MUSIC PRODUCTION I

The course is part of the Master's Degree Program in Economics and Management of Arts and Cultural Activities (EGArt), which provides knowledge and skills for managing enterprises operating in the artistic field. The course aims to offer specialized knowledge in the field of music production, understood here as music conveyed through a technical medium, and of the production apparatuses (the music industry) that ultimately make it possible. The course is structured in two connected modules, along with Music Production II

The course aims to provide an understanding of the economic, technical, and social processes underlying both live and recorded popular musical production from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century. In particular, it will address how new technological tools and political conditions contributed to the globalization of various popular musics and dance forms, and how these developments affected notions of genre, instrumentation, structure, vocal production, and textual or thematic materials. By the end of the course, students will be able to identify the social and economic contexts from which particular musical genres emerged, analyze their instrumental and structural characteristics, and evaluate how these considerations influenced the resulting productions, whether staged or recorded.

No prerequisites or specialized knowledge in music are required to attend the course.

This course traces the emergence and rise of the phonograph as a cultural and industrial force, from its invention in the late 19th century to its widespread influence by the 1950s. Focusing on the phonograph not merely as a technological innovation but as a transformative medium for the circulation of music, the course examines how the recording industry redefined the way music was created, distributed, and experienced across different regions and social contexts.

Students will explore how the dominance of recorded sound reshaped musical aesthetics, performance practices, and listener habits. The course will also investigate how the phonograph influenced the development of related technologies such as the microphone and electric amplification, and how these innovations, in turn, enabled new forms of musical expression and mass entertainment.

Through historical and critical readings, listening sessions, and discussion, students will analyze how genres such as musical theater, jazz, blues, tango, rumba, and early rock were shaped by recording technologies and industrial infrastructures. Special attention will be given to the interplay between technological change and the emergence of modern popular music, particularly within the Americas and the broader Atlantic world.

readings will be provided through moodle

The final assessment consists of an oral exam and a personal presentation that critically elaborates on the course materials and themes discussed throughout the semester.

oral

Final exam: 80%
In-class presentation: 10%

The lectures will include various practical examples through listening sessions, image and video screenings, theoretical insights, and class discussions.
A second part of the course may take the form of a seminar, with one or more students presenting selected materials to the group, followed by a collective discussion.
There will also be guest contributions from artists and professionals.
The course is connected to a dedicated e-learning platform (moodle.unive.it), where students can find information regarding the texts and videos presented in class.

Ca' Foscari applies the Italian Law (Law 17/1999; Law 170/2010) for support and accommodation services available to students with disabilities or with specific learning disorders. If you have a motor, visual, hearing or other disability (Law 17/1999) or a specific learning disorder (Law 170/2010) and require support (classroom assistance, technological aids for the performance of exams or individualized exams, material in accessible format, note recovery, specialist tutoring to support the study, interpreters or other) contact the Disability Office and DSA disabilita@unive.it.