Taught In English

There is no language prerequisite for courses at this language level.

The aim of this course is to examine the role and function of music in Italian society from the second half of the 15th century to the second half of the 17th century. The course will analyze the relationships between composers, musicians, and the public during that period and will draw on a wide variety of sources to explore the multiplicity of factors that went into creating the musical event. Also explored will be the interaction between music and other cultural phenomena of the day. Key to that exploration is an understanding is the study of patronage: the financial relationship between composers and their civil or religious patrons. The course will define the musical continuum which embraces a wide variety of practices, from musical humanism to baroque opera, and will clarify the specific role of music in the cultural and political development of early modern society.