MUSI224

The union of sound and film dates to the beginnings of cinema in the 1890s and has ancient roots in the history of music and dramatic performance. In this course, students will be introduced to the history and aesthetics of the music-cinema relationship from its origins to the present. Topics covered include the origins of the musical-dramatic style; the role of music in early cinema prior to the “talkies”; the breakthrough of synchronized sound-film systems in the 1920s; the development of the Hollywood studio sound system and the age of the “classic Hollywood sound films” during the 1930s and 1940s; musicals; the role of music in diverse film genres or types, such as adventure, romance, comedy, science fiction and horror; and the continuing evolution of the music-cinematic relationship in the post-WWII era to the present. We will also consider the role of music in selected national and regional cinematic traditions around the world. Students will be taught skills enabling them to listen intelligently and write cogently on music and cinema.