Harry Davidson - Duke University, Durham, NC

Professor: Harry Davidson

Department: Music

College: Duke University, Durham, NC

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC89S
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

This class was a Trojan horse ALP. No participation, only listening (not) to very complex lectures on musical theory that were never tested and quickly forgotten. BUT, in the last 2 weeks, we were assigned an 11-18 page paper PLUS a 2-page reaction paper for EACH of the 17 papers submitted in class. Do the math. Plus, the listening exam was insane.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC89S
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

The seminar consisted of listening to Davidson lecture for 75 minutes. Although he is passionate about the topic, it became rather boring for me. There was also still considerable work: preparing a group presentation, writing a research paper, peer evaluations, and a listening test. I would have picked a more interesting seminar if there were spots

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: 89S
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

There is very little work up until the last few weeks of class. The 12-18 page term paper is 40% of the grade and a listening test is 20%. If you spend enough time and effort on both of those, you should get an A. Listening test is difficult if you're not very musical.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: MUS89S
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Professor Davidson is a great teacher who is very enthusiastic about his subject. There is a 12-18 page paper and a listening test. If you are accustomed to the music, the listening test is easy. However, if you have no musical experience, the taking the class still is a good idea. It will just take a little more work.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: MUS89
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

If you are a musician, a huge leg up, but more expectation for participation. One thing my classmates struggled the most was the one and only matching quiz for composer, era, type of music, and related Shakespearean play. If your iTunes is 80% classical, and if you can make educated guesses on those info. just by listening, it's a piece of cake.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC89S
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Easy, enjoyable. Relaxing mid-afternoon class with an almost guaranteed A as long as you can write decently and identify music pieces. VERY FRIENDLY PROFESSOR

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC89S01
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Overall Music in Shakespeare was a really cool class. it wasn't too hard and I really think that I learned a lot about music. Prof Davidson really seems to care about the pieces he played for us and knows a lot about music. I would definitely recommend this class to anyone who has any interest in music..

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC89S01
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Overall Music in Shakespeare was a really cool class. it wasn't too hard and I really think that I learned a lot about music. Prof Davidson really seems to care about the pieces he played for us and knows a lot about music. I would definitely recommend this class to anyone who has any interest in music.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: 89S
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

if you're not interested in the topic, don't take this class or else his lectures will get boring fast. participate in class when he asks questions. the listening test at the end of the semester is HARD, so try to start listening to the pieces early on. he's a nice professor, put in little-average amount of work and you'll get an A.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC89S
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Professor Davidson is a really nice man. The class was a little slow, but there was pretty much never any homework aside from a paper and a presentation. There is a listening test at the end of the semester, which is hard.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: MUS49S
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Davidson is nice and doesn't grade hard. Class is broken up into paper, presentation, and listening test. Nothing more nothing less. If you don't have an interest in classical music, it will be boring. If you have an interest, it may be the best course you've ever taken. You'll get an A if you put in reasonable effort and don't sleep.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC89
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Great first year seminar class if you have a tiny bit of music experience. Professor Davidson loves the subject and if you participate and show some enthusiasm he'll really appreciate it. 3 assignments can get a bit overwhelming (18 pg paper), but its really not bad bc he is an easy grader. Just participate a lot and he'll help you out in the end.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC49S
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Very nice guy, no matter what he'll always give you positive feed back. There's not much work and he's super enthusiastic. As for grading, he's really nice and if you participate a lot, he'll most likely give you an A despite your other grades.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: MUS49S
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I had high expectations of the class before I took it, but it was really disappointing. I basically learned nothing at all, and the class was extremely dull the majority of the time. Prof. Davidson is a very nice man, but the class was not very stimulating.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC49S
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Prof Davidson is great!! He's a really smart guy and his freshman seminar is the EASIEST seminar offered! You listen to music in class, read almost nothing outside of class and only have 3 assignments the whole year: a ppt,12-18pg paper on a composer & an easy listening exam. He can sometimes mumble and get boring but he's a really nice guy & easy

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC70
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Not as easy as you think, simply because there is a significant amount of work involved--4 concert reports, 1 five page paper, 1 ten page paper, and 2 exams. Davidson comes across as haughty and pretentious…pompous even. Overall, though, Davidson is truly a nice person and cares about his students.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

great

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC49S
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

this class was so easy! but make sure you spend enough time on your final essay. easy, very easy A.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC49S
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Nice guy, but don't think you are going to get an A automatically. We had no final, but 90% of the work for the class occurs in the last few weeks of semester (you pretty much do nothing before then).

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC49S
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

the only bad thing is that we didnt get an ipod =(