Topic: 1.) Haydn, String Quartet Op. 76, no. 3, “Emperor,” mvt. 2
Haydn, Symphony no. 94, “Surprise,” mvt. 2
This paper you will reflect on two pieces we have studied in this class, focusing on the ways they affected and were affected by their context. After exploring the historical context of the pieces (both within the careers of their respective composers and within a broader cultural/historical context), you should make comparisons, both musically and contextually.
Finally, you should draw conclusions about the broader ways that music interacts with its context.
Paper: Your final paper should have five general sections:
• An introductory paragraph that mentions both pieces and composers to be discussed, a brief outline of your argument, and your thesis statement
• Two sections, roughly equal in length, discussing the two pieces, respectively
• A comparison section
• A conclusion in which you review your argument and draw some broader conclusions about the way music and culture interact with each other. (While this section can and should touch on other pieces from the course and time periods of history and music, keep it in check. There should be no sweeping statements about the dawn or sands of time, cavemen, or other such hyperbole.)
