4.8
stars
697 ratings

John Covach

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Offered By

The Music of the Beatles

University of Rochester

About this Course

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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.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

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Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Approx. 14 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: French, Portuguese (European), Russian, English, Spanish

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Approx. 14 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: French, Portuguese (European), Russian, English, Spanish

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.93/5 (124 Ratings)

John Covach

Professor of Music and Director

Institute for Popular Music

96,738 Learners

4 Courses

Offered by

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.

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating98%(5,606 ratings)

Week

Week 1

1 hour to complete

Introduction and Special Features

1 hour to complete

5 videos (Total 31 min), 4 readings

Week

Week 2

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.

2 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 109 min)

Week

Week 3

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.

2 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 81 min)

Week

Week 4

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.

2 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 82 min)

Week

Week 5

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.

2 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 112 min)

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 exercise

Psychedelia30m

Week

Week 6

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.

2 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 98 min)

Week

Week 7

2 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.

2 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 111 min)

Reviews

4.8

261 reviews

5 stars
84.75%
4 stars
11.68%
3 stars
2.56%
2 stars
0.42%
1 star
0.56%

TOP REVIEWS FROM THE MUSIC OF THE BEATLES

by GGApr 26, 2018

Excellent course. The only drawback s that there could not be any piece of music or lyrics. This is a problem that should be addressed somehow to make it even better.

by JTMay 31, 2020

Thankyou so much for this course. I learned a lot and it was a nice first aproach to music. I love The Beatles even more now. The professor is great. I loved everything. Thankyou

by AWFeb 26, 2019

Great course! I knew nothing of the music of the Beatles, but this course has made me appreciate the poetry and musical innovation of the Beatles.

by GJan 30, 2020

Incredibly rich class, so much to learn and appreciate. I enjoyed the story arc employed by the professor, as well as the examples, song close up, and information about song structure.

View all reviews

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Is financial aid available?
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The Music of the Beatles

The Music of the Beatles

About this Course