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1 MUS 018: Myths, Fairy Tales, and Music Syllabus: Spring

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1 MUS 018: Myths, Fairy Tales, and Music Syllabus: Spring MUS 018: Myths, Fairy Tales, and Music Syllabus: Spring 2012 Class Meeting: TBD Instructor: Emily John Email: [email protected], Office Hour by appointment Learning Goals: The purpose of this course is to 1. Develop a foundational understanding of a variety of Greek myths and European fairy tales, in original forms and cultural variants. 2. Explore the psychological implications, analyze characters in myths and fairy tales, and discuss the interpretation of tales through the lens of modern culture. 3. Listen to musical interpretations of the stories. Develop individual responses to music of the standard opera and orchestral repertoire. Gain understanding of the cultural implications of each musical era and how the composer’s musical choices are influenced by culture. 4. Develop a greater sense of the interdisciplinary connections between literature, music, and psychology. Required Texts: Bettelheim, Bruno. The Uses of Enchantment Tatar, Maria. The Classic Fairy Tales: Texts, Criticism Zipes, Jack. Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales, Children and the Culture Industry Ovid. Metamorphoses a New Translation by Charles Martin Additional readings and resources will be posted on Blackboard. All required listening will be on reserve in the Music library and many examples will be posted through itunes U. Repertoire (not a complete list): Monteverdi: L'Orfeo (1607) Gluck: Orfeo ed Euridice (1762) Birtwistle: The Mask of Orpheus (1986) Rossini: La Cenerentola (1817) Massenet: Cendrillion (1899) Prokofiev: Cinderella (1945) Rodgers and Hammerstein: Cinderella (1957) Sondheim: Into the Woods (1987) 1 In most instances, we will compare parallel scenes so that students can develop a vocabulary for talking and writing about music. Attendance: Students are expected to attend all classes. Class participation, which is 10% of your grade, requires attendance. In instances of illness, please provide a doctor’s note, explaining the absence. Plagiarism: Plagiarism is an EXTREMELY serious offense; any incident of plagiarism or academic dishonesty will result in a zero for that assignment. All work submitted must be your original work. ANY text or idea taken from an outside source, including websites, must be carefully cited. Any incorporation of another person’s work without acknowledging that person and/or source is plagiarism. For more information see http://qcpages.qc.cuny.edu/writing/history/plagiarism/index.html Blackboard: Course materials, including the syllabus and course outline are posted on Blackboard. Additional readings may be posted to Blackboard. Students must have a Blackboard account for required reading and listening and regularly check it for course communications. Classroom Etiquette: Remain in class for the duration of the class period. Refrain from eating during class. No cellphone use (including texting) during class. Please be sure your phone is silenced during the class period. Evaluation: 10% Class Participation/Discussion/Blog Entries 40% Final project/paper/presentation 25% Comparative study and group presentation 25% Listening/Reading Journal Entries (3–5) Due Dates Assignments submitted after the class period in which they are due will not be accepted without a doctor’s note or documentation. Do not skip class or come late to complete your work. It is better to attend class and submit an incomplete assignment. If you feel you have a valid reason for late work, see Prof. John 2 Overview of Assignments: Listening/Reading Journal Entries. Each journal entry should be 200–400 words and should include your personal reflections as well as vocabulary and material presented in class. Journal entries will be assigned on specific works (operas, readings), which will be placed on reserve in the library. These are your personal responses, questions, and thoughts to the assigned reading/listening. Comparative Study. Trace a tale from the original sources through present-day manifestations. Your comparative study should include psychological implications, pop- culture references, musical examples, and cultural variants. Where possible, your study should include a contemporary novel/novella that is inspired by the tale. Each comparative study should be a minimum of 700 words and must include proper citations of all sources. Group Project. Tale presentation in any format (PowerPoint, poetic reading, mini-opera, Shakespearean drama, puppet theater, lecture, slideshow of artwork with musical accompaniment, TV commercial…) At the end of your 5-minute presentation we must understand the key elements of the story and be able to write a summary of the tale/myth. Final Project/Paper Taking one story/myth, you will trace its path from an early source to present-day manifestations. Your paper/project should reflect on psychological implications and cultural references and should include examples of the tale in music and art as well as literary examples, relevant cultural variants of the tale, and pop-culture references. The written paper should be 15–20 pages with appropriate citations. A project must be pre-approved and can encompass non-written as well as written materials. Examples of projects include: a PowerPoint presentation, with accompanying worksheets that could serve as a “lecture” to a high school literature class; a curriculum for a unit of study based on specific stories for young children, including lesson plans, class handouts, homework assignments and evaluation; program notes for a concert featuring works based on the tale, with a slideshow of corresponding art examples; a website that includes games or worksheets as well as analysis, etc. Students are encouraged to tailor their projects towards their area of study/major. 3 .
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