This course offers a close critical assessment of the relationship between music and literature—drama, poetry, and novel, in particular. We will study a selected number of works from the standard repertoire of Western art music between the 18th- and the early 20th century. Furthermore, we will explore an important theme in the history of music during this period: music’s potential to portray an event, project an idea, or tell a story. The following questions will serve as our general guidelines: How does music convey a narrative? How does the genre of music affect its storytelling ability? How do the visual and physical dimensions of a music performance (e.g., the player/singer, staging, costume, choreography) enhance music’s narrativity? How do music’s dramatic context, our knowledge of the composer, and other cultural factors contribute to our understanding and interpretation of music?

Our examples come from works of major genres from Western art music, including opera, art song, and various forms of orchestral music (e.g., symphony, concerto). In addition, we will study a number of works from the Chinese classical tradition, as well as musicals and film music. These works will serve as our reference points, showing how music narrativity functions outside the Western art music tradition, and how some of the non-Western works function in a manner similar to Western classical music in their manner of storytelling.

This course offers a close critical assessment of the relationship between music and literature—drama, poetry, and novel, in particular. We will study a selected number of works from the standard repertoire of Western art music between the 18th- and the early 20th century. Further, we will explore an important theme in the history of music during this period: music’s potential to portray an event, project an idea, or tell a story. Following questions will serve as our general guidelines: How does music convey a narrative? How does the genre of music affect its storytelling ability? How do the visual and physical dimensions of a music performance (e.g., the player/singer, staging, costume, choreography) enhance music’s narrativity? How do music’s dramatic context, our knowledge of the composer, and other cultural factors contribute to our understanding and interpretation of music?

Our examples come from works of major genres from Western art music, including opera, art song, and various forms of orchestral music (e.g., symphony, concern). In addition, we will study a number of works from the Chinese classical tradition, as well as music and film music. These works will serve as our reference points, showing how music narrativity functions outside the Western art music tradition, and how some of the non-Western works function in a manner similar to Western classical music in their manner of storytelling.

楊沛仁，《音樂史與欣賞/ A History of Western Classical Music》，台北 : 美樂，2003。
保羅· 貝克，《音樂的故事/ The Story of Music》，台北 : 鼎達，2001。
淺香淳等編，《新訂標準音樂辭典》，林勝儀譯，台北：美樂，1999。
Kerman, Joseph and Gary Tomlinson. Listen. 7th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin, 2011.
Sadie, Stanley. Ed. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. 2nd ed. London: Macmillan, 2001.

Yang Peiren, "A History of Western Classical Music", Taipei: Meile, 2003.
Paul Beck, The Story of Music, Taipei: Dingda, 2001.
Edited by Qing Xiangchun and others, "New Standard Music Dictionary", translated by Lin Xiejun, Taipei: Meile, 1999.
Kerman, Joseph and Gary Tomlinson. Listen. 7th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin, 2011.
Sadie, Stanley. Ed. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. 2nd ed. London: Macmillan, 2001.