Richard Taruskin - University of California Berkeley

Professor: Richard Taruskin

Department: TBD

College: University of California Berkeley

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC76
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Professor Taruskin's class was the highlight of my college career. Not only is he palpably intelligent and inspiring, he is an amazing teacher and will give you a firm foundation in music history. So glad I was able to take this course with him the last time he ever taught it.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC76
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Horrible! Difficult to understand, unorganized, does not follow the syllabus, lectures are not coherent, wastes most lectures' time talking about unrelated issues. A disappointment.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC77
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

*IS* the stereotypical college professor: a venerable, self-absorbed genius who's crazy-published and comes to work every day in a tweed blazer with leather elbow patches - it's really the sort of thing I only ever thought I'd see in movies. Anyway, majors have to take him for 76 & 77 (or 75) - clear in instruction but expects a LOT for lower div.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC77
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

A brilliant mind, one of the best teachers in the Music Department, and a generous and kind individual, not to mention a talented musician! Yes, he's intimidating, and as one reviewer here puts it "he has an axe to grind." But he'll be more than pleased to visit with you during office hours. Be sure to talk and be noticed in his class!

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: MUS77
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Taruskin is a genius. His class lectures are in depth and cover a lot of material. The GSIs that I had (Spring 09) were awful. Rude and not helpful at all. Hopefully you get better ones! Essays are graded very hard and tests cover tons of material and listening. Study, study, study!!!

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: MUS76
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Professor Taruskin is a very knowledgeable man. His lectures are pretty intense, but he adds a bit of humor to them. The GSIs are brutal and expect perfection-and they're the ones who grade and write the tests/essays. The essays are not loosely graded and tests require mega preparation.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC76
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Quirky

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC76
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He's so knowledgeable about the subject and you can tell he just loves it. He's also pretty funny, and keeps the class interesting with musical examples and jokes. The guy definitely has a sense of humor. Beware though -- there is a huge amount of listening involved and the papers aren't graded super easily. It's doable, but you have to keep up.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: 20THCENT
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Very full of himself, has definite ax to grind. You'd better toe the line, too. My recommendation: Avoid him if possible.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: 20THCENT
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

A more arrogant lecturer you could never find. He should be writing books, not teaching. I'm waiting for him to retire or die so I can re-take this class with another professor and get something out of it.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

No Comments

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: MUS76
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This class is really only for those who ooze Western classical music from their pores. Taruskin definitely knows his details, but can come across as snobbish. Expect to be alienated unless you already know quite a bit about classical music. His lecturing style induces sleep better than Xanax.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: 20THCMUSIC
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

No Comments

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC76
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He is "The" Musicologist; the man is a walking New Grove. His exams are hard. Papers are graded tough. Lots and lots of reading. Good luck for those required to take this....

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC76
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

An incredible find. Taruskin's breadth and depth of knowledge boggle the mind. Often leans towards the sociopolitical side of music in interpretation. Insightful, and witty lecturing style, and the material itself is no joke--there's a reason it satisfies both arts and history requirements in L&S.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC77
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This guy is such a knowledgable and incredible lecturer that I enjoyed going to lecture just to listen to the man talk. He really teaches you how to think about music.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC77
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Fantastic music history teacher. He knows his stuff for sure and his lectures are amazing. He stresses listening examples, music analysis, and paper writing (which isn't easy!). Specializes in Russian music and viola da gamba