FFS 299 - Poetry, Sound and Music

0.5 unit(s)

In 2021, the Paris-based publishing house Fayard chose Congolese-Belgian singer Marie-Pierre Kakoma, known by her fans as Lous and the Yakuza, to translate Amanda Gorman’s inaugural poem “The Hill We Climb.” The choice might astonish people accustomed to thinking of poets primarily as writers. But for centuries, many French-language songwriters have described themselves or been described as literary artists. This intensive focuses on the overlap between French-language poetry, song traditions, and environmental sound art in the French-speaking world. How does poetry “sing,” and what does music “say?” What new relationships are being forged between poetry and environmental sound art in French-speaking contexts? Vocabulary and methods are introduced for discussing music, sound (including tone of voice) and interactions between acoustic, verbal and visual images. Bi-weekly blogs and workshop activities culminate in an analytical presentation that incorporates organized sound in the form of recordings by known artists, or a live performance involving music or rhythmic speech (for instance, in the case of rap, slam, or speech that imitates a French cabaret style). Alternatively, the student project can involve the creation of background music or sound effects for French-language lyrics or poetry. Students participate in choosing the regions and time periods studied.

Prerequisite(s): FFS 212 or the equivalent.

One 2-hour period.

Not offered in 2022/23.

Course Format: INT