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring: Modernism, Ballet, and Riots
What type of computing environment do I need for this course?
The course was tested on recent versions of Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer.
While it is possible to access the course on tablet and other mobile devices, some parts of the course do not function, and it is recommended that you take the course on a laptop or desktop in order to have full functionality.
What is the format of the classes?
These classes consists of lecture videos from Thomas Forrest Kelly, with some performances. Lectures are followed by text and audio assessments.
What kind of assessments are there?
There are two main types of graded assessments in this course, and several types of ungraded assessments.
Graded assessments include comprehension questions and audio-based analysis questions. Comprehension questions are either multiple-choice questions, which have one correct answer, or checkbox questions, which have one or more correct answers.
Audio-based analyses will ask you to listen closely and answer questions that follow. Some will require you to arrange tiles in order or select from dropdown lists, while others will ask you to answer multiple-choice questions.
Ungraded assessments include discussion boards. These assignments are open-ended. While these are not required, these assignments allow you to engage with other students.
How do I navigate the course?
Start with “Course.” Click to open a section. Click on the “Lesson.” Click across icons on the “ribbon” to go through the material. Complete the work on each page. Each Lesson’s work will take one to two hours. You can adjust video play speed in the video player. You can turn the captions on and off, and download the transcripts and videos.
What do the blue clocks mean?
Everything that is graded has a blue clock icon next to it. If the item also has a deadline, that is listed right below.
How do I see the right answers?
‘Check’ will submit your answer for points. If you’re stumped you can click ‘show answer’, but you will forfeit your points. If you click ‘show answer’ before clicking ‘check’, you will receive 0 points.
How does grading work?
To pass this course, you will need to attain a course average of at least 60 percent. Students who pass the course can receive a certificate of completion. You must upgrade to the ID track. Then you will need to have 60% or higher by the course close. There is no longer an honor code certificate. So you must also upgrade to the ID track to get an ID certificate. The deadline for this upgrade is posted on the home page of the course.
Each assessment is worth points, and there is a Unit Quiz worth 25% of the final course score. There are also many more questions appearing after videos, etc. in the Lessons.
Will the text of the lectures be available?
Yes, transcripts of the course will be made available alongside each video. You can download the transcripts (and videos) by using the "Download" buttons directly under the lecture videos.
Are there assigned readings?
No. We of course encourage you to buy Professor Kelly's book, especially if you will be taking many modules in this series. It is available here.
How much does it cost to take the course?
The course is free, and all necessary materials will be provided. An Identity Verified Certificate is also available for $49.
Will certificates be awarded?
Yes. Online learners who achieve a passing grade in a course can earn a certificate of mastery. These certificates will indicate you have successfully completed the course, but will not include a specific grade. Certificates will be issued by edX. For these Identity Verified Certificates, you must register for ID Verified Certificates and then reach 60% completion by course close.
To pass this course, you will need to attain a course average of at least 60 percent.
Why is some content "locked"?
Some content in edX is available only to learners who have purchased a verified certificate. Locked content is marked with a lock icon, as shown to the right. Click the image to see a full-sized version. If you are using screen reader software, you will hear "Content available only to verified-track learners."
When you see this icon, it indicates there are one or more graded assignments on this page. Verified learners will be able to see and complete these assignments, which will count toward their certificate of completion.
In addition, audit learners will lose access to the course after a certain number of weeks. The length of time varies by course, and is noted on the course signup page at edX.org. This time is counted from when you enroll or from when the course begins, whichever is later. Verified learners retain course access indefinitely.
If you have questions, please use the Contact Us link here or at the bottom of the page.
What if I still have questions?
For edX technical questions, please contact edX technical support.
Harvard University and HarvardX are committed to maintaining a safe and healthy educational and work environment in which no member of the community is excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination or harassment in our program. All members of the HarvardX community are expected to abide by Harvard policies on nondiscrimination, including sexual harassment, and the edX Terms of Service. If you have any technical difficulties, please use the edX contact form.