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Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title Topics in Musicology 4
Module Code MC204 (ITS) / MPA1026 (Banner)
Faculty Humanities & Social Sciences School Theology, Philosophy & Music
Module Co-ordinatorPatricia Flynn
Module TeachersBarbara Dignam
NFQ level 8 Credit Rating 7.5
Pre-requisite Not Available
Co-requisite Not Available
Compatibles Not Available
Incompatibles Not Available
None
Description

This module extends students’ engagement with a range of musicological perspectives in four areas: (1) the study of vocal music in Mass, Opera and Lied in the classical and early romantic era (2) Irish art music (3) popular music and (4) sociological and psychological perspectives on music development and transmission. In this module students develop knowledge and skills in analytical, critical, interpretative, cultural and contextual engagement with music sources. They deepen their understanding through reading key texts, extensive listening and analysis of music in a variety of media including music scores and through preparation for and participation in guided discussion. On completion of the module students will be able to apply their musical knowledge and understanding of musicological theory in well-constructed written argument, supported by musical evidence.

Learning Outcomes

1. Identify musical characteristics, forms styles and compositional techniques in opera, lied and settings of the Latin mass in the classical and early romantic era, and recognise these in listening and examination of scores.
2. Critically comment on a range of vocal music from the long 18th century with an awareness of its social, cultural and political context and its significance in compositional and aesthetic development in this era.
3. Discuss a range of Irish composers and their work with an awareness of their significance in Irish culture and their distinctive style and compositional output.
4. Use perspectives and approaches employed in popular music studies to examine and interpret developments in popular music production during the second half of the twentieth century.
5. Initiate and lead a convincing, informed discussion on selected aspects of music development and transmission, relating individual examples to theoretical perspectives gained from key texts
6. Draw on a critical and reflective understanding of the above areas to construct a persuasive written argument supported by musical evidence in response to a chosen essay topic and based on personal research.



Workload Full-time hours per semester
Type Hours Description
Lecture36Lectures (3 weekly)
Independent Study151.5Independent Learning
Total Workload: 187.5

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Topic One: Vocal Music in the Classical
• Form and function in vocal music • Sacred works of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven • Opera and the age of enlightenment • Mozart operas • Schubert Lieder

Topic Two: Irish Art Music
• The establishment of Irish Art Music • Origins and development of modernism • Contemporary developments • Frederick May (1911 – 1986) and Irish Modernism • Irish Contemporary Choral Music

Topic three: Popular Music
• Introduction to popular music studies • Survey of Anglophone popular genres from the 1940s to the present • Popular music song analysis • Concept albums • Popular music in Ireland

Workshop Discussion topics in Music and Human engagement
• Musical Development: Normative music development and societal understanding of musicality • Influence on theories of cognitive development in music • The influence and impact of the Swanwick Tillmann • Alternative theories of development • Listening development in Society • Transmission of music in Irish culture and society

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment60% Examination Weight40%
Course Work Breakdown
TypeDescription% of totalAssessment Date
EssayEssay40%n/a
ParticipationParticipation in in-class discussion10%n/a
Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories:
Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module.
Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module.
Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category 1
Indicative Reading List

