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285 Syllabus Sp20 Washington and Lee University Department of Music Course Syllabus FILM 285/MUSIC 285 Music in the Films of Stanley Kubrick Professor: Timothy R. Gaylard Class Times: M, T, W, Th: 1:30-4:30 in Wilson Hall 2018 Film Screenings: compulsory every M night, 7-10 PM Review Sessions: compulsory every W night, 7-9 PM Office: 4024 Wilson Hall, x 8855, E-mail: [email protected] Office Hours: 10-12 M - Th or by appointment Required Sources: (1) Christine Lee Gengaro, Listening to Stanley Kubrick: The Music in His Films (2) Phillips and Hill ("P & H"), The Encyclopedia of Stanley Kubrick (available as an e-book on-line through library web-site) (3) Buhler and Neumeyer ("B & N"), Hearing the Movies (in the bookstore) Other Texts/Studies: see file called “Sources” in Sakai Required Materials: found in Sakai. Recommended: (1) DVDs of 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange Barry Lyndon and The Shining; (2) complete scripts on-line. The purpose of this course is to aid you in evaluating how music is used in film, particularly the pre-existent classical and popular music found in the films of Stanley Kubrick. We will look most closely at the music found in the landmark films 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon and The Shining. Library Course Guide link is at : http://libguides.wlu.edu/film285 ! 2001: A Space Odyssey ! A Clockwork Orange ! The Shining ! Barry Lyndon The course counts towards requirements for the Music Major or Minor. It also counts towards Distribution requirements in the Arts (HA). STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES FOR THE COURSE: 1. Understanding more fully the art (the aesthetics and techniques) of scoring or using music in a film. 2. Recognizing the accepted traditions of associating/setting words (signifying action, narration or drama) to music. 3. Learning the various ways images (place, period, the natural world, the human world, the world of space) can be “painted” through music. 4. Learning the traditional associations of various emotional states (for example mystery, comedy, lust, fear, joy) with musical devices (topoi). 5. Being able to develop the language of analysis for any film score. 6. Being able to develop the language of analysis for any musical score. 7. Being able to deconstruct a scene from a movie by analyzing its musical elements and how those elements relate to the narrative, action, drama, visual components or mood of that scene. 8. Understanding more fully the way a pre-existent classical or popular piece of music functions within a film for which it was never intended. 9. Learning the various methods of musicological research in finding reliable information about composers, genres, styles and works. 10. Being able to recognize specific classical and popular musical works used in the films of Stanley Kubrick. 11. Being able to cite the significant films of Kubrick and give artistic reasons for their importance and value. COURSE REQUIREMENTS: To achieve these objectives, there will be regular daily listening and reading assignments and weekly quizzes. There will also be short written assignments, class presentations (both individual and group) as well as the on-going project of writing down your thoughts and ideas in a journal that will be handed in regularly throughout the term. Class discussions and group discussions outside of class will also be encouraged. There is no final examination for this course. Instead your journal, in its final form, will take the place of a final exam. Four Big Tests will take place on the following days: Thurs., April 30, Thurs., May 7, Thurs., May 14, Thurs., May 21 Every week you will also get pop quizzes, at the beginning of Tuesday's class. (beginning Apr. 28) Class group presentations will begin the third day of the term (Wed., Apr. 29). You are also required to attend screenings of the films every Monday night from 7 to 10 PM and review sessions every Wednesday night from 7 PM to 9 PM. Please note the dates for tests, screenings and review sessions now on your calendar. DETERMINATION OF YOUR FINAL GRADE: Your grade will be determined as follows: Three Big Tests, every Thursday 30% Final Big Test 20% Journal 20% Class Presentations/Pop Quizzes 20% Class Participation: Attendance/Discussions 10% GRADING CRITERIA 90-100 (Outstanding): Above and beyond the requirements of the assignment; outstanding effort, significant achievement, and personal improvement are clearly evident. Some measure of remarkable skill, creativity, or energy is also evident.\ 80-89 (Above Average): Fulfills all aspects of the assignment and goes beyond minimum competence to demonstrate extra effort, extra achievement, or extra improvement. 70-79 (Average): Fulfills all aspects of the assignment with obvious competence. Assignments are completed exactly as assigned. 