T418 Fall 2004

Music and Ideas

Prof. L. Rowell

MW, 1:00-2:15 p.m., Simon 267

An introduction to the philosophy of music, with special focus on aesthetic issues such as beauty, meaning, values, and the relationships between music and the other arts. Other topics will include an introduction to comparative aesthetics, music and politics, musical perception, and the role of the musician in myth, literature, and society. T418 is primarily a discussion course based on the text and other readings. Course requirements include three essays (ca. 3,000 words each), with grading based on these and class participation.

Required Text: Rowell, L. Thinking about Music. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 1983.

Prerequisite: Junior standing or permission of the instructor.