The Great Works of Sacred Music

Course Overview

Discover the greatest masterworks of the sacred music tradition, from early church music to the modern era, in this engrossing course taught by a professor of musicology.

Mozart’s Requiem. Mendelssohn’s Elijah. Handel’s Messiah. At the intersection of art and faith, we find sacred music. In sixteen 45-minute lessons, you will study these extraordinary creations and many more, exploring a rich panorama of Western sacred music and its most magnificent artistic landmarks. You will become familiar with a repertoire of extraordinary musical greatness and acquire a unique lens through which to view Western history, along with a deeper understanding of Christian ritual and worship.

These fascinating lectures are filled with essential insights and stunning musical excerpts, covering over 1,200 years of music, from medieval chant to the massive sacred works of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Professor McGuire, an accomplished musician, performs excerpts and examples throughout the course. This music appeals to both religious and non-religious individuals, embodying a tradition of compelling universality, beauty, and humanity in art.

Video Lecture List

1. Hallelujah, Amen: The World of Sacred Music

• 43 min
• Explore the contexts of Western sacred music, from religious ritual to concert hall. Encounter medieval chant, Handel’s Hallelujah chorus, and Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius.

1. From Chant to Early Sacred Polyphony

• 41 min
• Trace the roots and origins of sacred music, starting with chant and its evolution into polyphony.

1. The Golden Age of Polyphony

• 42 min
• Follow the rise of composers and patrons, exploring works by Machaut, Dufay, and Josquin des Prez.

1. The Age of Reformation: Who Will Sing?

• 41 min
• Delve into the 16th-century religious reformations and how they shaped sacred music.

1. Sacred Music in a Secular World

• 46 min
• Learn how composers like Monteverdi and Schütz blended sacred and secular styles.

1. Man and Meaning: Bach’s Cantatas

• 45 min
• Discover Bach’s sacred works, focusing on the structure and styles of his Cantata No. 80.

1. Art for Art’s Sake: Bach’s Mass in B Minor

• 44 min
• Trace the history of the Mass in B minor and Bach’s blending of musical styles.

1. Handel’s Great Oratorio: Messiah

• 45 min
• Study the genre of oratorio and explore the relationships between Handel and librettist Jennens.

1. Messiah: From Entertainment to Ritual

• 44 min
• Investigate the sources and meanings of the Messiah’s text and its evolution into a staple of Western music.

1. Mozart’s Requiem: Praise and Memory

• 44 min
• Learn the story behind Mozart’s Requiem and its emotional depth within the classical genre.

(…Continued through all 16 lectures)