Image & Text

This week, Jaycee and Nohely invite us to explore the rich sonic landscape of Romantic music. During this week we were introduced to the Romantic period, a pivotal moment where rebellion against the status quo was idealized and encouraged. This was more of a movement toward thoughts and feeling, in which greatly affected how one perceived the world. Expression of emotions became popular and was sought after in works of poetry, art, music, etc. Romanticism inspired musicians to be original, innovative, and passionate. The integration of poetry, orchestra, and vocals, lead to the popularization of operas, and composers like Giuseppe Verdi,  Richard Wagner, and Carl Maria von Weber were well received and successful. Instruments like the piano became beloved by the people. This was most likely so, because of how one was able to finesse and play with its ability to create a range of tones, complicated yet pleasing, that were not common in those times. One Romantic era piece of music...

Aryana and Kyle are guest bloggers and moderators for this week, and they are eager to dialogue with you about the role and impact of Art Criticism. In class, Drs. Hall and Cleworth referenced the beginning of Art Criticism at the French Salon during the 18 th century.   It is not surprising that Art Criticism began to flourish during the Enlightenment, as this intellectual and philosophical movement prompted many new ideas, including a shift in how art was viewed by the public and artists alike.   The Salon was an extension of the Royal Academy, which, since its inception under Louis XIV, had developed to set the standards for art not only in France but throughout Europe.   The Academy adhered to classical training, where art was taught according to a set of established rules.   During the 18 th century, these standards began to be challenged (i.e., the “battle” between the Poussinistes and the Rubénistes ) and the stylistic monopoly established by the Ac...

Ashlynne and Ethan are our moderators for this coming week's blog, and they have crafted an engaging topic around Voltaire, satire, and the limits of free speech.  Please offer them the best of your thoughts! This week we are reading sections from Voltaire’s Candide . This work was very controversial at the time of publication because of the themes it discussed. Candide brims with political and religious satire and is often viewed objectionably. An example of religious satire that caused people to object is Voltaire’s portrayal of clergymen, indulging in fleshly desires such as prostitution, as opposed to their assumed celibacy. The Catholic Church and the French government took offense to this kind of satire and had the book banned. They added it to their list known as the Librorum Prohibitorum that contained books they considered heretical. Similarly, there have been modern satirical pieces that have evoked the same kind of reaction in America. In one case, a Maryland high s...