The Music of the Beatles

University of Rochester

À propos de ce cours

The Music of the Beatles will track the musical development of the band, starting from the earliest days in Liverpool and Hamburg, moving through the excitement of Beatlemania, the rush of psychedelia, and the maturity of Abbey Road. While the focus will be on the music, we will also consider how recording techniques, the music business, the music of other artists, and the culture of the 1960s affected John, Paul, George, and Ringo as they created the Beatles repertory. There is probably no band or artist that has had more written about their music than the Beatles. There are many good books on the band's biography, several insider accounts offering glimpses behind the scenes, books that interpret the meaning of the songs, and even books that catalog dates and people regarding the band. This course will try to synthesize much of that information into an account of the Beatles' development as musicians and songwriters.

Cours en ligne à 100 %

Commencez dès maintenant et apprenez aux horaires qui vous conviennent.

Approx. 17 heures pour terminer

Recommandé : 12-24 hours of videos and quizzes

English

Sous-titres : English, Spanish

Cours en ligne à 100 %

Commencez dès maintenant et apprenez aux horaires qui vous conviennent.

Approx. 17 heures pour terminer

Recommandé : 12-24 hours of videos and quizzes

English

Sous-titres : English, Spanish

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

1

Section

1 hour to complete

Introduction and Special Features

...

5 videos (Total 31 min), 4 readings

5 videos

Introduction3m

Recommended Books7m

Andy Babiuk Interview3m

Walter Everett Interview6m

Beatles Equipment9m

4 readings

Syllabus10m

Grading and Logistics10m

Music Fundamentals10m

About the Professor10m

2

Section

2 hours to complete

Early Day and Success in the UK

The Beatles as pop craftsmen. Study of cover versions at Cavern and Hamburg shows, Please Please Me, With the Beatles, and the singles from this period....

9 videos (Total 109 min), 1 quiz

9 videos

Organizing the Biography and Music14m

Before Beatlemania13m

Hamburg and Liverpool17m

The First Recordings for Parlophone11m

Please Please Me9m

SCU – Love Me Do, Please Please Me, I Saw Her Standing There13m

The Beatles and UK Pop, 19639m

With the Beatles5m

SCU - She Loves You, I Want to Hold Your Hand12m

1 practice exercises

Early Day and Success in the UK20m

3

Section

2 hours to complete

Success in America and the World

The Beatles begin to move toward the artist model. Music from A Hard Day's Night, Beatles For Sale, and singles from this period. From this point on we will closely follow particular authorship of songs, keeping track of John, Paul, and George as individual songwriters....

8 videos (Total 81 min), 1 quiz

8 videos

Introduction2m

The Beatles are Coming!12m

The Beatles in the Movies8m

A Hard Day’s Night, the Album14m

SCU - A Hard Day’s Night, Can’t Buy Me Love, and Any Time At All9m

Beatles For Sale, Fall 196415m

SCU - I’m A Loser and Eight Days a Week6m

Brian Epstein and George Martin13m

1 practice exercises

Success in America and the World20m

4

Section

2 hours to complete

Pop Maturity

Increased experimentation, still mostly within the context of the pop single. The increasingly important role of the recording studio and recording techniques and innovations. Help!, Rubber Soul, and singles from this period....

7 videos (Total 82 min), 1 quiz

7 videos

Overview of 1965: Beatlemania Continues10m

Help! The Movie6m

From Craftsmen to Artists8m

Help! The Album12m

SCU - Help!, You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away, I’ve Just Seen a Face, Yesterday14m

Rubber Soul15m

SCU - Norwegian Wood, In My Life, Michelle, I’m Looking Through You, If I Needed Someone14m

1 practice exercises

Pop Maturity20m

5

Section

2 hours to complete

Psychedelia

The artist model comes into full bloom. The rise of importance of the album and idea-driven projects. Revolver, "Penny Lane," "Strawberry Fields," Sgt. Pepper, Magical Mystery Tour, and other singles from this period, including the tracks that would end up on Yellow Submarine....

9 videos (Total 112 min), 1 quiz

9 videos

The Rigors of Touring and the Freedom of the Studio13m

Revolver: The Album12m

SCU - Rain, Tomorrow Never Knows, Eleanor Rigby, For No One, Taxman14m

On the Way to the Summer of Love7m

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band17m

SCU - Strawberry Fields, Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite, Penny Lane, She’ Leaving Home, Within You Without You15m

Loss and New Directions in Fall, 196710m

Magical Mystery Tour: The Album6m

SCU - All You Need Is Love, Fool on the Hill, Blue Jay Way12m

1 practice exercises

Psychedelia20m

6

Section

2 hours to complete

A Co-Op of Singer-Songwriters

The White Album both begins a return to roots while also continuing the musical experimentation of the earlier music, but now each song is less of a group effort. Creative differences arise. The White Album and singles from this period....

9 videos (Total 98 min), 1 quiz

9 videos

1968 - Events and Singles16m

The Beatles (White Album)7m

White Album - The Paul Songs10m

SCU - Lady Madonna, Hey Jude, Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da12m

White Album - The John Songs14m

SCU - Revolution, Happiness Is a Warm Gun, Julia12m

White Album – George and Ringo Songs7m

SCU - The Inner Light, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Piggies11m

Yellow Submarine5m

1 practice exercises

A Co-Op of Singer-Songwriters20m

7

Section

3 hours to complete

Get Back

Once there was a way to get back home. The Get Back sessions embrace a return-to-simplicity approach but are aborted. Abbey Road attempts to get back to the band's previous manner of working. Let It Be combines material from Get Back with newly recorded tracks. Abbey Road, Let It Be, and singles from this period....

9 videos (Total 111 min), 1 quiz

9 videos

Introduction7m

The Get Back Project14m

Get Back/Let It Be, The Album11m

SCU - Let It Be, Dig a Pony, I Me Mine, I Got a Feeling13m

The Grand Finale: Abbey Road10m

Abbey Road: Side One5m

SCU - Here Comes the Sun, Maxwell’s Silver Hammer, I Want You (She’s So Heavy)14m

Abbey Road: Side Two (A Longer Day in the Life)16m

Conclusions16m

1 practice exercises

Get Back40m

Instructor

John Covach

Professor of Music and Director

About University of Rochester

The University of Rochester is one of the nation's leading private universities. Located in Rochester, N.Y., the University provides exceptional opportunities for interdisciplinary study and close collaboration with faculty through its unique cluster-based curriculum. Its College, School of Arts and Sciences, and Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences are complemented by its Eastman School of Music, Simon School of Business, Warner School of Education, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, School of Medicine and Dentistry, School of Nursing, Eastman Institute for Oral Health, and the Memorial Art Gallery....

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The Music of the Beatles