On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan (and a very special guest) introduce the course "The History of Classical Music: Pythagoras through Beethoven".

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.

From the time that Pythagoras discovered the mathematical ratios of harmonic scales, it took the greatest minds over two thousand years to tune the major and minor keys. Pope Gregory I, Charlemagne, Sir Isaac Newton, and lesser-known figures like Guido of Arezzo all contributed to the advancement of the science of music building to the crescendo of Baroque operas. Significant pieces discussed include Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo and J.S. Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier.