The Art of Song

Module overview

This module offers a wide-ranging exploration of song as a musical, cultural, and creative practice. It traces key moments in the history of song, from ancient song and plainchant through the formal and expressive conventions of Baroque da capo arias, the intimate and poetic world of the Romantic Lied, and the social and musical functions of blues and work songs, to the emotional and narrative power of musical-theatre repertoire and the evolving aesthetics of contemporary popular music, including indie rock and R&B. Across these styles, the module examines how song conventions—such as structure, text setting, vocal expression, and accompaniment—both shape and are reshaped by artistic experimentation, and how song emerges in relation to political, economic, and cultural forces. Designed for performers, composers, and theorists, the module encourages students to engage with song from multiple perspectives, developing practical, creative, and analytical skills. Flexible assessment options enable students to demonstrate their learning through performance, original composition, or analytical work, supporting a wide range of musical interests and professional goals.

Aims and Objectives

Learning Outcomes

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

Apply problem-solving and analytical skills
Demonstrate an understanding of the connections and differences between theoretical approaches and creative practices.
Think critically about music as history and culture.

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

writing, performing and/or analysing songs
the practice song across history and in different parts of the world

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

Identify song structure in relation to formal conventions in poetry and music.
Demonstrate an understanding of the connections and differences between theoretical approaches and creative practices.
Contextualise Western repertoire in dialogue with global contexts.

Learning and Teaching

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching methods include: * Lectures * Small-group sessions focused on the discussion and critique of student work Learning activities include: * Independent study * Critical listening * Library-based research * Online research

Study time
Type	Hours
Wider reading or practice	42
Assessment tasks	42
Preparation for scheduled sessions	42
Tutorial	8
Lecture	16
Total study time	150

Assessment

Assessment strategy

A novel aspect of this module is that it allows assessment tasks to be addressed through the composition, performance, or analysis of song.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Performance	50%
Performance	50%

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External