Studying at York
Singing Monteverdi - MUS00127H
- Department: Music
- Module co-ordinator: Mr. Robert Hollingworth
- Credit value: 20 credits
- Credit level: H
- Academic year of delivery: 2022-23
Module summary
To gain through study and performance understanding about singing monody from the first half of the 17th century, notably the music of Monteverdi. The course will involve learning how the vocal lines relate to the implied harmony; it will address issues of ornamentation, some basic Italian coaching and aim to understand the context of each piece in its time.
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Autumn Term 2022-23 |
Module aims
For performers familiar with ‘general’ baroque idioms, the music of Monteverdi and his contemporaries can be an enigma. This course will look at how to interpret time changes, what pitch and voice types the music seems to have been intended for and what style of ornamentation to use, including an introduction to the technical basis of the throat-articulated ornamentation which was a part of this musical style. Some basic Italian coaching will be given.
Monteverdi’s music has a strong harmonic drive which makes the vocal lines more effective than most of his contemporaries. This is not immediately obvious from the score and so we will look at what is meant by the accompaniment that is left to us and how singers (and instrumentalists) need to interpret that. (The course can be suitable for instrumentalists who should contact the project tutor before deciding.) Despite the need for awareness of these issues, one does well to remember the basic affekt of the period was ‘muovere gli affetti’ – to move the emotions of the listener - as in most styles of music and a lot was left to the performer’s own imagination and expressive rhetorical style.
Module learning outcomes
On completion of the module, in their independent work, students should demonstrate learning outcomes C1-6, C8 & C9 from this list:
https://www.york.ac.uk/music/undergraduate/modules/learning-outcomes/
In addition, students should:
be able to place all repertoire studied within a musical and historical context
have a clear understanding of the meaning of the foreign languages in which the pieces are written
have developed an understanding of the compositional techniques and performance expectations in the music of each composer
devise a performance programme lasting 25-30 minutes that exhibits different characteristics of the repertoire studied
perform that programme demonstrating not only a stylistic but an emotional engagement with the material being performed
display an intellectual awareness of the technical singing requirements of such repertoire and clear evidence of having engaged with them (without necessarily mastering them)
sing with clear understanding of the foreign languages in which the pieces are written (this will generally simply involve tracking down a translation)
Indicative assessment
| Task | Length | % of module mark |
|---|---|---|
| Essay/coursework Commentary |
N/A | 10 |
| Practical Recital |
N/A | 90 |
Special assessment rules
None
Additional assessment information
You will choose repertoire for your recital through listening and researching during the course and in consultation with the module leader. The repertoire should encompass different approaches within the style (so not all church music, for example) and can include music from different countries that adopted the style: e.g.Schuetz.
You will find appropriate editions and at the end of the course work with either a student accompanist of suitable level or local professional.
Indicative reassessment
| Task | Length | % of module mark |
|---|---|---|
| Essay/coursework Commentary |
N/A | 10 |
| Practical Recital |
N/A | 90 |
Module feedback
Report form with marks to student within University designated time frame.
Indicative reading
Monteverdi - Complete edition Ed.Malipiero Universal Edition, Vienna, 1965
Monteverdi - Complete editions Ed.Stevens Fondatione Claudio Monteverdi, 1998
Strunk, Oliver - Source readings in Musical History Nortion, New York, 1998
Caccini, Giulio - Le nuove musiche Ed. Hitchcock Recent researches in the music of the Baroque era no:9, A&R Editions, Madison 2009