Literature Music Performing Arts

The course opens with an introduction to the fundamental principles of musical language — rhythm, meter, melody, polyphony, harmony, and form — as well as to the key figures who shape the musical experience: the composer, the performer, and the listener. From this foundation, it unfolds across centuries of European history, showing how music is never an isolated art but one deeply rooted in the cultural, literary, and social fabric of its time. We begin in the Middle Ages, with the first forms of polyphony and the coexistence of learned and popular music, then move through the innovations of the Renaissance and the emergence of the madrigal as a central expressive form. The course then explores the birth of musical theatre and the world of Baroque opera, moments when music engages closely with the stage, with words, and with dramatic representation. In the Classical and Romantic eras, attention shifts to the tension between formal balance and expressive ambition, alongside the social and philosophical transformations that shaped the artistic landscape. In this context, music dialogues with the broader cultural currents of its age, reflecting changes in taste, aesthetic ideals, and modes of listening. Finally, the course reaches the threshold of the twentieth century, a time of new frontiers — compositional, timbral, and conceptual — marked by experimentation, rupture, and the search for new expressive identities. Here, music confronts the very notions of tradition, innovation, and cultural meaning. The aim is not only to understand what was composed, but how and for what kind of world those sounds became meaningful. The course invites students to listen to music within its historical and cultural contexts, reconstructing a dialogue among eras, expressive forms, and intellectual dynamics.

No specific prerequisites are required. However, a basic knowledge of European history and literary terminology, as well as some familiarity with musical listening, will be useful. An analytical listening attitude and the willingness to integrate reading with the suggested listening repertoire are recommended.

- "Musiche nella storia. Dall’età di Dante alla Grande Guerra", ed. by Chegai, Piperno, Rostagno, Senici, Roma, Carocci 2017. In addition to the texts listed in the syllabus, supplementary materials — including readings, guided listening examples, and audiovisual resources — will be provided during the course. These materials are intended to deepen students’ understanding of the topics covered and to support exam preparation. All resources will be shared and discussed in class or through the online learning platform.

Attendance is not mandatory but is strongly recommended. Regular participation in class allows students to follow the lecturer’s explanations, to understand the selection and focus of the course materials, to take part in review and discussion sessions, and to benefit from clarifications or in-depth treatments of topics upon students’ request.

The final examination will be oral and will consist of open-ended questions on the topics covered throughout the course. During the semester, attending students will be offered optional mid-term assessments designed to monitor their understanding and the progressive development of their skills.

Students are encouraged to rely on the following bibliographic tools for lexical questions: - "Breve lessico musicale", ed. by Fabrizio Della Seta, Roma, Carocci, 2009; - "Le parole del teatro musicale", ed. by Fabrizio Della Seta, Roma, Carocci, 2010; - "Gli strumenti musicali", ed. by Fabrizio Della Seta, Roma, Carocci, 2012.

Teaching will be delivered through lectures supported by audiovisual materials (listening sessions, videos, PowerPoint presentations). Class meetings will include moments of discussion and interaction, encouraging students’ active participation and critical engagement with the topics presented. Whenever possible, the course will also include extra-classroom activities — such as attendance at concerts, performances, or guided visits — in connection with events offered by local musical and cultural institutions.