The creative artists of each age influence one another. The purpose of this day school is to explore those interconnections and influences between the writers and composers of two highly contrasting periods, the Romantic era and the Jazz age.
Starting with the Romantic era and its emphasis on emotion, individualism, imagination, and the beauty of nature, we look at the works of writers such as Byron, Shelley and Keats as well as Goethe and Heine, among others, on the continent. Many of the composers of the Romantic era, notably Schumann, Berlioz, Liszt and Wagner, were extremely widely read and some were also prolific writers themselves. We explore the ways in which their music was influenced by the literary currents of the time.
The First World War challenged many of the Romantic ideals and assumptions. The sense of loss and disillusionment felt by many creative artists, in its aftermath, resulted in a profound reaction against Romanticism and a shift towards new means of expression, in the shape of movements such as symbolism, existentialism and surrealism.
All of these movements found their expression in both literature and music. The hedonism of the age is captured by writers such as Fitzgerald and Hemingway, and reflected in the music of Stravinsky, Weill, Ravel and Poulenc. This day school will attempt to capture the essence of the change from Romanticism to modernism through the lens of the interplay between these two creative arts.
Please note: this event will close to enrolments at 23:59 GMT (UTC) on 6 November 2024.