In the first week, you'll be introduced to the course structure and to the fundamentals surrounding sonata form and the history of the genre.
Week 2: Dawn of the Sonata
In this week, we'll learn more about the dawn of the solo keyboard sonata: its origins, influences, and some of the early composers. You'll also be introduced to various keyboard instruments of the period that influenced compositional style, including the harpsichord, clavichord, and some early pianos.
Viennese Classics: Haydn and Mozart
This week discusses Haydn and Mozart, emphasizing their social-cultural context, patterns in their output of keyboard sonatas, and comparing and contrasting their styles. It also introduces the Viennese and English pianos that were popular in this period.
Conclusion and Optional Honors Project
For more advanced learners, an Honors Formal Analysis is available in this final week (not required for completion of the course).