Literature and Music in Spanish America 2016

 Literature and Music in Spanish America. Cultural expressions and artistic movements in the 20th century 3 credits, 6 ECTS English Instructor: Daniel Scarfo, Ph.D. (Yale University) Course Description This course analyzes literary and musical pieces in Spanish America during the 20th century. We will present the theoretical and historical background, the relevant moments, the significant figures, the constants and the elements of originality that characterize contemporary Spanish-American literature and music. Course Aims/Objectives ● Knowing and understanding XXth Century Spanish-American literature and music. ● Reading, listening, and being able to recognize important XXth Century SpanishAmerican writers, singers and composers. Requirements and Prerequisites Introductory Course Learning outcomes This course aims to allow the student to: ● know and understand the Spanish American Culture, especially its music and literature. ● be able to compare different artists and artistic genres, and speak critically about them ● analyze literature and music pieces in relation to its historical and cultural context Developmental Outcomes Students should demonstrate: responsibility and accountability, independence, open and critical mind as well as appreciation of differences. Contents Class 1: March 7th: Introduction to Spanish- American literature and cultures. Fundamental texts. Class 2: March 14th: The novel and the short story. The Plate Region and the Caribbean. Juan Rulfo Readings: Rulfo, Juan. Pedro Páramo Class 3, March 21th The indianist novel. José María Arguedas. Readings: José María Arguedas. Deep Rivers (chapters 1 and 2). Class 4, March 28th: The avant-garde in poetry: P. Neruda, C. Vallejo y O. Paz Readings: Franco, Jean. An introduction to Spanish-American Literature. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1994 (Chapter 9) Class 5, April 4th: Modern fiction. Jorge Luis Borges Borges, Jorge Luis. “Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius", “The Aleph” and “An autobiographical essay” Class 6, April 11th: Magic realism Readings: García Márquez, Gabriel. Chronicle of a Death Foretold Class 7, April 18th: presentations on other selected Latin American writers. Class 8, April 25th: Multiple Choice 1 Roots of American Sounds. Rythms and dances. Themes in Spanish-American Musical Culture. Class 9, May 2th: Milonga and Tango. Graduate Students mid-term short essay due Listening assignments: Piazzolla, Astor; Goyeneche, Roberto; Gardel, Carlos (selected videos) Class 10, May 9th: Folklore and candombe Listening assignments: Yupanqui, Atahualpa; selected videos Rada, Rubén, selected videos Roos, Jaime, selected videos Sosa, Mercedes, selected videos Class 11, May 16th: Cha cha chá, merengue, bachata, salsa. Listening assignments: Cruz, Célia , selected videos Blades, Rubén. selected videos Guerra, Juan Luis, selected videos Class 12, May 30th: Bolero and Caribbean Troubadors Listening assignments: Lara, Agustín, selected videos Pablo Milanés y Silvio Rodríguez, selected videos Class 13, June 6th: Multiple Choice II and individual discussions on the final project in preparation Class format All members of the class are encouraged to participate actively in discussions and debates. Such participation is an important part of your performance. Please come to class with written notes, your questions and thoughts about the possible meanings of the texts and songs you have read or listened to. What strikes you? What paragraphs, elements, or points seem to you to be the most significant or enigmatic? Why? Assessment Multiple choice I 15% Multiple choice II 15% Mid-term esssay (for graduate students) 30% Oral Presentation on selected writer 20% Final project (8 pages) 50% Reference Books (They will complement the professor’s classes in case you miss one). Bethell, Leslie (ed.). A cultural history of Latin America. Literature, music and the Visual Arts in the XIXand XXth centuries. Cambridge: University of Cambridge, 1998. Béhague, G. Music in Latin America: An introduction. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1979. Franco, Jean. An introduction to Spanish-American Literature. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1994. Class Format The instructor of the class will introduce students to the day’s subject. The students will also present and discuss, under the instructor coordination, the readings assigned for that day. Guidelines for the final project (due June 20h ) a) It should contain between 8 and 10 pages, besides the bibliography. b) I recommend to start writing many more pages (early!!!) and then proceed to clean up the document discarding what is unnecessary to the point you are trying to make. c) I expect an essay on one of the topics we discuss in class or that are available in the syllabus, or a topic in a dialogue with them, and you should keep that dialogue. d) It must also show a dialogue or discussion with at least one text from the bibliography e) Then you can also add all the bibliography you want to add (available or not in the syllabus) Graduate Students requirements Graduate students will have to a) show an even more original and personal work b) produce a mid-term 4 pages short essay (instead of the multiple choices) c) participate more actively in discussions and debates and always come to class with written notes, questions and thoughts about the possible meanings of the texts and music assigned for the class.