60-69 (Below Average): Below average either because some aspect of the assignment has not been fulfilled or because a preponderance of errors interferes with clear communication. This may indicate a failure to follow directions, failure to follow specific recommendations, or failure to demonstrate personal effort and improvement. 59 and below (Not Acceptable): Not acceptable, either because the student did not complete the assignment as directed or because the level of performance is below an acceptable level for college work. Specific Grade ranges: 100 A+ 87-89 B+ 77-79 C+ 67-69 D+ 93-99 A 83-86 B 73-76 C 63-66 D 90-92 A- 80-82 B- 70-72 C- 60-62 D- 0-59 F ATTENDANCE POLICY Please E-mail your professor with an explanation why you could not attend class, no later than 24 hours after the missed class. Excusable absences include illness, major personal crises, job interviews out of town, and some unavoidable conflicts with the schedules of university teams. Being willing to talk and discuss what music is the focus of each class is an absolute requirement. Using a laptop computer or a cell phone to look up material related to the course is fine. If I discover that, during class, you are texting, E-mailing, messaging, and surfing the internet on topics not related to the course, you will hear from me and it will affect your final grade. OUTLINE AND TIMETABLE OF THE COURSE Week 1: Mon. 4/27 Introduction: Stanley Kubrick, basic facts and figures. Musical elements: sound, melody, rhythm, texture, harmony Formal considerations: musical structures, film divisions. Initial short test: what do you know right now? Introduction to 2001: A Space Odyssey: history, people. Look up specific articles in Phillips and Hill related to 2001: A Space Odyssey: "Stanley Kubrick," "Arthur Clarke," "science fiction," "Alex North," "Look," "Johann Strauss Jr.," "Richard Strauss," "Ligeti," "Unsworth," "Veevers," "Trumbull," "HAL," "Dullea," "Lockwood," "Sylvester" and "Rain." Read glossary of terms in B & N, pp. 525-532. Common Reading Assignment: (1) Irena Paulus's journal article on Sakai “Stanley Kubrick's Revolution in the Usage of Film Music: 2001: A Space Odyssey." (from JSTOR) (2) Christine Lee Gengaro’s textbook Listening to Stanley Kubrick: The Music in His Films (2013), pp. vii-x, 69-101 (3) Michael Benson’s latest book Space Odyssey (2018), pp. 354-364 & 389-395 4/27 7 PM Complete screening of 2001: A Space Odyssey with one or two breaks for discussion. Assignment for tonight: which moments in the film for you are enhanced most by the music? Choose at least two. Why does the music stay in your mind? Start your journal today: write down impressions, thoughts and ideas. Find connections between the film and your own academic and personal experiences. Tues. 4/28 Music in 2001: A Space Odyssey Discussion of the film: individual impressions, consensus, agreements, disagreements. The professional critics: reviews in newspapers, journals, books. Deconstruction: subdividing the film into parts, scenes, events. Musical pieces: where do they occur, how often and why? How do they complement the film's structure? Various musical/emotional devices. The idea of topos Discuss the word and the way various emotions/states can be conjured, painted by different approaches to musical elements SMRTH Discuss particular topoi. Divide class into groups to discuss. How to do research on classical pieces: What are the resources and where are they? Use the library course guide: the idea of style Classical, Romantic, mid-20th century, avant-garde classical Programmatic works of the Romantic era as forerunners to film music: symphony, symphonic poem, overtures instrumental music is given meaning early silent films used pre-existent classical music in cue sheets All the following come from the 19th century = Romantic period Beethoven: Pastoral Symphony: 1st & 4th movements Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique: 2nd & 5th movements Mendelssohn: Overture to a Midsummer Night’s Dream Tchaikovsky: Overture to Romeo and Juliet Smetana: Vltava/Moldau (symphonic poem) Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition (suite); Baba Yaga Assignment: Group projects on Richard Strauss's "Also Sprach Zarathustra," Johann Strauss's "On the Beautiful Blue Danube," Khatchaturian's "Adagio" from Gayane Ballet, Ligeti's "Lux aeterna," "Atmospheres," "Kyrie" from the Requiem, and "Aventures." Get together with your group tonight and work out your presentation. Common Reading Assignment: David W. Patterson's journal article "Music Structure and Metaphor in Stanley Kubrick's 2001."( JSTOR) Wed. 4/29 Class Presentations on Richard Strauss, Johann Strauss, Aram Khachaturian and Gyorgy Ligeti. Hand in notes that you used to prepare for your presentation. Discussion of popular pieces found in the movie including the diegetic music— "Off Beats Mood," "Happy Birthday" and "Daisy Bell." Discussion of Patterson's article: main points. How do they connect with the pieces in 2001? Wed. 4/29 REVIEW SESSION for Big Test #1, 7PM to 9 PM Watching two documentaries on 2001: A Space Odyssey Thurs. 4/30 Big Test #1 on 2001: A Space Odyssey.
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