501372 - AESTHETICS OF MUSIC 2

courses

ID:

501372

Duration (hours):

36

CFU:

SSD:

MUSICOLOGIA E STORIA DELLA MUSICA

Located in:

CREMONA

Year:

2025

Date/time interval

Secondo Semestre (02/03/2026 - 12/06/2026)

Course Objectives

The fundamental educational goals are: • promoting the knowledge of the fundamental themes in the sociology of music, and the understanding of the relationships between music and society; • applying the acquired knowledge to develop extended discourses and texts about the main problems in the sociology of music; • enhancing the communication skills by using appropriate words, confronting different perspectives, and putting in historical context arguments and claims; • promoting learning skills and autonomous judgments in the individual study of the primary and secondary literature of the field.

Course Prerequisites

A good knowledge of the history of modern philosophy at a high school level, acquired through school attendance or self-education, is required.

Teaching Methods

Traditional lesson followed by a discussion session.

Assessment Methods

Learning assessment: oral examination to check the achievement of the educational goals. The topic of the examinations are the contents of learning materials and, for the attending students, the content of the lessons in class. Before the oral examination, students are invited to deliver a short paper. The topic should be discussed previously with the teacher. The assessment of the paper contributes to 20% of the final score. The final evaluation is grounded on the level of understanding and the richness of details in presenting a topic as well as on the capability to integrate the achieved knowledge.

Texts

J. Garratt, Music and politics. A Critical Introduction, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2019. In addition, a text chosen from among the following: R. Adlington, Musical Models of Democracy, Oxford, New York Oxford University Press, 2023. E. Buch, Beethoven's Ninth: A Political History, Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 2003. E. Buch, I.C. Zubillaga, M.D.Silva, Composing for the State: Music in Twentieth-Century Dictatorships, Abingdon-New York, Routledge, 2016. J. Garratt, Music, Culture and Social Reform in the Age of Wagner, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press,2010. W. Kinderman, Beethoven: A Political Artist in Revolutionary Times, Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 2020. M. Stokes, Music and Citizenship, New York, Oxford University Press, 2023. J. Street, Music and Politics, Cambridge-Malden, Polity, 2011.

The relationship between music and politics raises important questions regarding the concept of aesthetic autonomy and the capacity of music to exert emotional, educational, social, and political influences. This course will focus on analyzing key aesthetic and philosophical concepts related to these issues, drawing on the works of thinkers such as Theodor W. Adorno, Jacques Rancière, and Jean-Luc Nancy. We will explore significant topics in the connection between music and politics, examining both traditional aspects related to governmental power—such as music's role in totalitarian states, propaganda, and dissent—as well as broader implications, including everyday power dynamics in public and private spheres, such as music and citizenship, and music and gender. Additionally, the seminar will highlight notable cases of the interplay between music and politics, featuring composers like Ludwig van Beethoven, Gioachino Rossini, Richard Wagner, Giuseppe Verdi, Dmitri Shostakovich, and Luigi Nono.

Course Language

Italian

More information

One week before the exam, it is mandatory to send a paper. Guidelines are available on Kiro. Students are invited to discuss with the teacher the topic of the paper. POLICY FOR NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS Students who cannot attend lessons for justified reasons will be able to use the recordings of the classes available via a link uploaded on Kiro. They are invited to email the teacher at the course's beginning. Upon request, the teacher is available to grant additional receptions outside of working hours, in person or online, to students authorized to benefit from inclusive teaching. Any useful materials for inclusive teaching will be recommended during the interviews and subsequently uploaded to Kiro.