MUSC 2018

This course focuses on the origins and development of popular music in the twentieth century, tracing a history of rock'n'roll from its roots in minstrelsy and music hall styles of the nineteenth century until the end of rock'n'roll era in the 1950s. While no previous background in music is required, students will be expected to listen closely to selected music and to contribute to class discussions. Students will gain greater knowledge of history, as it affects and is affected by musical activities, and they will appreciate the motives behind the debates that have always surrounded popular music. Above all, students will learn to understand the history of rock'n'roll in terms of changes in both musical techniques and social values, and to recognize music as a site of celebration and struggle.