Masterpieces of Western Music

Most of us have a general familiarity with the truly brilliant compositions of Western music, but do we understand why they are held in such regard? What makes these works masterpieces? Why highlight these particular pieces? Columbia University professor Jeffrey D. Lependorf, who holds a doctorate in music composition, focuses these lectures on the very best of Western music, seeking to answer these two fundamental questions.

Through these lectures, you will come to a deeper understanding of why certain musical compositions touch a chord within us and become interwoven with the very fabric of our lives. From Frédéric Chopin’s nocturnes to Richard Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, from Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring to Maurice Ravel’s Mother Goose, the masterpieces of Western music await your exploration. They are an extraordinary gift to the world. It is our pleasure and honor to help you understand them more intimately and appreciate them more passionately.

Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849)

You can listen to a sample of Lecture 7: “How to Make a Piano Sing” from The Masterpieces of Western Literature below. In this clip, Professor Lependorf uses music to discuss the genius of Frédéric Chopin and how it relates to the work of Irish composer John Field.

Professor Jeffrey Lependorf

Jeffrey D. Lependorf received his undergraduate degree from Oberlin Conservatory and holds a master’s and doctorate in music composition from Columbia University. In addition to teaching, he served as the director of the Music Omni International Music Residency Program, a unique program through which exceptional musicians selected from around the world work together, collaboratively, toward exploring creative new directions for music-making. He has been published in scholarly publications, including Perspectives of New Music and Journal of Scholarly Publishing.

Professor Emeritus John Ramsden

Professor Emeritus John Ramsden in 2004, on a visit to the Churchill Centre in Washington, DC.

We were saddened to learn of the passing of Professor John Ramsden on October 16, 2009 in London. Professor Ramsden was educated at Oxford University and began teaching at Queen Mary, University of London in 1972. An eminent historian, he was considered an expert on the British Conservative Party, the life of Winston Churchill, and modern history since the early 20th century. Professor Ramsden recorded two courses for The Modern Scholar: World War I: The Great War and the World It Made, and Winston Churchill: Man of the Century.

Professor Ramsden’s love of history, his enthusiasm for his teaching, and his insistence on scholarly excellence will be sorely missed in the academic community on both sides of the Atlantic.

A description of his career is available on the Web from the London Telegraph newspaper site at:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/books-obituaries/6399885/Professor-John-Ramsden.html

Heaven in a Wild Flower

A pastoral scene titled "The Cornfield" painted by John Constable in 1826, adorns the cover of "Heaven in a Wild Flower."

Award-winning scholar Adam Potkay (College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia) provides listeners with an enlightening course about the principal British Romantic-era poets. Robert Burns, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, William Wordsworth, William Blake, Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelly, Mary Shelly, and John Keats are presented by Professor Potkay through their poems and prose as you’ve most likely never heard before. While you may have been required to read their works (Rime of the Ancyent Marinere, Songs of Innocence, and Ode on a Grecian Urn, to name a few), it’s doubtful you received the insight and enthusiasm about these masterworks and their creators as articulated by Professor Potkay in Heaven in a Wild Flower: The British Romantic Poets. The writing of these poets has influenced generations of admirers and underscored their own tumultuous times by artistically breathing life into ideas and ideals that resonate still.

Available December 2009

Our interview podcast with Professor Potkay about Heaven in a Wild Flower is now available under The Modern Scholar PODCAST tab on this site! (November 9, 2009)

Adam Potkay during the recording of "Heaven in a Wild Flower" at our New York Studios.

Adam Potkay is a professor of English at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia and a recipient of a Plumeri Award for Faculty Excellence. In August 2009, he was designated William R. Kenan, Jr., Professor of Humanities. In 1996, Professor Potkay and his wife and fellow College of William & Mary professor, Monica Brzezinski Potkay were jointly honored with the College of William and Mary’s Alumni Fellowship Award for Excellence in Teaching.

A recognized scholar of eighteenth-century literature and culture, professor Potkay’s publications include, The Passion for Happiness: Samuel Johnson and David Hume (Cornell University Press, 2000) and The Fate of Eloquence in the Age of Hume (Cornell University Press, 1994). He is the coeditor (with Sandra Burr) of a collection of autobiographies and sermons by some of the earliest black writers in English, Black Atlantic Writers of the Eighteenth Century: Living the New Exodus in England and the Americas (St. Martin’s Press, 1995). He has published scholarly articles and more popular essays in a wide variety of journals, from 18th-Century Studies and Studies in Early Modern Philosophy to Philosophy Now and Raritan Quarterly.

