History of Music in Film and Audiovisual Media

The course deals with the use of music in audiovisual media, especially in film, from a historical and theoretical point of view. We will illustrate the historical-cultural contexts, the ideological ramifications and the production practices underlying music and sound in cinema. We will develop basic analytical tools and detail the expressive resources conveyed by music in film. We will then consider the interpretive and critical options made available by "listening to" audiovisual media.

By the end of the course, students will have developed historical and theoretical awareness about the main periods and currents of music in cinema, from the silent period to the digital turn of contemporary audiovisual media, with special reference to the topic of the monographic course. They will also be enabled to decipher some fundamental dramaturgical aspects of the use of music in audiovisual media. Finally, they will acquire awareness of the theoretical terminology used in film music studies.