Theory and Methods of Music in Media
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The course develops theoretical-methodological and historical-cultural competences concerning the interactions between music and media in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
The course aims to enable students to comprehend and critically interpret musical texts, practices and discourses in past and contemporary (multi)media contexts. To this end, the course draws on theoretical paradigms developed in film music studies, popular music studies, cultural musicology, as well as in media and performance studies.
The course aims to enable students to comprehend and critically interpret musical texts, practices and discourses in past and contemporary (multi)media contexts. To this end, the course draws on theoretical paradigms developed in film music studies, popular music studies, cultural musicology, as well as in media and performance studies.
Expected learning outcomes
By the end of the course, students will have acquired theoretical-methodological awareness regarding some cultural practices and processes that underpin musical creativity in media contexts. This will be achieved with particular reference to each year's changing monographic topic.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
The course unfolds in three parts:
A. Mediatized music experience: composition, performance, fruition
B. Music and its media writing: fonography, film, video, new media
C. Music across media: intertextuality, hypertextuality, remediation, intermediality
In the first part (A) we will explore how mediatization has influenced and still influences music experience, intending the latter as including composition, performance and fruition.
In the second part (B) we will reflect on how different supports on which music was historically recorded, reproduced and broadcast have affected and still affect production practices, creative strategies and the formation of genres, traditions and canons.
In the third part (C) we will focus on music artefacts (songs, albums, soundtracks, music videos, DJ sets, mashups, etc.) and how their crossmedia trajectories define the way the signify.
We will do all of the above by combining theoretical insights, historical recaps with critical and interpretational approaches to case studies.
A. Mediatized music experience: composition, performance, fruition
B. Music and its media writing: fonography, film, video, new media
C. Music across media: intertextuality, hypertextuality, remediation, intermediality
In the first part (A) we will explore how mediatization has influenced and still influences music experience, intending the latter as including composition, performance and fruition.
In the second part (B) we will reflect on how different supports on which music was historically recorded, reproduced and broadcast have affected and still affect production practices, creative strategies and the formation of genres, traditions and canons.
In the third part (C) we will focus on music artefacts (songs, albums, soundtracks, music videos, DJ sets, mashups, etc.) and how their crossmedia trajectories define the way the signify.
We will do all of the above by combining theoretical insights, historical recaps with critical and interpretational approaches to case studies.
Prerequisites for admission
For a full and satisfactory comprehension of the classes' contents, it is advisable to have a basic knowledge of musical theory. Awareness of the research tools of musicological research is required in order to engage in the final paper. To strengthen the above skills, students are encouraged to attend the workshops "Formazione musicale di base II" and "Strumenti e tecniche della ricerca musicologica (STRiM)".
It is important to have a good knowledge of twentieth-century political and cultural history as well as of one of last century's western or non-western musical traditions (e.g. western art music, popular music). It is useful to have basic notions of media theory.
An advanced comprehension of written English is required, since part of the course's literature is in English.
It is important to have a good knowledge of twentieth-century political and cultural history as well as of one of last century's western or non-western musical traditions (e.g. western art music, popular music). It is useful to have basic notions of media theory.
An advanced comprehension of written English is required, since part of the course's literature is in English.
Teaching methods
The course alternates lectures and discussion sessions drawing on the weekly assignments. Assignments include readings, listening to selected tracks and watching clips. This is a course which requires students to engage with scholarly readings from a variety of fields (musicology, media studies, semiotics, performance theory, history of technology), part of which in English. For this reason, attending the classes is highly recommended and it is a prerequisite for writing the final paper.
Teaching Resources
Students will be provided with an anthology of essays which will be made available on the Ariel platform.
The classes will be complemented by slides in which multimedia materials will be embedded. Slides are thus an integral part of the exam's preparation. Playlists and other similar materials may also be shared during classes.
The classes will be complemented by slides in which multimedia materials will be embedded. Slides are thus an integral part of the exam's preparation. Playlists and other similar materials may also be shared during classes.
