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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Introduction to Classical Music by Yale University

4.9
stars
3,854 ratings

About the Course

Using a simple and enjoyable teaching style, this course introduces the novice listener to the wonders of classical music, from Bach fugues to Mozart symphonies to Puccini operas....

Top reviews

VF

Mar 6, 2019

Really appreciate Prof. Wright give us such rich content and sophisticated course. I really enjoy and love it. I am looking forward to seeing more high-level courses from Prof. Wright if there is any.

RR

Mar 23, 2021

A truly wonderful introduction to Classical music. Great course content but perhaps most importantly, Professor Wright is perhaps one of the best teachers I've ever had the pleasure of learning from.

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101 - 125 of 1,172 Reviews for Introduction to Classical Music

By Jenny S

Mar 27, 2019

This is a truly wonderful course that surveys the history and development of Western music. The professor explains the details very clearly and makes the course interesting. The first two weeks were a little dry for me, because the course started with the many technicalities of music. After the first two or three weeks, it becomes much easier to follow. Now I can go to Baroque opera and Stravinsky concerts knowing what to pay attention too! I am very grateful that the professor has done such a wonderful job!

By TN G

Sep 24, 2022

Thank you Professor Wright for this amazing course. I came to the course having studied Piano in grade school. I am not a music professional by any means. I enjoy challenging myself, so I took this course. While it is useful to have a basic knowledge of classical composition, it is not mandatory for learning and enjoying the art form. I venture to say that I feel more intelligent after taking this course. And I might add, that Professor Wright is witty, engaging, and a master. Thank you for teaching us.

By Isabelle J

Apr 25, 2020

Un cours particulièrement clair, dont l'objectif: donner envie de découvrir, d'en savoir plus sur la musique classique, son histoire, ses différentes théories est atteint, dans mon cas en tout cas! Bien qu'à la portée du plus grand nombre, il reste d'une parfaite exigence intellectuelle. J'ai suivi ce cours avec un vrai plaisir: plaisir de redécouvrir un savoir parfois oublié, plaisir de s'enrichir à travers de nouvelles connaissances musicales. J'ai particulièrement profité des morceaux donnés en exemples.

By Anton K

Aug 21, 2021

Wonderful course, unforgettable experience, brilliant teaching! Thank you, Professor Wright and course production team! This online course can easily substitute 2-3 year course on "Musical Literature" taught in musical schools in Russia. Although not every prominent composer was covered (especially members of Russian classical music school) due to time constraint, lectures reach their main target: fundamental knowledge and deep understanding of classical music, music eras and their key features are given.

By Jessica B

Dec 13, 2018

I so thoroughly enjoyed this course and have noticed that I appreciate classical music much more, it's so exciting when I can identify an era or composer just by listening and using my knowledge from this course! Professor Wright is a delight and also ties in other subjects and does a great job of creating an engaging course. I particularly enjoyed the brief opera reenactment. I just can't say enough great things about this course, I highly recommend it if you are remotely interested in classical music.

By Deborah M

Sep 10, 2020

Absolutely wonderful course. Professor Craig was engaging and made the course even more enjoyable for me. I loved his sense of humor and the different materials presented. Some of the music theory parts could get complicated if you've never studied music but represent a challenge nonetheless and are interesting to understand. I would definitely recommend this course to anyone who wants to at least recognize and ultimately explore and enjoy classical musical a little more than the casual listener.

By Julian M

Jun 11, 2023

A thoughtfully crafted course which entertains, educates and inspires. It provided me with a framework for and insights into Western classical music from Medieval times to the Postmodern. Craig White is warm, intellectually agile and humble. He keeps up the pace and uses a wide range of teaching styles. The quizes are sensible and add or reinforce learning. I have just compeleted the course. I have a great sense of achievement. I will now appreciate and all periods and genres of classical music.

By Dhanada M

Mar 14, 2021

Outstanding course. A magnum Opus of sorts which took my the longest ever among all the courses I have done online so far. An exhaustive and engaging treatment of Western Classical Music in close companionship of art and culture of the times which set the contexts perfectly. Would highly recommend it for every one looking to have an authentic exposure to the best of wester culture and art by one of the best exponent of the subject. Thank you for creating this course and bringing to the world.

By MG C

Aug 4, 2022

I am not wrong when I say that this course is the most enjoyable course I have done in my life. It came at the right time, when, going through a very hard period of my life, I needed a strong impulse to keep me going. I would be very dissapointed if I won't find anymore classical music courses to follow after this.

Personally, I would like to thank Professor Wright for the excellence of this course, for the way he introduces the students to this wonderful world of Classical Music.

By Divine G M C

Feb 15, 2021

Thank you so much for imparting the valuable knowledge not only on classical music but also in classical arts. I liked this course a lot as it gave me diversion and somehow relaxation, it as well opened my appreciation for classical music and motivated me to continue practicing the playing the violin and increased my enthusiasm to learn more. Thank you very much for opening this course in this platform. I hope someday to visit the Yale university collection of musical instruments.

By Lisa M C

Mar 14, 2020

Dr. Wright is fabulous and the course is challenging and provides a comprehensive history of classical music, demonstrating, among other things, the classical roots of most modern popular music. I very much enjoyed learning about musical forms and structures, which has greatly enhanced my appreciation of all music. I was a classical music and opera fan before I started, but now I am inspired to continue my studies to learn to read music and play the piano. Thank you Dr. Wright!