Professor Potkay was recently named a co-winner of the Harry Levin Prize awarded by the American Comparative Literature Association for his book The Story of Joy: From the Bible to Late Romanticism. Published by Cambridge University Press, The Story of Joy outlines an intellectual and literary history of joy, especially the treatments of joy in works of literature, philosophy and religion. Emphasis is on British and German works from the Reformation through the Romantic period.

Adam and Monica Brzezinski Potkay coauthored a previous Modern Scholar course, The Bible as the Root of Western Literature: Stories, Poems, and Parables (2003).

Brewmaster’s Art: Can you say “assimilable silicate”?

Beer and Food: A Symbiotic Relationship

One of the reasons we decided to pursue a Modern Scholar course on beermaking, was that we knew beer had something else about it besides the fact that we liked its taste. Professor Charlie Bamforth gave us many reasons to sing the praises of beer, not the least of which is that beer can also be good for you. Here’s a quote from Professor Bamforth that appears in our course guide booklet to his forthcoming course Brewmaster’s Art: The History and Science of Beermaking.

“Beers used to be widely advertised on a health platform, but these days that is not allowed in many parts of the world. Remarkably, though, we know more than ever that beer is far from being empty calories. It is perhaps the richest source of assimilable silicate in the diet, which is one of the reasons why moderate consumption of alcohol counters the risk of osteoporosis.”

In addition, Professor Bamforth has this to say about his favorite beverage:

“Beer is the perfect accompaniment to so many foods: think Indian, Mexican, and Irish, for instance. We should expect it to be afforded the same menu space as wine.”

This last quote came to mind after a terrific conversation with Dave Sickert at A Million Cooks. (See the link on our Blogroll.) Located in Sonoma Valley, California, their website is literally a “feast” for the senses, at least those available over the Web. They have sound bites from authors and experts about food preparation and the many fabulous ways to enjoy it.  We highly recommend it!

Brewmaster’s Art will be available for purchase and in many public libraries in December 2009.

Six Months That Changed the World

English Prime Minister David Lloyd George, French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau, and U.S. President Woodrow Wilson are shown on their way to the continuing negotiations at Versailles in 1919.

The world will never see another peace conference like the one that took place in Paris in 1919. For six months, the world’s major leaders met to discuss the peace settlements to end World War I. They faced huge issues and, as the weeks went by, their agenda grew. Because Paris saw such a concentratio of power, the world’s problems came before it and petitioners for political, social, and economic causes came from around the world to be heard. To understand what happened in Paris in 1919 is to understand our century. The burial requiems for the old world were sung there and the new world made its uneasy start. But, above all, it was about building a better world. Could there be a peaceful and just international order? The question is still with us today. You can listen to a short clip from Professor MacMillan’s lectures below.

Professor Margaret MacMillan, University of Toronto

Margaret MacMillan is the provost of Trinity College and professor of history at the University of Toronto. Her books include Women of the Raj (1988) and Peacemakers: The Paris Conference of 1919 and Its Attempt to End War (2001), published in the United States as Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World (2002). Dr. MacMillan appears frequently in the media commenting on both history and current international affairs.

audible.com features many of our Modern Scholar courses on their web site. They also have a regular page feature called 20 Authors We’d Invite to Dinner that gives a list of what they feel are some of the better offerings in their library. On their most recent 20 Authors, Six Months That Changed the World was prominently featured with the following write up:

“Margaret MacMillan: It’s always illuminating to learn about the events that shaped human history; however, it is especially revealing to learn about one event that had such enormous influence that its impact has been felt ever since. You make a convincing argument in identifying one of these moments in your brilliant lecture, Professor MacMillan. You pinpoint the events of that time and explain them so clearly that I felt as though I’d taken an entire semester’s worth of 20th century history in one sitting. For those looking for more insight, I’m recommending our listeners also try your multiple award-winning Paris 1919.”

Fueling the Planet

A detail of "Pines at Sunrise" by Tallahassee, Florida photographer Charlie Sawyer provides a compelling scene for Professor Michael B. McElroy's "Fueling the Planet" course and Earth's primary energy source, our sun.

In Fueling the Planet: The Past, Present, and Future of Energy, esteemed professor and scientist Michael B. McElroy (Harvard University) provides an environmental expert’s knowledge toward understanding how and where the many types of energy we use today became available and what the future may hold for modern societies and their energy needs. Professor McElroy provides a realistic look at the primary sources of energy and a fact-based view of what practical alternatives to traditional energy exist and are being developed. Throughout, he pays close attention to the “human factor” involved in the energy equation.

Available in December 2009.

