The History of Classical Music: Pythagoras through Beethoven

Rediscover the beauty of classical music.

Music has been part of man’s experience since our earliest days. It has accompanied the greatest achievements in history. It swells our hearts in love, fills us with awe of the Divine, drives us into battle, and comforts us in moments of despair.

From the time that Pythagoras developed the science of music in Ancient Greece, it took over two millennia for the greatest minds in science, philosophy, politics, and religion to discover the proper tuning of a chromatic scale. From that moment, music has been able to express the fullest range of human experience and formulate in sound elements of the human experience that cannot be articulated in words.

In “The History of Classical Music,” concert pianist and Hillsdale College Distinguished Fellow Hyperion Knight explains how music has developed and what distinguishes the greatest musical achievements through the life of Beethoven. Join this course, whether you are a music novice or an aficionado of the classical style, to learn what makes music great.

The course includes four lectures, each approximately 30 minutes long, and a 45-minute concert performance. Complete the course and receive a certificate by watching the lectures and taking the short quizzes that follow. These are supplemented with additional question-and-answer videos, study guides for each lecture, and a discussion board where you can engage in conversations with other students. Take the course at your own pace and in a manner that best fits your schedule.

Preregister today to discover the stories behind the greatest achievements in music in “The History of Classical Music.”

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What students say

Takes the student through the full context of the course subject matter. Wonderful insight into how we strayed and its consequences and offers a solution.

– Don


It's refreshing listening to ideas and thoughts that would be discussed in a classroom setting.  It's been quite a few years since I have been in that type of setting.  It's nice to be back.  It gets the creative juices running in the brain again.

– Susan


Content is well presented; the students are stellar in their responses and questions. Prof. Arnn does a fabulous job balancing teaching and allowing students to participate. Above all he makes complex ideas easy to understand.

– Hope