An introduction to the analysis and interpretation of European classical music from 1827 to the present. The focus is on music of Europe, in particular of France, Germany, and Italy, but thanks to the vagaries of colonialism and imperialism we will also direct our attention towards countries where the musical traditions of Western Europe spread, including Russia and North America. Beginning with the later works of Beethoven, we will work our way through two centuries’ worth of music up until approximately the present day. We will be looking in detail at the music itself, the social contexts in which it was produced, and at the people who created and consumed it.