Harvard Professor Michael B. McElroy

Michael B. McElroy is the Gilbert Butler Professor of Environmental Studies at Harvard University. He was appointed Director of the Harvard University Center for Environment in 2001 and leads an interdisciplinary study on the implications of China’s rapid industrial development for the local, regional, and global environment. McElroy is also the author of numerous books including The Atmospheric Environment: Effects of Human Activity and Energy: Perspectives, Problems, and Prospects. Professor McElroy also recorded Global Warming, Global Threat for the Modern Scholar series in 2003.

The Giants of French Literature

Art Nouveau Interior, 1900 by Georges de Feure (1868–1943); illustration for Marcel Proust’s novel, A La recherche du temps perdu (In Search of Lost Time)

October 22, 2009: Because of circumstances beyond anyone’s control, The Giants of French Literature will not be released until March 2010. We apologize for this delay, but sometimes life intervenes where best intentions are involved. We assure you that the course is altogether excellent and will only be that much better when it does release. We appreciate your understanding, especially our Proust fans…!

In The Giants of French Literature: Balzac, Flaubert, Proust, and Camus, professor Katherine Elkins details the lives and works of the premier French writers of the past two centuries. Balzac’s Human Comedy, Flaubert’s Madame Boavary, Proust’s In Search of Lost Time, and Camus’s The Stranger are among the works of these four French literary giants she discusses. Elkins draws the listener into the exotic and romantic worlds created by these artists of the written word.

Listen to our podcast interview with Professor Katherine Elkins now available under The Modern Scholar PODCAST tab on this site. We hope you’ll enjoy it!

Available in March 2010.

Associate Professor Katherine L. Elkins, Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio

Katherine L. Elkins is an associate professor of humanities at Kenyon College where she teaches Odyssey of the West in the Integrated Program in the Humane Studies and where she has won a number of teaching awards. She also teaches intellectual and cultural history from the mid-nineteenth century to the present. Her writing has appeared in journals such as Comparative Literature Studies, Modernism/Modernity, Modern Language Quarterly, and Discourse, and she has just completed a book on Marcel Proust that will be published in the near future.

The Philosophy of Thomas Aquinas

Detail of Triumph of St. Thomas Aquinas by Francesco Traini, ca. 1340

An enthusiastic admirer of the philosophy of Thomas Aquinas, professor and philosopher Peter Kreeft brings the full measure of his skill to these lectures. By providing examples of present-day situations as well as historical references, Professor Kreeft details the rational thought and precise literary talent that established  Aquinas as the foremost thinker of his time. Aquinas’s Summa Theologica has given theologians and philosophers much to discuss since the thirteenth century. Peter Kreeft explains why.

Professor Peter Kreeft, Boston University

Peter Kreeft is a professor of philosophy at Boston College. He has written over fifty books, including Fundamentals of the Faith, The Best Things in Life, Back to Virtue, The Unaborted Socrates, and Summa of the Summa. Besides writing, Kreeft contributes to Christian publications and speaks at numerous conferences. He received his bachelor’s degree from Calvin College and his Ph.D. from Fordham University. Before teaching at Boston College, he taught at Villanova University for three years. Kreeft has been at Boston University for forty years.

Available in September 2009.

Profssor Kreeft has previously contributed two other Modern Scholar courses: Ethics: A History of Moral Thought (2003), and Faith and Reason: The Philosophy of Religion (2005).

~Ed White, Modern Scholar Series Coordinator

The Anglo-Saxon World

The Venerable Bede (ca. 673–735), Anglo-Saxon scholar, theologian, historian, and Doctor of the Church, is illustrated in an initial “D,” from an early twelfth-century manuscript of his Life of Cuthbert (Digby 20, folio 194r).

Had the Angles and Saxons not purposefully migrated to the isles of the Britons and brought with them their already-well-developed use of language, Angelina Jolie may never have appeared in the movie Beowulf. Professor Michael D.C. Drout is at his best when lecturing on the fascinating history, language, and societal adaptations of the Anglo-Saxons. He not only presents their storytelling abilities using their own words; he does so in their own voice—the incredibly melodious Old English. One of the most fascinating cultures in medieval Europe, the Anglo-Saxons were an unusual blend of Germanic, Latin, and Celtic influence. In addition to the Anglo-Saxons’ status as ancestors to people in England, America, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand, their language serves as the source for Modern English—thus shedding light on the culture of today.

Professor Drout  has posted translations of some of the major Anglo-Saxon poems that, for reasons of space, we were not able to include in the Course Guide booklet. There are also links on that page so you can listen to his Old English podcast and visit his home page and blog. The link is available on the Blogroll on the right hand side of this page.

