In our first lecture, we are introduced to the fundamentals of music as a profound and integral part of human culture. Samuel Andreyev emphasizes the importance of active listening and encourages expanding one's musical horizons to unlock the transformative potential of this art form. By exploring the distinctions between Western classical music and various musical traditions from around the world, the lecture highlights the diverse ways in which different cultures develop and foreground specific musical parameters such as rhythm, melody, harmony, and timbre.

In lecture two, we delve into the development of Western music notation and theory from the Middle Ages onward. We explore the evolution from early neumatic notation to the introduction of the hexachord and four-line staff by Guido of Arezzo, and the eventual standardization of the five-line staff and rhythmic notation. The lecture highlights the profound impact these innovations had on the complexity and richness of polyphonic compositions familiar to us today.

In lecture three, we learn about fundamental concepts and terminology in music, including timbre, space, harmonic motion, consonance and dissonance, form, structure, phrasing, and texture. Samuel Andreyev illustrates these concepts using examples from Western classical music, highlighting how composers manipulate these elements to create expressive and engaging musical works. The lecture concludes with an analysis of a piece by French Baroque composer Jean-Philippe Rameau, demonstrating the interplay of ornamentation, repetition, and harmonic contrast within the composition's structure.