MUSC104

Description

This course is an exploration of different roles played by classical music in modern culture between 1885 and 1945. This course is not a comprehensive survey; rather, it explores selected set of specific topics and context in some depth. By plunging into the often extreme aesthetic experience of 20th-century art music, we will get to know, appreciate and understand (and love!) works by a number of the major composers of the era. We will grapple with crucial issues of music and cultural politics, especially in the context of war and 20th-century totalitarianism. We will also focus on issues of 'high' and 'low' art, as well as representations of sexuality and gender in operas of the time. The course is designed to serve the need of music majors and minors as well as those of interested non-majors. We will, of course, deal very directly with music, but the intention is to do so in ways that do not exclude those who have little or no formal training in music. The essential prerequisites are a willingness to approach the music we address with open ears and mind and a desire to grapple with ideas and art.