3.0

credits

Average Course Rating

n this seminar we consider material and mechanical complexities of musical events. In successive weeks we examine issues such as: how orchestras have historically been directed; auditoriums illuminated; stage machines used and operas surtitled. Our discussion will be grounded in concrete circumstances at particular venues in locations as diverse as Paris, Bayreuth and New York. Together we will examine some core questions: what did material conventions established at individual venues mean for those who produced and consumed musical works; what was at stake when innovations were introduced, and—above all—how do material conventions established in the past continue to have a hold over musical productions today?