Curricular Unit: Musicological Studies in Performance
Code: LCM005
ECTS: 2
Cientific Area: Musical Sciences
Learning Outcomes
Essentially, this course aims:
> to give students exposure to important and updated scholarly literature on performance, especially the conceptions and ideologies of performance and historical performance practices;
> to foster a broader awareness of the multi-faceted components of the performer’s art and the psychological, historical, analytical and stylistic issues underpinning it
> to enable students to engage practically and critically with previously unfamiliar methods through independent research and writing.
By the end of this course, students will have:
> become familiar with a variety of methods and approaches used in
performance studies research today, especially in the fields of the performance
psychology, the analysis of performance and historical performance practices;
> read and discussed detailed expositions, critiques, defences and illustrations of the methods in question;
> evaluated the relationship between designated areas of performance studies research.
> gained skills in critical thinking, researching and scholarly writing that would prepare them for further postgraduate work at Master level.
Syllabus
The course focuses on select areas within the field of performance studies, i.e. the psychology of performance and historical performance practice. Topics covered will include the following:
Psychology of Performance: literature review and introduction; practice and memorisation;
Historical Performance: literature review and introduction; the authenticity debate; editing; issues related to recordings.
Teaching Methodologies
> Lectures on the theoretical subjects based on key bibliography;
> Practical exercises of techniques related to Performance Psychology
> Critical reading of selected texts with extended discussion in class focusing on the course topics; use and discussion of additional supporting materials, such as CD’s, DVD’ s, journal essays and on-screen presentations.
> Suggestions for further reading, practising and listening posted on Moodle with guidelines as appropriate.
Bibliography
J. Dunsby, Performing Music: Shared Concerns (Oxford, 1995)
C. Lawson and R. Stowell, The Historical Performance of Music: An Introduction (Cambridge,1999)
C. Lawson and R. Stowell, Historical Performance in Music (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018)
J. Rink (ed.), The Practice of Performance: Studies in Musical Interpretation (Cambridge, 1995)
J. Rink (ed.), Musical Performance: A Guide to Understanding (Cambridge, 2002)
J. Rink, ‘The Psychology of Music’, in J. Samson and P. Harper-Scott, eds., An Introduction to Music Studies (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008)
J. Rink, H. Gaunt, e A. Williamon, Musicians in the Making: Pathways to Creative Performance (Studies in Musical Performance as Creative Practice. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017)
W. F. Thompson, Music, Thought, and Feeling: Understanding the Psychology of Music (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014)
Teaching Staff
Rui Cabral Lopes (regent)
Cesário Costa