Music history: at City Lit
What is a music history course?
Music history courses are designed to help you explore new music and/or to find out more about the music you already enjoy. Please read Karen Betley's blog post Music History: an introduction to find out more.
I am a complete beginner in classical music, what do you recommend?
We have courses specially designed to introduce you to classical music and to help you get a clear overview of the topic. The emphasis here is on understanding the timeline of key works, and helping you find ones you enjoy.
- Exploring classical music is a music appreciation course in three terms (modules) and is a great way to start exploring
Our website filters will also help you choose courses suitable to your level of experience:
Our schedule of courses
*all courses with an asterisk in the list below are online courses
If any of the links in this blog post say ‘page not found’ please contact the music office and we’ll let you know when the next course is expected to take place.
"Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter. Therefore, ye soft pipes, play on."
Term 3, Spring/Summer 2025
Monday
- MD030C Exploring classical music: module 3
- MD021C Exploring classical music: module 3
- MD897 Classical music: an introduction
Tuesday
- MD041A Music in the 21st century: the first 25 years
- MD041B Beethoven: an introduction to his music
- MD039B Great works: Beethoven's Symphony No 9 "Choral"
- MD039A Great composers: Gilbert and Sullivan
- MD660 Great albums: Kind of Blue
Thursday
- *MD020A Exploring classical music: module 1
- *MD025C Exploring classical music: module 3
- MD028 Operas in production (proposed works: Telemann: Pimpinone, Donizetti: L’elisir d’amore, Tchaikovsky: Mazeppa, Debussy: Pelléas, Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor, Janáček: Káťa Kabanová , Bernstein: Trouble in Tahiti)
- *MD624 Music, sound, and the moving image
- MD999 Exploring opera 3
- *MD701C Great composers: Louise Farrenc
- MD900 opera appreciation: an introduction
Friday
Term 1: Autumn 2025
Mondays
- MD021A Exploring classical music 1, 15/09/2025 (10) Edward Breen
- MD030A Exploring classical music 1, 15/09/2025 (10) Edward Breen
- MD665A The saxophone story, 22/09/2025 (5) Albi Gravener
- MD660 Big Band: from 1920s Chicago to London 2000s, 03/11/2025 (3) Albi Gravener
- MD040C Great works: Bach's Christmas Oratorio, 08/12/2025 (1) Edward Breen
Tuesdays
- MD997 Exploring opera 1, 16/09/2025 (10) Pauline Greene
- MD036A Exploring the music of Richard Strauss, 16/09/2025 (10) Katy Hamilton
- MD612A Listening to the 20th century 1, 16/09/2025 (10) Edward Henderson
- MD701A Great musicians: Berio and Berberian, 02/12/2025 (1) Trish Shaw
- MD039A Great works: Mendelssohn's Octet Class, 02/12/2025 (1) Katy Hamilton
Wednesdays
- *MD022 Lieder: music and poetry, 17/09/2025 (10) Katy Hamilton
- MD038A Mozart's Vienna, 24/09/2025 (10) Pauline Greene
- MD665B Jazz today, 05/11/2025 (5) aLbi Gravener
- MD041C Music analysis for listeners: Messiah Part I, 10/12/2025 (1) Pauline Greene
Thursdays
- MD504 Writing about music, 25/09/2025, (10) Edward Breen & Katy Hamilton
- *MD020B Exploring classical music 2, 25/09/2025 (10) Neil Luck
- *MD025D Exploring classical music 4, 25/09/2025 (10) Neil Luck
- MD040A Great artists: David Munrow, 11/12/2025 (1) Edward Breen
Fridays
- *MD624 Introduction to chamber music, 26/09/2025 (5) Pauline Greene
- *MD506 Introduction to string quartets, 07/11/2025 (5) Pauline Greene
- *MD615A Music history bookclub: The Great Passion, 12/12/25 (1) Edward Breen
Term 2: Winter/Spring 2026
in progress: more courses to come soon
Mondays
- MD021B Exploring classical music 2, 12/01/2026 (10) Edward Breen
- MD030B Exploring classical music 2, 12/01/2026 (10) Edward Breen
- MD620 The essential history of jazz in 20 cuts, 12/01/2026, (10) Albi Gravener
- MD040B Great works: Arvo Pärt's Passio, 30/03/2026 (1) Edward Breen
Tuesdays
- MD998 Exploring opera 2, 13/01/2026 (10) Pauline Greene
- MD612B Listening to the 20th century 2, 13/01/2026 (10) Edward Henderson
- MD036B Michael Tippett: an introduction to his music, 13/01/2026 (5) Katy Hamilton
- MD036C Florence Price: an introduction to her music, 24/02/2026 (5) Katy Hamilton
Wednesdays
- *MD023 Beethoven's Vienna, 14/01/2026 (10) Katy Hamilton
- MD038B Symphonies in production, 14/01/2026 (10) Pauline Greene
- MD701B Great composers: Aaron Copland, 01/04/2026 (1) Trish Shaw
Thursdays
- MD815 Exploring Bach's cantatas, 15/01/2026 (10) Edward Breen
- *MD025A Exploring classical music 1, 15/01/2026 (10) Neil Luck
- *MD020C Exploring classical music 3, 15/01/2026 (10) Neil Luck
Fridays
- *Exploring the orchestra, 16/01/2026 (10) TBC
- *MD616B Music history bookclub: Viva Violetta and Verdi, 10/04/26 (1) Edward Breen
Term 3: Spring/Summer 2026
in progress: more courses to come soon
Mondays
- MD021C Exploring classical music 3, 20/04/2026 (10) Edward Breen
- MD030C Exploring classical music 3, 20/04/2026 (10) Edward Breen
Tuesdays
- MD041A Eric Satie: an introduction to his music, 21/04/2026 (5) Edward Henderson
- MD999 Exploring opera 3, 21/04/2026 (10) Pauline Greene
- MD036D Music in the Weimar republic, 21/04/2026 (10) Katy Homden
- MD041B Steve Reich: an introduction to his music, 02/06/2026 (5) Edward Henderson
Wednesdays
- MD028 Operas in production, 22/04/2026 (10) Pauline Greene
Thursdays
- *MD025B Exploring classical music 2, 23/04/2026 (10) Neil Luck
- *MD020D Exploring classical music 4, 23/04/2026 (10) Neil Luck
- MD816 Madrigals: a brief history, 23/04/2026 (10) Edward Breen
Fridays
- *MD615C Music history bookclub: Charles Jessold, Considered as a Murderer, 10/04/26 (1) Edward Breen
Related courses from other
departments at City Lit
"When words leave off, music begins."
