Schubert to Debussy
A survey of Western musical style from 1815 to 1915, offered by MIT OpenCourseWare. The course covers works by 35 composers grouped by period: romantics such as Schubert, Chopin, and Schumann; post-romantics including Wagner, Verdi, and Brahms; turn-of-the-century figures like Mahler, Debussy, and Ravel; and American composers Gottschalk, Beach, and Joplin. Students examine scores alongside recordings to trace how harmony, form, and orchestration shifted across a century, and score-reading ability is recommended though not required. Materials include the syllabus, listening lists, and assignments as posted on MIT OCW, free to access with no certificate offered. The course suits listeners who want a structured chronological path through nineteenth and early twentieth century concert music rather than isolated pieces or composers.