GENERAL COURSE INFO
Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring premiered in Paris in 1913, sparking a riot and screaming so loud that the dancers could not hear the orchestra, and the choreographer had to shout numbers from backstage to keep the dancers on beat.
The Rite of Spring continues to challenge listeners. According to Stravinsky, The Rite of Spring was intended to portray “the surge of spring, the magnificent upsurge of nature reborn.” As you will see, Stravinsky’s description is almost frighteningly apt!
Learners in this module of First Nights need not have any prior musical experience. In this unit, you will learn the basics of musical form and analysis, the genres and styles used in Symphonie Fantastique, the circumstances of its first performance, and its subsequent history.
This module is the fifth of five modules currently in development. Other modules include Monteverdi's "L'Orfeo", Handel's Messiah, Beethoven's 9th Symphony, and Berlioz's "Symphonie Fantastique."
What is the release schedule?
10/31 - Introduction to Music Theory, Unit 1, Pre-Course Survey
11/1 - Unit 2
11/7 - Unit 3, Unit 4, Unit 5, Final Quic
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 class?
The class consists of lecture videos from Thomas Forrest Kelly, with a performance by the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra. 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 and will be moderated by a teaching fellow.
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 will receive a certificate of completion. These certificates will be issued a few days after the course closes. The course closes on December 10th, at 12pm (EDT), so if you want a certificate you will need to have 60% or higher by that time. 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 before the course end.
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 $29.
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.
Are there other courses in this this series?
Yes! We have modules for Monteverdi's "L'Orfeo," Handel's Messiah, Beethoven's 9th Symphony, and Berlioz's "Symphonie Fantastique." You can sign up for these on edX.org. We will email you when the other modules are nearing completion.
To take the series in order, you can start with Monteverdi's L'Orfeo and the Birth of Opera, where we go back to Mantua, Italy, in 1607. There you can see and hear where composer Claudio Monteverdi's "fable in music" pioneered many of the characteristics of modern opera. Next, in Handel’s Messiah and Baroque Oratorio, you meet composer George Frederic Handel and librettist Charles Jennens, and learn about the varied musical styles used in his famous oratorio, Messiah. Then, please explore Ludwig van Beethoven's magnum opus, the Ninth Symphony, which serves as a gateway to the rest of the Classical and Romantic symphonic repertoire. We then have Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique and Program Music in the 19th Century. Here you learn about Hector Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique, an iconic Romantic symphony that ushered in an era of narrative “program music.
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 questions or concerns, please contact harvardx@harvard.edu and/or report your experience through the edX contact form.