Unit name | African-American Music in the 20th Century |
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Unit code | MUSI20066 |
Credit points | 20 |
Level of study | I/5 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
Unit director | Dr. Williams |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
None |
Co-requisites |
None |
School/department | Department of Music |
Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
This course surveys a history of African-American music in the long twentieth century. Styles will include rural blues, Dixieland jazz, electric blues, swing, bebop, free jazz, funk, hip-hop and developments in rock (e.g. Hendrix) and classical music (e.g. William Grant Still). In addition to an investigation of the social and political contexts of these styles, the course will look at a number of theoretical applications to the study of ‘black music’ (Gates, Floyd, Stuckey, Maultsby) and critiques of such an approach (Tagg).
This unit aims: 1. to give students an opportunity to expand the breadth of their historical knowledge through the study of optional subjects 2. to expand their knowledge of the associated musical repertoire and to be able to comment accurately and perceptively on matters of style, structure and context 3. to develop their ability to assemble and assimilate information from a wide variety of sources 4. to engage in critical evaluation of texts about music 5. to develop effective and detailed arguments, both orally and in writing 6. to display competence in the practices, processes, techniques and methodologies that underpin musicological practice
By the end of the module, students are expected to (1) have a good knowledge of the social and political history of the United States, post-reconstruction era (1877-) (2) be familiar with the various forms of African-American musicsin the long twentieth century (3) describe with confidence the primary features attributed to African-based musics (4) write critically and perceptively about questions of race, style and appropriation in African-American music (5) write critically and perceptively about theories and debates surrounding ‘black music’, using appropriate language and terminology.
10x2-hour classes taught jointly to students at levels I and H
All the assessment is summative.
Level I: 1x2500-word essay (50%); 1x 2-hour exam (50%). Both the essay and the exam will demonstrate (1), (2) and (3), with the essay in particular providing an opportunity for the students to demonstrate (4) and (5).