Music

Musical Revolutions

Module code: W3032
Level 5
15 credits in spring semester
Teaching method: Seminar, Lecture
Assessment modes: Coursework

On this module, you'll explore the radical explosion of ideas between 1890 and 1970 that gave rise to counter-cultures challenging the authority of the 'classical' in music. You'll study paradigm shifts in musical thinking and experimentation, examining new approaches to modernism.

Key topics include:

• the works of Debussy, Reich, Alice Coltrane, and Kaija Saariaho in their social, historical and political contexts
• modernism's estrangement from traditional concert audiences
• composers' responses to mass popular culture
• the impact of electronic and digital technology.

 

Module learning outcomes

• Demonstrate an understanding of the impact of historical and cultural changes on the creative imagination of composers during the period covered by the module.
• Demonstrate an ability to critically reflect on how relevant musical works both respond to and impact the world around them.
• Demonstrate an understanding and critical awareness of music's inner workings.
• Demonstrate, via appropriate format, the ability to conduct detailed analysis of a selected topic.