A course for lovers of all kinds of music, including a couple of symphonies, some opera, songs of social significance, and the American Songbook. We sample an eclectic selection of well-known and exciting pieces of classical music, show tunes and folk music: Ludwig van Beethoven, Gustav Mahler, Woody Guthrie and Cole Porter. In addition, some downright socialist ideas expressed a post-WWII musical, Finian’s Rainbow. We provide historical and biographical contexts for these works, and opportunities for special requests for your particular favorite works.

• Week 1: Beethoven: V for Victory, Ode to Joy
• Week 2: Some of the Boys: Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Frank Loesser, and one Girl:  Dorothy Fields, and The Great American Songbook
• Week 3: A Piece of Mahler’s, including his Resurrection Symphony
• Week 4: Songs of Social Significance, Protest and Justice
• Week 5: The Music of 20^th century great, Nicolas Flagello, including The Passion of Martin Luther King
• Week 6: Ragtime: E.L. Doctorow’s epic novel, James Cagney’s final film (1981) and a glorious 1998 musical, now in revival