  • CAIRNS, C: 2006, Mozart and his Operas,
  • CLARK, C.: 2005, The Cambridge Companion to Haydn, CUP, Cambridge,
  • COOK, N.: 1987, A Guide to Musical Analysis, OUP, Oxford,
  • HIRSCH, M.: 1993, Schubert’s Dramatic Lieder, CUP, Cambridge,
  • KEEFE, S.P.(Ed.): 2006, Mozart Studies, CUP, Cambridge,
  • SISMAN,: 2000, ‘The Spirit of Mozart from Haydn’s Hands: Beethoven’s musical inheritance’ in Stanley, Cambridge Guide to Beethoven, CUP, Cambridge,
  • BOYDELL, Brian (ed.): 1979, Four Centuries of Music in Ireland, BBC Publications, London,
  • CONTEMPORARY MUSIC CENTRE: 2012, CHOIRLAND, An Anthology of Irish Choral Music, CMC, Dublin,
  • COX Gareth, KLEIN Axel,: 2003, Irish Musical Studies 7: Irish Music in the Twentieth Century, Four Courts Press, Dublin,
  • COX Gareth, KLEIN Axel, TAYLOR Michael (eds.): 2004, The Life and Music of Brian Boydell, Dublin, Irish Academic Press,
  • COX, Gareth: 2010, Seóirse Bodley, Field Day Publications,
  • DE BARRA, Séamas: 2006, Aloys Fleischmann, Field Day Publications,
  • DIBBLE, Jeremy: 2010, Esposito, Field Day Publications,
  • FITZGERALD, M. & O’FLYNN, J.: 2014, Music and Identity in Ireland and Beyond, Ashgate, Farnham, Surrey,
  • FLEISCHMANN Ruth (ed.): 2000, Aloys Fleischmann, Mercier Press, Cork,
  • FLEISCHMANN, Ruth (ed.): 2004, Cork International Choral Festival 1954-2004 – A Celebration, Glen House Press, Germany,
  • GILLEN, Gerard, WHITE, Harry.(eds.): 1995, Irish Musical Studies 1: Musicology in Ireland, Four Courts Press, Dublin,
  • GILLEN, Gerard, WHITE, Harry.(eds.): 1995, Irish Musical Studies 3: Music and Irish Cultural History, Four Courts Press, Dublin,
  • HOGAN, Ita: 1966, Anglo Irish Music, Cork University Press, Cork:,
  • KLEIN, Axel: 2001, Irish Classical Recordings: A discography of Irish Art Music, Greenwood Press, Westport CT,
  • PIGOTT, Patrick: 1973, The Life and music of John Field, Faber and Faber, London,
  • PINE Richard: 2005, Music and Broadcasting in Ireland, Four Courts Press, Dublin,
  • PINE Richard (ed.): 1998, Music in Ireland 1848-1998, Mercier Press, Cork,
  • WHITE, Harry: 1998, The Keeper’s Recital Field Day Monographs, Cork University Press, Cork,
  • WHITE, Harry: 2005, The Progress of Music in Ireland, Four Courts Press, Dublin,
  • WHITE, H. and BOYDELL, B.: 2013, Encyclopedia of Music in Ireland, UCD Press, Dublin,
  • ZUK, Patrick: 2006, Raymond Deane, Field Day Publications,
  • COOK, N.: 2000, Music Imagination and Culture,
  • COLWELL, R. (2002): 0, The new Handbook of Research on Music Teaching and Learning, OUP, New York,
  • HARGREAVES, D: 1986, The Developmental Psychology of Music, CUP, Cambridge,
  • McCARTHY: 1999, Passing it On: The Transmission of Music in Ireland, CUP, Cork,
  • SWANWICK, K: 1988, Music Mind and Education, Routledge, London,
  • Kenny and Flynn: 2009, Knowing the Score: Local Authorities contribution to Music development in Ireland, CDP, Wexford,
  • COVACH, J.: 2010, Sounding out pop: analytical essays in popular music, Ann Arbor,, University of Michigan Press, Mich.,
  • FITZGERALD, M. & O’FLYNN, J.: 2014, Music and Identity in Ireland and Beyond, Ashgate, Farnham, Surrey,
  • FRITH, S.: 2004, The Cambridge Companion to Popular Music, CUP, Cambridge,
  • JULIEN, O.: 2008, Sgt Pepper and the Beatles: it was forty years ago today, Aldershot, Hampshire; Burlington, VT : Ashgate,
  • MOORE, A.: 2003, Analyzing popular music, CUP, New York,
  • McLAUGHLIN, N. & McCLOONE, M.: 0, Rock and popular music in Ireland before and after U2, Irish Academic Press, Dublin,
  • O’FLYNN, J.: 2009, The Irishness of Irish Music, Ashgate, Farnham, Surrey,
  • RUSSELL, R.: 2002, 'Every sound there is': the Beatles' 'Revolver' and the transformation of rock and roll, Ashgate, Aldershot, Hants,
  • SCOTT, D.: 2002, Music, Culture and Society: A Reader, OUP, Oxford,
  • SMITH, G.: 2005, Noisy Island: a short history of popular music in Ireland, CUP, Cork,
  • LONGHURST, B.: 2007, Popular Music and Society, 2nd edn, Polity, Cambridge,
Other Resources

0, 0, Scores, recordings and videos of the selected works,

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