In an essay of at least three pages, double-spaced with a 12-point font, present and defend a clearly
articulated thesis regarding the cultural significance and meaning of a musical work in the classical tradition.
The essay should examine one of the following works:
3. Ludwig van Beethoven – Symphony No. 5 in C minor
Additional research about the work and its composer outside of the textbook will be necessary to complete this
assignment. A minimum of three sources will be enough.
The essay should be organized around a central thesis that is clearly stated in the introduction. The essay should
integrate the following issues and material into the development of this thesis:
1. Identify a cultural theme or value exemplified by the work you have chosen, and link this theme or value to
the sociopolitical context in which the work was produced. Why is this theme or value of relevance to the
production of this work?
2. Who composed the work? Describe at least three important aspects of this composer’s social and cultural
environment that shaped his or her professional life.
3. To what period in music history does this work belong? Define at least three important aspects of the musical
style of this period. In broad terms, how does this work reflect the cultural, aesthetic, and/or political values of
this period?
4. What is the genre of the work (i.e. opera, cantata, program symphony, etc.)? What are the basic
characteristics and historical background of this genre? What kinds of expectations might audience members
have had when encountering a new work in this genre?
5. Select at least one movement or extended section of the work and describe its distinctive stylistic, dramatic,
and/or formal aspects as they relate to the cultural and aesthetic values of the period.
The paper should be organized clearly by stating and developing a central thesis across the essay, supported by
detailed description and examples. It should be proofread carefully and have no significant errors in grammar,
syntax, and spelling. The essay should be at least three pages in length and should indicate any sources
(minimum of three) consulted in a bibliography.
I think a helpful way to approach a thesis statement in music appreciation is to think about the paper as
explaining one of two things:
1. What does this piece of music tell us about the time and place it was created?
2. How does understanding the time and place this music was created help us understand the music itself better?
Now, what would that thesis statement look like? Here’s an example of approach #1 above:
Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique demonstrates several innovations in its form and content in the symphonic
genre that are indicative of the changing concerns of the early Romantic period. Berlioz is interested in using
the symphony as a narrative form to tell an extra-musical story, or program. This is consistent with an interest,
shared by many composers of his era, in drawing connections between music and other art forms such as theatre
and literature. In order to achieve these effects, Berlioz takes full advantage of the expanding palette of sounds
available to an orchestral composer of his era, including relying on newly available technologies. Berlioz also
reflects the Romantic notions that a composer’s creations ought to reflect an individual subjectivity or
personality, not merely the formal order and intelligibility of the Classical era.
