Laboratory: cultural musicology and music criticism 3106-PRAC-5

The aim of the course is to introduce students to the research topics explored by scholars associated with the field of cultural musicology—sometimes also referred to as critical musicology or the New Musicology—as well as to develop the ability to apply musicological knowledge in music criticism.
Cultural musicology is a research approach that draws on aesthetics, hermeneutics, and musical analysis, examining music within a broad cultural context. It serves as a bridge between musicology and music criticism, which is why the reading of musicological texts in this course is complemented by the writing of album reviews that incorporate the acquired knowledge.

Term 2025Z:

None

Term 2025L:

The course will be devoted to Theodor W. Adorno’s philosophical and critical reflections on key figures of nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century music: Ludwig van Beethoven, Richard Wagner, Gustav Mahler, Igor Stravinsky, Alban Berg, and Arnold Schoenberg. Szymon Wróbel undertakes an analysis of Adorno’s views on the music of these composers in his recent book Rozstrojeni. Theodor W. Adorno o muzyce w zarządzanym świecie. With the help of this book, we will explore Adorno as a music critic who incisively analyzes and interprets the major composers of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Students will be asked to prepare an outline based on their reading of a selected portion of the book (a chapter, subchapter, or group of subchapters) and to lead a discussion on it, as well as to write an essay addressing the subject of the chosen chapter of Wróbel’s book.

Type of course

obligatory courses
elective courses

Course coordinators

Paweł Siechowicz

Mode

Classroom

Learning outcomes

Upon completing the course, the participant:
- possesses basic knowledge of the subject-specific and methodological characteristics of research conducted within the field of cultural musicology,
- is able to produce critical texts in the form of reviews.

Assessment criteria

According to the syllabus of the instructor in the given cycle.

Practical placement

NA.

Bibliography

Readings adjusted to the theme of the studio in a given academic year (semester) and presented in the syllabus appropriate to the cycle.

Term 2025Z:

None

Term 2025L:

Szymon Wróbel, Rozstrojeni. Theodor W. Adorno o muzyce w zarządzanym świecie, Nowa Humanistyka, t. 81, Warszawa 2025.

Additional literature:
T. Adorno, Filozofia nowej muzyki, przekł. S. Jarociński, Warszawa 1974
T. Mann, Doktor Faustus, przekł. M. Kurecka, W. Wirpsza, Wrocław 2018
I. Strawiński, Poetyka muzyczna, przekł. S. Jarociński, Warszawa 1980
W. Benjamin, Dzieło sztuki w dobie reprodukcji technicznej, w: Tenże, Anioł historii. Eseje, szkice, fragmenty, Poznań 1996.
K. Marks, Kapitał - rozdział Praca najemna i kapitał, przekł. Studenckie Koło Filozofii Marksistowskiej UW, Warszawa 2005.
K. Berger, Beyond Reason: Nietzsche contra Wagner, Berkeley 2016
F. Nietzsche, Przypadek Wagnera, przekł. K. Kaśkiewicz, R. Michalski, Toruń 2004.

Additional information

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 3106-PRAC-5 in USOSweb