The primary goal of this course will be to give the student detailed understanding of the development of Western Music from the Early Medieval to the Late Baroque periods. Understanding the major trends in Western music as well as their function in society, and examination of the parallels with other fine arts is a further goal.

The focus of the course will be the study of musical literature. Major works from all instrumental and vocal genres will be studied from historical, theoretical, and social perspectives.

In addition to the discussion of the historical position of each studied composer and style, the course also includes an introduction to the primary elements of music style analysis, and the reading and the discussion of a number of extracts from the most interesting literary sources where the relation of Music to Art and Architecture is more relevant.