HIS 206 Orchestral Music and the World Wars

3 hours 

This course will explore how World Wars I and II changed the role of music and musicians in Western European society, as well as the sound of music itself. Within the time frame of 1900-1945, this course will examine the effects of the World Wars on the evolution of Western European Classical Music. By analyzing the influence of Russian and European politics on musical expression, this course raises questions: How did Stalin and Hitler influence musical style? What is the relationship between oppression and creativity? Further effects on music of the politics of the 1930s and 1940s will be considered in the stories of specific imprisonments and emigrations that resulted from the wars. The course will use music CDs, readings and film to study specific situations that reflect the larger picture. All readings will be coupled with either quizzes or writing assignments.