Methodologies in Musicology

Objectives

a) To provide conceptual and methodological tools, and to develop high-level critical skills in the fields of Historical Musicology, Music Learning and Ethnomusicology;
b) to promote bibliographic/documentary orientation and to develop the ability to retrieve updated and scientifically relevant information in these domains;
c) to develop conceptualization, problematization and elaboration skills in any field of Musicology, in a perspective open to interdisciplinarity, in correlation with the students' specific research areas;
d) to develop skills of oral and written expression according to the standards of clarity and rigour of internationalacademic communication;
e) to present some of the most relevant current research trends in Musicology.

General characterization

Code

73202100

Credits

10.0

Responsible teacher

Manuel Pedro Ramalho Ferreira

Hours

Weekly - 2

Total - 280

Teaching language

Portuguese

Prerequisites

N/A

Bibliography

  • Booth, W. C.; Colomb, G.G.; Williams, J. M. (2003) The Craft Of Research. 2nd ed. Chicago: UCP. Trad. port. São Paulo:Martins Fontes, 2005
  • Clayton, M., T. Herbert & R. Middleton (Eds.) (2012). The Cultural Study of Music. New York: Routledge.
  • Cook, N. & M. Everist (Eds.) (2001). Rethinking Music. Oxford: OUP.
  • Gavroglu, Kostas (2007) O passado das ciências como História. Porto: Porto Editora.
  • Goehr, L. (2007). The Imaginary Museum of Musical Works: An Essay in the Philosophy of Music. Oxford: OUP.
  • Hooper, G. (2006). The Discourse of Musicology. Aldershot: Ashgate.
  • Kramer, L. (1995). Classical Music and Postmodern Knowledge. Berkeley: UCP.
  • Monelle, R. (2000). The Sense of Music: Semiotic Essays. Princeton: PUP.
  • Nettl, B. (2006). The Study of Ethnomusicology: Thirty-One Issues and Concepts. Urbana: University of Illinois Press.
  • Williams, A. (2001). Constructing Musicology. Farnham: Ashgate.
  • Zbikowski, L. (2002). Conceptualizing Music. New York: OUP.

Teaching method

The Seminar is based on the critical discussion of relevant texts and documents and the regular presentation of individual reports. Theoretical-oriented classes account for 40% and practical-oriented classes, 60%. The latter are based on oral presentations of papers selected by the students and the following discussion, which may include the participation of invited specialists (depending on the subject).

Evaluation method

Continuous assessment - The evaluation encompasses the quality of individualoral participation in the Seminar (1/3), added to the collection of reading reports presented during the semester (1/3) and a final report (1/3); the reports can be replaced (if the teacher so chooses) by the completion of an individual in-depth end-of-term essay (worth 2/3 of the final grade).(100%)

Subject matter

Variable according to the academic year, taking into account the research areas chosen by the students, in correlation with the extended reading program established at the start of the semester. Typical topics for discussion include the following:

  • What is the musicological community?
  • Individual experience and intersubjective knowledge
  • Diversity of issues and methodologies
  • Scientific validation, controversy and persuasion
  • Issues of canon, value and ideology
  • Models and traditions of musicological writing
  • Problems of critical music editing
  • Analytical models and their uses
  • Musicology, difference and empowerment
  • The ethics of musical scholarship