740-317 Sex, Death and the Ecstatic in Music

An examination of examples of Western music from Hildegard to the present, including some 20th-century 'popular' songs, which contain one or all of the themes of sex, death, and the ecstatic in their title, pre-compositional intent, lyrics (if song or aria) or context. Consideration of these works will be viewed through perspectives from key cultural theories of the late 20th century.

On completion of the subject, students should be able to • articulate significant current theoretical texts on examining music within gender-contexts · critically apprehend and elucidate compositional strategies deployed in conveying sex, death and the ecstatic in music • plan their own research using a range of appropriate resources.

One class presentation (30%); a take-home examination (40%); five short seminar reports (20%); attendance (10%).