Selected Topics in Music Literature for Non-Majors (175-0-3)
Topic
Music and Myth
Instructors
Pia Marie Rodriguez
Meeting Info
RCMA 1-164: Tues, Thurs 2:00PM - 3:20PM
Registration Requirements
The mythology of Ancient Greece and Rome — i.e., Classical Mythology — inspired countless musical compositions in later centuries and millennia, including orchestral music, operas, musicals, songs, and ballet. At the core of this course is the question of how composers have adapted their mythological sources: We will pay attention both to how the myths would have been understood in their own time and how they have been subsequently transformed. The musical works to be studied range from approximately the Renaissance to the present, representing a wealth of historical contexts in which Classical Mythology was an important object of meaning-making.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, students will become adept at cross-cultural analysis of creative works. They will be able to recognize historical-temporal, social, and political factors which have influenced the presentation of myths across eras, and to examine how the adaptation of myth into new art forms can reflect a culture's identity and values. They will also have gained the necessary tools to apply the same critical lens to content beyond the course's assigned material. As a final project, students will apply this framework of analysis to one musical transformation of myth that was not discussed in class (potentially going beyond Greek and Roman mythology).
Teaching Method
This course is designed with heavy emphasis on in-class discussions and activity-based learning.
Evaluation Method
Students will be evaluated on their attendance, participation in discussions, and a project incorporating both a written paper and a presentation. This project will also include a peer review element to encourage collaboration.
Class Materials (Required)
Ovid. Metamorphoses: A New Translation, trans. by Charles Martin. W. W. Norton & Company, 2005. ISBN: 978-0393326420. (Price: $17.95)
Class Materials (Suggested)
Other supplemental readings will be made available on Canvas.
Class Attributes
Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area
Enrollment Requirements
Enrollment Requirements: REASON: Pre-registration is not allowed for this class. Please try again during regular registration.