What does Sappho have to do with Taylor Swift? Or Shakespeare to do with Al Green? Find out as we survey the history of Western love poetry through the lens of popular music! Poets and musicians have been talking about love for thousands of years. More than that, they have been influencing how we talk and even think about romantic love. We'll dig into the sources from which contemporary lyricists draw their inspiration, even when they don't know it. You'll learn what a Petrarchan lover is, and why you shouldn't be one. You'll learn how to diplomatically but honestly respond to the question, "Does this dress make me look fat?" And you'll have some great pick-up lines to boot!

Ever wonder why orchestras are still playing the Beethoven symphonies centuries later? Or why film composers look to Mahler and Tchaikovsky for material? In this course, you will be introduced to the beauty and excitement of classical music. We will survey eight influential classical pieces, and you’ll learn to recognize, discuss, and understand these great works of art in their historical and artistic context. But most of all, we will show you why Mozart, Bizet, and the rest are just as vital and satisfying today as they were centuries ago. By the end of the class, you will be the one shouting, “Encore!”

Ever wonder why orchestras are still playing the Beethoven symphonies centuries later? Or why film composers look to Mahler and Tchaikovsky for material? In this course, you will be introduced to the beauty and excitement of classical music. We will survey eight influential classical pieces, and you’ll learn to recognize, discuss, and understand these great works of art in their historical and artistic context. But most of all, we will show you why Mozart, Bizet, and the rest are just as vital and satisfying today as they were centuries ago. By the end of the class, you will be the one shouting, “Encore!”