COLT 60.01 Literature and Music
We will be asking questions about the interplay of literature and language with music. Does music have “meaning” in the conventional or in any other sense, and if so, does it have a characteristic way of conveying meaning? We will consider several permutations of the relationship of music and language, and especially inspect the fringes, where a listener may say “this is no longer music” or “this is no longer speech.” Does music without a text in fact always have a text? What happens to poems when they become songs or prose plots when they become opera? Conversely, are there stories that incorporate music or are composed according to a musical form? In your writing, you may choose musical examples that suit your tastes and expertise; and you will devise and write a final paper of your choice.
Instructor
Sanders