Music in Paris, 1870-1950: Aesthetics of Modernity



At the end of the 19th century, Paris was a central place for the arts and for music in particular. In this course, we will explore how musical modernity has been shaped in the French capital, not only by French composers but also by artists from other artistic traditions and different cultural backgrounds. From the scandal of Les Ballets Russes to the discovery of Jazz, from Debussy's modernism to the arrival of Spanish composers, Paris was an extraordinarily cosmopolitan city and had a tremendous role in the development of musical modernity. This course will focus on different aesthetics and consider musical evolutions in relation to other arts and to social and cultural history. We will work on different media and resources: musical extracts, videos, texts, and other visual materials. We will also dedicate one session per week to different workshops, including oral presentations, reading and writing of specific musical press articles, and discussions.



No previous knowledge in music is required. All the documents will be provided during the class.



No Required Texts.