MUS3051 : The Total Work of Art: Richard Wagner, The Musical Stage and their continuing Agency across The Arts.
MUS3051 : The Total Work of Art: Richard Wagner, The Musical Stage and their continuing Agency across The Arts.
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Dr Eric Doughney
- Lecturer: Dr Bennett Hogg
- Owning School: Arts & Cultures
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Pre-requisite
Modules you must have done previously to study this module
Pre Requisite Comment
N/A
Co-Requisite
Modules you need to take at the same time
Co Requisite Comment
N/A
Aims
This module aims to introduce students to the Music Dramas and operas of Richard Wagner, their aesthetic and musical legacies (up to the present day) and their perpetual relevance within the fields of Music, Fine Art, Literature, Media).The module will cover a range of approaches to this topic, including (but not limited to):
The philosophical background to Wagner’s musical ideas
The historical and political contexts
The 'Total Work of Art' in Fine Art, Literature, Media (including film).
Strategies for understanding the musical materials (analytical approaches)
Approaching Wagner’s musical works as a historiographical problem
Outline Of Syllabus
The syllabus will cover Wagner’s musical output and his impact on subsequent musical thinking, especially in Europe up to the present day. Themes covered may include:
- Wagner and antisemitism
- Wagner and imperialism
- Stage/production/design theory
- Agency within the fields of Fine Art, Literature, Media.
- Wagner and the Nazis
- Wagnerism and anti-Wagnerism
- The Ring Cycle and its legacy
- Opera and Music dramas: two distinct genres?
Learning Outcomes
Intended Knowledge Outcomes
Familiarity with Wagner’s oeuvre
Familiarity with the musical legacy of Wagner’s oeuvre
A working knowledge of late tonal and chromatic harmony
Familiarity with the historical and cultural contexts for these musical works
A working familiarity with some of the philosophical ideas played out in Wagner’s works
Intended Skill Outcomes
Analytical approaches to opera, especially narrative analysis
Intensification of analytical skills already learned in other modules
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structured Guided Learning | Lecture materials | 9 | 2:00 | 18:00 | Each lecture will last 2 hours |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 12 | 1:00 | 12:00 | PiP seminars (Number of seminar groups dependent upon size of cohort); essay prep drop-in sessions |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 170:00 | 170:00 | N/A |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lectures deliver core materials and seminars allow students to explore musical (and other) materials in more detail and in a more “hands on” manner.
Reading Lists
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 2 | A | 100 | 3,400 words |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | 2 | M | 1,500 Essay proposal/annotated Bibliography: opportunity for students to start developing their final research essay (essay) |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The assignment will involve exploring one aspect of Wagner/Wagnerism in depth. Students will develop their research essay in two stages. The first, formative, will be based on the core topics covered in the module, and will build up iteratively during the first eight weeks of teaching supported by formative activities which will include group discussions. The second stage of the summative assignment will be a development of the first stage towards the final summative submission.
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- MUS3051's Timetable
Past Exam Papers
- Exam Papers Online : www.ncl.ac.uk/exam.papers/
- MUS3051's past Exam Papers
General Notes
N/A
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Disclaimer
The information contained within the Module Catalogue relates to the 2025 academic year.
In accordance with University Terms and Conditions, the University makes all reasonable efforts to deliver the modules as described.
Modules may be amended on an annual basis to take account of changing staff expertise, developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, staffing changes, and student feedback. Module information for the 2026/27 entry will be published here in early-April 2026. Queries about information in the Module Catalogue should in the first instance be addressed to your School Office.