FFS 299 - Literature, Sound and Music

Semester Offered: Spring
0.5 unit(s)

From Bizet’s opera Carmen, inspired by Prosper Mérimée’s nineteenth-century novella, to modern cultural practices including rap, raï, slam, and environmentally focused sound recordings, the intensive examines literary language in relation to music. How does language “sing,” and what does music “say?” If music performs a “socially prescribed task,” as musicologist Richard Middleton proposes, then what do various combinations of music and language suggest about specific moments in French history? We address this question by considering music and literature in relation to class, gender, ethnicity, and national identity. 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. Kathleen Hart.

Prerequisite(s): FFS 212 or the equivalent.

One 2-hour period.

Course Format: INT