By esteban z

Jul 26, 2020

I really enjoyed learning music history.

Professor Wright si an extraordinary teacher.

The on line course productios is very well done and it goes further than watching someone speaking.

It adds real Yale prerecorded classes, interviews with musicians, live antique instruments demonstrations, and of course images that gives context to this journey, maps, art forms, buildings, etc.

I think I can enjoy from a new perspective classical music, historicly, technically and emotionally.

By Erika J C V

Dec 17, 2020

I have love this course, it was a little more intensive that I thought it would be, but I enjoyed and learned with every single minute.

I have no words for Craig Wright. Is one of the best professors I've ever had and I don't even know him in person. He knows exactly how to explain a subject without make it boring or difficult and you can easily connect with him.

I fully recomend this course, even if you are not studying or planning to study music. The experience is amazing.

By Kris J

Oct 11, 2020

Fantastic introductory course in Western classical music appreciation and history. To begin with, I didn't have a lot of background in music and knew little about music theory. This course provides a very broad overview, and presents even the technical information in an accessible way for beginners. Most of the quizzes are simple "were you paying attention" questions, but some actually test some music listening skills taught in the class. I was very happy with this class.

By Karen S S

Jul 17, 2020

This course is a terrific introduction to classical music: the content is substantial, chronological, related to reigning ideas in art and literature and placed in historical context, including technological developments. The professor is engaging, as are the performers, guests and the TA, More women composers are needed, and appear to be added with updating. Even a person who cannot read notes, such as myself, can follow the theory enough to understand the main ideas.

By Sandy U

Sep 30, 2020

I enjoyed this course very much. My early introduction to Classical music was at the hand of Leonard Bernstein when he visited my Junior High School. He thought me to listen to the music however, this class thought me the why’s and wherefores of how the music developed throughout the centuries. I now feel that I can distinguish the era it was produced and the style and probably the artist who wrote it. Kudos Mr. Wright and thank you for an enjoyable summer of learning.

By Bea R

Jun 11, 2023

It was a privilege to do this course with the very inspiring, knowledgeable and charming Craig Wright. Thank you for making such a rich world of music so accessible. I was not only reminded of why I love certain composers and instruments, but came to understand them so much better in context. I learnt a bunch of new stuff and my eyes and ears have been opened far beyond my comfort zone. I really enjoyed this course so much and would highly recommend it. Baie dankie.

By Faris K

Nov 12, 2017

I absolutely loved this course beyond my expectations. It was so interesting, engaging, at times challenging and thoroughly enjoyable. I will miss dear Mr Craig Wright and his lectures though will revisit the videos again and again (as long as I can). This was and is a most excellent introduction to Classical Music (in fact, I think it went further than a mere introduction). I also feel very privileged to be able to do a course offered by Yale. Well done all!

By Jennifer P

Aug 23, 2023

I enjoyed the course thoroughly although it took longer to complete than I had planned but I look forward to it each time I return to class. Craig is just amazing in imparting and presenting the course materials and I was able be more discerning and applied what I learnt when I watched La Traviata when I was in Rome recently!

Thank you also for allowing me to take the assignments which was necessary to help me listen and pay more attention to the classes!

By Boris L

Oct 23, 2020

In my opinion, this is a very comprehensive course that thoroughly describes the development of Western music, as well as some basics of music theory. The narration is well set in the historical background, and the analysis of famous pieces of music goes hand in hand with composers' biographies and other very interesting and exciting materials. I would like to thank the creators of this course for the miraculous experience I have had these several weeks!!!

By John R D

Mar 15, 2021

This course will explain many aspects of both the mechanics and the evolution of classical music. It will also relate the progress of the music with the progress in art and architecture. I hope you will take it and try listening to the things that are suggested with an open mind and heart. Professor Wright has a great sense of the essence of music, and he and his team have done an outstanding job of putting this survey course together for you to enjoy.

By Virgil Q

Dec 6, 2022

Closer to te mark of perfection, the course has taken me above and beyond any expectations that I care to mention, the great instructor "once again" has given me to realize that there is more to classical then just listening, and thus has enriched me with a fine-tuned sense in calbration as well as calculation to simply analyze in reaching the mark and knowing the nature of the performer. and group. need I say more... ICT-TA_53 Virgil. Thanks YALE..

By anna l d l f c

Aug 28, 2020

Prof Craig is gentle, with lots of engaging stories and easy to adapt explanations. Majority of the quizzes are challenging so you feel good if you ace them. I love that as I finished my last quiz and video material, Handel's Messiah played in the credits, there was a digital confetti to celebrate my accomplishment and my Certificate of Completion email alerted, and the Sacher Torte (Austrian chocolate cake c1832) i ordered was delivered just on time;)

By Meijian L

Jun 25, 2020

Best introductory music course. I have watched the class videos by Craig Wright many years ago, first in China then in the US. I really liked them and gained a deeper understanding on music. I also purchased the textbook online. This new coursera course is more engaging, systematic and interesting. I am really grateful to Craig and everyone behind the course to make it possible. You are a gift to us all. Thank you very much, truly and sincerely!

By Valdeck R

Dec 14, 2017

Very informative and engaging course for beginner who appreciate classical music and would like to start exploring this universe in a more academic way. Professor Wright is captivating in his ability to pass on to his students his knowledge and love for music. His lectures are fascinating and easy to follow even when the subject gets more technical. Thank you Professor Wright for making learning about classical music fun and interesting. Bravo!