MUS4220 - Vocal Music

Leader: Carol Williams

Offered

Not offered in 2007

Synopsis

This unit consists of analytical and historical studies of predominantly solo vocal music in the Western European tradition from the Middle Ages to the present. Works by Monteverdi, Purcell, Hayden, Mozart, Schubert, Schumann, Wolf, Faure, Debussy, Schoenberg, Webern and contemporary Australian composers, are included for discussion and analysis. Much of the analysis is text based. The importance of literary movements and figures, as well as the impact of the invention of the pianoforte, are included in the historical survey.

Objectives

On successful completion of the unit, students should have an understanding of the complexity of the relationship between a text and its musical setting in the song as well as a number of methods of analytical inquiry which can be applied specifically to the song.

Assessment

Written (4 short assignments): 10%
4 short class papers of 15 minutes each: 10%
Essay (4000 words): 40%
Examination (3 hours): 40%

Contact hours

3 hours (2 x 1 hour lectures and 1 x 1 hour seminar) per week