HISTORY OF MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY MUSIC

Università degli Studi
"G. d'Annunzio"

Chieti - Pescara

Single discipline educational activity

Course Sheet

Course code:

WEB01

Academic Year of enrolment:

2023

Year of supply:

2023/2024

Type of Course:

Characterising

Degree:

Course of 1st Cycle Degree in HUMANITIES

Disciplinary Sector:

Musicology and Music History

Location:

CHIETI

Credits:

Programme Year:

Professor and Collaborators:

PAGANNONE Giorgio

Cycle:

First semester

Hours of classroom activity:

Individual study hours:

162

Prerequisites:

There are no specific prerequisites. Some basic technical notions will be given directly in class.
However, for those wishing to acquire some basic knowledge, we suggest the following support tools (optional):
For some basic musical notions:
- O. KÁROLYI, La grammatica della musica, Torino, Einaudi, 1969 (or subsequent reprints); in particular pp. 119 sgg.
- S. MELIS - G. PAGANNONE, Il “filo” e l’“ordito”. Dall’ascolto alla teoria musicale e ritorno, in La Musica tra Conoscere e Fare, a cura di G. La Face Bianconi e A. Scalfaro, Milano, FrancoAngeli, 2011, pp. 89-106 (english version: https://www.academia.edu/6018174/The_Line_and_the_Texture_From_Listening...).
For the melodramatic lexicon refer to:
- L. BIANCONI - G. PAGANNONE, Piccolo glossario di drammaturgia musicale, in G. PAGANNONE (edited by), Insegnare il melodramma.
Saperi essenziali, proposte didattiche, Lecce, Pensa Multimedia, 2010, pp. 201-263 (available online: http://box.dar.unibo.it/files/didattica/Glossario-di-Drammaturgia_musica...).
NB. Consider also that the manual (CARROZZO-CIMAGALLI) contains at the end of each volume a glossary of musical terms.

Objectives

The teaching of these modules contributes to the achievement of the learning objectives of the Degree course, with particular reference to the following abilities:

Skills and understanding
Knowledge of the general features of the history of music from the seventeenth to the twentieth century, of the main figures and genres, as well as the contexts and functions of music.
Knowledge of the basic theoretical and musical notions for conscious listening.
Knowledge of the fundamentals of musical dramaturgy and of the italian opera, with particular reference to the opera "Il trovatore" by Giuseppe Verdi. (MODULE 1)
Knowledge of some aspects and essential concepts of twentieth century music: atonality, expressionism, dodecaphony, neoclassicism, avantgarde. (MODULE 2).

Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
Students must acquire the ability to orientate themselves in the historical-musical development of the modern and contemporary age.
They will also develop the ability to adopt an interdisciplinary approach, i.e. they must be able to contextualise the development of musical art, comparing it with historical facts, the history of aesthetic-philosophical thought, and other arts, in particular theatre and literature, with reference to the melodramatic genre.

Indipendence of judgment
At the end of the course students must acquire a critical sense towards music and musical phenomena, even of the contemporaneity, thanks to their knowledge of historical-musical development, the acquisition of conscious listening, as well as knowledge of and appreciation for significant works in the history of music.

Communication skills
Students must know how to explain the course contents and key concepts clearly and with the appropriate terminology, thus demonstrating that they can also make connections between these concepts and interdisciplinary openings. They will also be able to report in a satisfactory way on their listening experiences both in class and through individual study.

Contents

MODULE 1 (6 CFU): History of music of the modern age (overview, keys to reading).
The italian Opera in the nineteenth century: "Il trovatore" by Giuseppe Verdi (1853).
MODULE 2 (3 CFU): Aspects of twentieth century music (module 2).

