Court poets celebrated the lineagew and deeds of great men, thus promoting not only their glory, but a particular ideal of heroism. Poets performed their works in ceremonies honoring their patron-hero, who would bestow on the poet a handsome reward. In later generations, fans of poets would memorize and reperform heroic poems in late-night parties. We will dwell on ideals of masculinity as they evolve and diverge. No background in Arab-Islamic culture is required.
All texts are in English .
This course contains a substantial writing component and fulfills part of the basic requirement in writing. Technical musical knowledge is not a pre-requisite. We will mainly be concerned with problems of setting literary texts to music. The prejudice of Dryden and others against English as a language to be set to music will be examined. In a vacation from his public English career as composer of Italian opera Handel collaborated with John Gay on a masque or chamber opera, Acis and Galatea, originally intended for a small private audience.