An expert on medieval literature, Professor Michael D.C. Drout—with a linguistic base in the development of the English language from Old to Middle to Modern English—is eminently qualified to lead this quest to discover the “real” Anglo-Saxons (often far different than those depicted in popular culture). As the lectures progress, Professor Drout explores such illuminating topics as the Germanic past, the Viking Age, Anglo-Saxon literature, Anglo-Saxon religion, the Norman Conquest, and the influence of the Anglo-Saxons on today’s world.

Michael D.C. Drout, Wheaton College

Michael D.C. Drout is the William and Elsie Prentice Professor of English at Wheaton College, where he teaches courses in Old and Middle English, medieval literature, Chaucer, fantasy, and science fiction. In 2006, Professor Drout was chosen as a Millicent C. McIntosh Fellow by the Woodrow Wilson Foundation. Professor Drout was awarded the Prentice Professorship for outstanding and innovative teaching in 2005. He is editor of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Beowulf and the Critics, which won the Mythopoeic Scholarship Award for Inklings Studies for 2003. Drout is one of the founding editors of the journal Tolkien Studies and is editor of The J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia.

Available in September 2009.

One of our most popular lecturers, Profssor Drout has also recorded eight other Modern Scholar courses: Bard of the Middle Ages: The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer (2005); From Here to Infinity: An Exploration of Science Fiction Literature (2006); Rings, Swords, and Monsters: Exploring Fantasy Literature (2006);  A History of the English Language (2006); A Way with Words I: Writing, Rhetoric, and the Art of Persuasion (2006); A Way with Words II: Approaches to Literature (2007); A Way with Words III: Understanding Grammar for Powerful Communication (2008); A Way with Words IV: Understanding Poetry (2008).

~Ed White, Modern Scholar Series Coordinator

The Russian Revolution: From Tsarism to Bolshevism

A colossal statue of Czar Alexander III that had been erected inside the Kremlin walls is shown being methodically dismantled by two workmen in April 1918 after the Soviets came into power.

During the Cold War from shortly after World War II until the fall of the Berlin Wall in late 1989, communism and the communist world was seen by most Westerners as the antipathy of how to live. Communism was evil. Generations educated over the nearly eighty years that communists were in power in Russia were seldom taught the true history and diverse reasons that had given the Bolsheviks the ability to wrest power from the Russian Tsar. The Russian Revolution of 1917 was a key turning point in the history of modern Europe and the world. For much of the twentieth century, politics were defined by attitudes to what had taken place in Russia in 1917. To understand the Russian Revolution, then, is to understand a key building block of modern history and the contemporary world. Senior lecturer and renowned Russian researcher Dr. Jonathan Smele sheds new light on the many forces that came to bear in tsarist Russia, from the emancipation of the serfs in the mid-nineteenth century to the climactic revolutions of the early twentieth century that brought the small Bolshevik party to power.

Dr. Jonathan D. Smele, Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London

Dr. Jonathan Smele is senior lecturer in history at Queen Mary, University of London. He received his BA at the University of Leeds and his master of philosophy in Soviet and East Euro­pean studies at the University of Glasgow. He was awarded his Ph.D. from the University of Wales in 1991 for a thesis on the anti-Bolshevik movement in the Russian Civil War. Dr. Smele previously taught at the University of Edinburgh (1988–91) and the University of Aberdeen (1991–92). In 1998, he was made a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He is a long-standing member of the Study Group on the Russian Revolution and since 2002 has been editor of its journal, Revolutionary Russia.

He is the author or editor of numerous articles and books, including The Russian Revolution of 1905: Centenary Perspectives (with Anthony J. Heywood, Routledge, 2005), The Russian Revolution and Civil War, 1917–1921: An Annotated Bibliography (Continuum, 2003), Civil War in Siberia: The Anti-Bolshevik Government of Admiral Kolchak (Cambridge University Press, 1997), and Kolchak i Sibir´: dokumenty i issledovaniia, 1919–1926 (with David Collins, Kraus International, 1988).

Dr. Smele’s research interests focus on the political and international history of late Imperial Russia, the revolutions of 1905 and 1917 and the Russian Civil War, Russian foreign policy, and the history of Siberia. He has also worked on Anglo-Russian and Anglo-Soviet relations in the revolutionary period and contributed an article entitled “War, Revolution, and Civil War in Russia: The Eastern Front, 1914–1921” to the BBC History website. He is currently writing a Historical Dictionary of the Russian Civil War (The Scarecrow Press, release scheduled in 2010) and The Russian Civil War (OneWorld Publishers, release scheduled in 2011).

Available in September 2009.

~Ed White, Modern Scholar Series Coordinator