What was the soundscape of urban life in Rome, Vienna, and London in the 16th-18th centuries? How might early modern listeners have experienced the sounds of everyday life on the streets (such as carnival celebrations and religious processions) or indoors (theaters, convents, churches)? This course explores historical sound in three remarkable cities whose unique acoustic contexts and expressions of organized sound (music and otherwise) allow us to study the intersections between noise and music within architecture and urban space. Class outings will also include interactions with local soundscapes, trips to concerts, and museums.
