Introduction to Instruments and Musical Genres - Lecture 2

Explore the fundamentals of classical music terminology, orchestral instruments, and acoustics in this 47-minute lecture from Yale University's "Listening to Music" course. Discover the differences between broad terms like "song" and "piece," and learn about specific musical genres such as symphonies and operas. Understand the distinction between motives and themes through examples from Beethoven and Tchaikovsky. Witness live demonstrations of the French horn, bassoon, and viola by guest instrumentalists. Delve into acoustics, focusing on the concept of partials, and conclude with an analysis of Richard Strauss's tone-poem, "Death and Transfiguration," exploring dissonance and consonance. This comprehensive lecture covers musical lexicon, genres, instrument introductions, acoustic principles, and musical analysis, providing a solid foundation for understanding and appreciating classical music.