The Art of Listening
MUSC 129
Fall 2017
| Section:
01
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Over the 20th century, the advent of electronic sound recording and transmission triggered rapid changes in all forms of auditory culture. We will examine this evolution through the different approaches to listening that emerge with the concepts of soundscape, sound object, sound art, and sound design. We will give particular attention to the artists and composers who explicitly shaped these concepts through their work. This includes figures such as writer William S. Burroughs, composer John Cage, singer Bing Crosby, pianist Glenn Gould, theatre director Elizabet LeCompte, filmmaker Walter Murch, artist Max Neuhaus, composer Pauline Oliveros, guitarist Les Paul, composer R. Murray Schafer, and theorist Pierre Schaeffer. In addition to readings, listenings, and viewings, class members will perform works by composers such as Maryanne Amacher, John Cage, Alvin Lucier, and David Tudor and create sound works of their own. The class should be of interest to anyone who anticipates working with sound in their creative endeavors, whether as a musician, artist, dancer, or filmmaker. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA MUSC |
| Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (MUSC) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 | | Special Attributes: FYS |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Michael Chanan, REPEATED TAKES: A SHORT HISTORY OF RECORDING AND ITS EFFECTS ON MUSIC (1997)
John Cage, SILENCE (1960)
R. Murray Schafer, THE NEW SOUNDSCAPE (1973)
Michael Bull, THE AUDITORY CULTURE READER (2004)
Christoph Cox, AUDIO CULTURE: READINGS IN MODERN MUSIC (2004)
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Examinations and Assignments:
Listening journal: a bi-weekly writing assignment where students are asked to respond to specific pairings of readings and listenings.
Two 3-5 page research papers
One term project |
| Instructor(s): Waterman,Alex Times: ..T.R.. 08:50AM-10:10AM; Location: AWKS112; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 15 | | SR major: X | JR major: X | | |
| Seats Available: 0 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: X | JR non-major: X | SO: X | FR: 15 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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