Literature for Music Undergraduates

[kuligin]

Last night, i listened to an old recording of Josquin's Missa l homme arme super voces musicales, and wanting some more information about the work, googled it .

Strangely Google led me to a note to new music students at Oxford from Dr Roger Allen.

As well as providing a formidable list of suggested music, including the Josquin, and advice to listen to lots of music at the Proms and Radio 3, he requests his students to read The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and The Old Man and the Sea and to write an essay, of 1000 to 1500 words, on their response and why he suggests reading these texts.

I know I was not able enough to study anything at Oxford, and I can see its a good idea for students to appreciate more than music, but why those particular texts?

[french frank]

As well as providing a formidable list of suggested music, including the Josquin, and advice to listen to lots of music at the Proms and Radio 3, he requests his students to read The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and The Old Man and the Sea and to write an essay, of 1000 to 1500 words, on their response and why he suggests reading these texts.

I know I was not able enough to study anything at Oxford, and I can see its a good idea for students to appreciate more than music, but why those particular texts?

Intriguing. The similarity between the two is obvious, but with L'Homme Armé?

[Frances_iom]

Intriguing. The similarity between the two is obvious, but with L'Homme Armé?

the key 'theme' of L'Homme Arme has formed the basis of many works from parody masses onward - maybe the use of a common theme by many very different authors ?

[kuligin]

the key 'theme' of L'Homme Arme has formed the basis of many works from parody masses onward - maybe the use of a common theme by many very different authors ?

The choice of literature did not relate specifically to Josquin, the music list runs from Chant to Boulez.

The question set to the students was, as well as giving a critique, why were those works chosen for students starting a music degree?

[french frank]

The question set to the students was, as well as giving a critique, why were those works chosen for students starting a music degree?

When I started as an undergraduate, I was told that the purpose of a degree course was 'to make you think'.

Theme of human reactions to fear (of the unknown)?

Perhaps also this encourages a bit of research where sometimes the answer will be, "Not this way."

[Pulcinella]

The choice of literature did not relate specifically to Josquin, the music list runs from Chant to Boulez.

The question set to the students was, as well as giving a critique, why were those works chosen for students starting a music degree?

You could always contact Dr Allen directly, and ask him.
He gives his email address.
After all, the deadline for submitting the essay was in October.
You could even alert him to this thread: it would be interesting if he could let us all know what he was expecting!