Assessment methods and Criteria
ATTENDING STUDENTS
Students who attend classes are required to write a final paper (approximately 4500/5000-word long). The topic of the paper will have to be agreed upon with the instructor drawing on the monographic framework of the course.
The assessment criteria for the paper will be:
1. Originality of the chosen topic/approach;
2. Analytical competence and interpretive depth;
3. Ability to integrate the perspectives and notions drawn from the classes and the bibliography (by recurring to extra bibliography, if required by the topic) within a personal critical framework;
4. Formal quality of writing (terminological appropriateness, precision, fluidity, coherence, accuracy of the critical apparatus).
The paper must be submitted with a minimum 10-day advance on the date selected for the exam. The following oral examination will consist in a discussion of the bibliography of the course and the topics covered by the class, drawing on the subject of the paper.
The paper assessment weighs 75% of the final grading. Once they have received the partial assessment, students can decide to review their papers according to the written feedback and they can postpone their oral exam to a later session. In this event, the new version of the paper needs to be resubmitted at least 10 days prior to the date of the selected exam.
NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS
Students who do not attend classes will have to hold an oral exam consisting in a discussion of the bibliographic, audio and audiovisual materials enlisted in the programme. The assessment criteria for the exam will be:
1. Knowledge of the programme materials;
2. Ability to critically re-elaborate what was studied;
3. Quality of expression (terminological appropriateness and precision, argumentative coherence).
STUDENTS WITH PHYSICAL AND/OR LEARNING DISABILITIES
The modes of examination for students with physical and/or learning disabilities will need to be agreed with the course instructor, according with the guidelines of the competent Helpdesk.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
International and Erasmus incoming students are invited to contact the course instructor in advance, in order to agree on a specific programme and on the exam's modality. It is possible to request to hold the exam (paper included) in English.
Students who attend classes are required to write a final paper (approximately 4500/5000-word long). The topic of the paper will have to be agreed upon with the instructor drawing on the monographic framework of the course.
The assessment criteria for the paper will be:
1. Originality of the chosen topic/approach;
2. Analytical competence and interpretive depth;
3. Ability to integrate the perspectives and notions drawn from the classes and the bibliography (by recurring to extra bibliography, if required by the topic) within a personal critical framework;
4. Formal quality of writing (terminological appropriateness, precision, fluidity, coherence, accuracy of the critical apparatus).
The paper must be submitted with a minimum 10-day advance on the date selected for the exam. The following oral examination will consist in a discussion of the bibliography of the course and the topics covered by the class, drawing on the subject of the paper.
The paper assessment weighs 75% of the final grading. Once they have received the partial assessment, students can decide to review their papers according to the written feedback and they can postpone their oral exam to a later session. In this event, the new version of the paper needs to be resubmitted at least 10 days prior to the date of the selected exam.
NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS
Students who do not attend classes will have to hold an oral exam consisting in a discussion of the bibliographic, audio and audiovisual materials enlisted in the programme. The assessment criteria for the exam will be:
1. Knowledge of the programme materials;
2. Ability to critically re-elaborate what was studied;
3. Quality of expression (terminological appropriateness and precision, argumentative coherence).
STUDENTS WITH PHYSICAL AND/OR LEARNING DISABILITIES
The modes of examination for students with physical and/or learning disabilities will need to be agreed with the course instructor, according with the guidelines of the competent Helpdesk.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
International and Erasmus incoming students are invited to contact the course instructor in advance, in order to agree on a specific programme and on the exam's modality. It is possible to request to hold the exam (paper included) in English.
L-ART/07 - MUSICOLOGY AND HISTORY OF MUSIC - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professor:
Corbella Maurizio
Professor(s)
Reception:
Thursdays, 10:00-13:00, upon appointment. Meetings will either take place in presence or via Microsoft Teams.
Office of the professor, Via Noto 6 (1st floor)