Extended Syllabus

MODULE 1 (6 CFU). This module intends to introduce students to the history of art music from the seventeenth to the twentieth century. We will give a historical overview, highlighting basic concepts. We will provide keys to reading, and a brief overview of genres, styles, musical techniques, the main musicians and ideas about music.
In the monographic part we will examine the opera "Il trovatore" by Giuseppe Verdi (1853), framing it in the context of the nineteenth-century Italian opera.
MODULE 2 (3 CFU).
The second module will focus on 20th century music. We will propose selected listenings of significant works and highlight some key concepts (atonality, dodecaphony, avant-garde, neoclassicism, etc.) that help learners to orientate themselves in the complex historical developments of the twentieth century, marked by the crisis of the tonal system and traditional musical languages as well as the constant search for new poetics and expressive ways, at times marked by a mixture of genres and contaminations, at other times characterized by daring experimentations.

Recommended Bibliography

MODULE 1 (6 CFU). PROFILE OF HISTORY OF MUSIC BETWEEN 1600 AND
1900.
Monographic study: THE OPERA IN 19TH CENTURY: "IL TROVATORE" by GIUSEPPE VERDI.

GENERAL PART
- L. BIANCONI, “La musica al plurale”, in Musica, ricerca e didattica. Profili culturali e competenza musicale, ed. by A. Nuzzaci and G. Pagannone, Lecce, Pensa Multimedia, 2008, pp. 23-32 (in digital version).
- M. CARROZZO - C. CIMAGALLI, Storia della musica occidentale, Roma, Armando, 1997 (or subsequent reprints), 3 voll.; vol. 1 (chapters 13-14); vol. 2 (complete); vol. 3 (chapters from 32 a 42); we mean the historical part, without the paragraphs with detailed analysis.
NB. For NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS, at least three analytical paragraphs
are recommended, in particular those in chapters 14 (vol. I, madrigal), 29 (vol II: sonata form), and 36 (vol III: Italian opera).

MONOGRAPHIC PART
On "Il trovatore":
- P. GALLARATI, Verdi, Milano, il Saggiatore, 2022, pp. 279-298 (chapter on “Il trovatore”).
NB. NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS can make use of the guide to the opera by E. Bonomi, contained in G. VERDI, Il Trovatore, Theatre programme, Venice, Teatro La Fenice, 2011, pp. 45-88 (disponibile online: ).
To follow the lessons it is necessary to have the LIBRETTO of the opera. A copy of the libretto will be made available at the beginning of the course.
NB. Do not use other librettos available online or in CD booklets.
The vocal score of the opera can be found at the following website: .

MODULE 2 (3 CFU).
- M. CARROZZO - C. CIMAGALLI, Storia della musica occidentale, Roma, Armando, 1997 (or subsequent reprints), III, chap. 43-44 (pp. 419 sgg.).
- PAUL GRIFFITHS, La musica del Novecento, Torino, Einaudi, 2014. Of this book THREE chapters of your choice will be studied; in addition, the student will have to choose THREE significant compositions of the twentieth century, with relative descriptive cards, among those that will be provided by the teacher.

At the end of the course, the lesson materials and the study texts will be made available (with the exception of the textbook on the history of music).

NB. The FULL LISTENING of "Il trovatore" and the music that will be the subject of module 2 is an INTEGRAL PART OF THE PROGRAM.
The opera "Il trovatore" is scheduled to be VIEWED AT THE MARRUCINO THEATER (CHIETI), during the autumn season 2023.

Teaching Methods

The teaching in class includes listening exercises as well as the use of slides and support materials (audio and video).

Evaluation methods

Verification of learning:

The final assessment consists of an oral exam on the entire syllabus, with the final mark expressed in thirtieth. The aim is to assess students’ skills and in particular, an understanding of the issues discussed during the course, an appropriate knowledge of the bibliography in the course programme, a correct command of the specific language as well as critical and methodological abilities will be evaluated. The grading scale goes from 1 to 30 with honours (cum laude): 1-17 fail, 18-21 sufficient, 22-24 fair, 25-27 good, 28-29 very good, 30-30 with honours (cum laude) excellent.

Contacts/More Information

Regular attendance is strongly recommended. It is not necessary to know the theory or the musical notation, but attendance enables students to practise active and conscious listening.
At the end of the course both the audio materials and the slides related to the lessons will be made available.
For any problems or doubts concerning the bibliography or the course materials, please contact the teacher (giorgio.pagannone@unich.it).

Università degli Studi
"G. d'Annunzio"

Chieti - Pescara

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