Admission requirements
BSA norm and a pass for both first year Themacolleges
Description
This course deals with the history of Hollywood film music from the beginning of the sound era until today. Besides focusing on understanding how music contributes to the narrative of the film and how it interacts with the dramaturgy, one of the main issues will be to critically reflect on the powerful ways that the medium film in general impacts the perception of past and present societies. Film music, even though one might not be aware of it, shapes how we perceive the story and how that story relates to our everyday lives. To understand the relevance of popular culture such as film and film music, we will discuss and analyze case studies from a broad variety of composers, genres, and time periods throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. We will start off with Hollywood’s so-called Golden Age (1930s and 1940s) and the political situation in Europe. At that time, the music departments of all major film studios were a thriving musical hub of talented composers and musicians. Many of them had been forced to emigrate from war-torn Europe and were now confronted with having to adapt to unfamiliar working conditions in the studios, but managed to create what we today call the sound of classical Hollywood film scores. Moving on to post-war era, we will examine the diversification of musical styles in Hollywood and beyond, mirroring societal change and the rise of the popular music industry. We will discuss a wide range of genres, such as comedies, horror films, political satire, or super-hero-movies. Students enrolling in this course DO NOT need any music reading skills but should bring an interest in movies and music in general, resulting in writing a paper on a specific film, a composer, a genre, a TV show, etc. either of their own choice or, if they wish, suggested by the teacher.
modernhistory
Culturalhistory/economichistory/genderhistory/globalhistory/colonialhistory/migrationhistory/minorityhistory/politicalhistory/socialhistory
Course objectives
General learning objectives
1.carry out a common assignment
2. devise and conduct research of limited scope, including
a. searching, selecting and ordering relevant literature:
b. organising and using relatively large amounts of information:
c. an analysis of a scholarly debate:
d. placing the research within the context of a scholarly debate.
3. reflect on the primary sources on which the scholarly literature is based;
4. write a problem solving essay and give an oral presentation after the format defined in the first year Themacolleges, including
a. using a realistic schedule of work;
b. formulating a research question and subquestions;
c. formulating a well-argued conclusion;
d. giving and receiving feedback;
e. responding to instructions of the lecturer.
5. participate in discussions during class.
Learning objectives, pertaining to the specialization
- The student has knowledge of a specialisation, more specifically:
in the specialisation General History : the place of European history from 1500 in a worldwide perspective; with a focus on the development and role of political institutions;
in the track American History: American exceptionalism; the US as a multicultural society and the consequences of that for historiography; the intellectual interaction between the US and Europe;
in the track History of European Expansion and Globalisation: the development of global networks which facilitate ann ever growing circulation of people, animals, plants, goods and ideas, and the central role of European expansion in this from around 1500;
- Knowledge and insight in the main concepts, the research methods and techniques of the specialisation, more specifically of
in the specialisation General History: the study of primary sources and the context specificity of nationally defined histories;
in the track American History: exceptionalism; analysis of historiografical and intellectual debates;
in the track History of European Expansion and Globalisation: the combining of historiographical debates with empirical research of primary sources and/or the combining of various historiographical traditions through the use of innovative research questions.
Learning objectives, pertaining to this specific seminar
The student
- learns about the history of film and film music as part of of the American and European media history;
- reflects on the relation between narrative films as part of the popular culture and their impact on society;
- understands the interaction between sound and visuals in the medium film;
- analyzes the ways of how film music influences the narrative of a film;
- describes and discusses the film and its music as a mirror of society.
Timetable
The timetables are available through MyTimetable.
Mode of instruction
- Seminar (attendance required)
This means that students have to attend every session of the course. If you are not able to attend, you are required to notify the teacher beforehand. The teacher will determine if and how the missed session can be compensated by an additional assignment. If specific restrictions apply to a particular course, the teacher will notify the students at the beginning of the semester. If you do not comply with the aforementioned requirements, you will be excluded from the seminar.
Assessment method
Assessment
Written paper (5000-6000 words, based on historiography, excluding title page, table of contents, footnotes and bibliography)
measured learning objectives: 2-4, 6-7, 9, 11-12Oral presentation
measured learning objectives: 3-4, 8-10Participation
measured learning objectives: 5Assignment 1 (proposition of an idea for the presentation)
measured learning objectives: 1-2
Weighing
Written paper: 60 %
Oral presentation: 20 %
Participation: 15 %
Assignment 1: 5 %
The final grade for the course is established by determining the weighted average with the additional requirement that the written paper must always be sufficient.
Resit
The written paper can be revised, when marked insufficient. Revision should be carried out within the given deadline, as published in the corresponding Brightspace course.
Inspection and feedback
How and when an exam review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam results at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will have to be organised.
Reading list
These companions should be browsed beforehand to get an overview:
The Routledge Companion to Screen Music and Sound.M. Mera/R. Sadoff/B. Winters, ed. New York 2019.
The Oxford Handbook of Film Music Studies.D. Neumeyer, ed. Oxford 2014.
The Cambridge Companion to Film Music.M. Cooke/F. Ford, ed. Cambridge 2016.
More specific readings will be made available through Brightspace.
Registration
Enrolment through MyStudyMap is mandatory.
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: Huizinga.
Remarks
The ability to read music or to play an instrument is NOT required!