Music and The Odyssey

Part of reading a great book is imagining what it might sound like; part of listening to great
music is imagining what it might look like.
1. Go to the class website and listen to one of the songs posted. Listen to ALL PARTS of it.
2. Think of what scene or scenes from The Odyssey it connects to.
3. Write a typed paper of 2 paragraphs: 1. one paragraph describing the music, 2. the
other depicting the scene and explaining how the music connects to it OR 2. Writing a
new Homeric-style passage from the story!
BLAST the music (put on headphones if your parents get angry.)
CLOSE your eyes.
PICTURE scenes from the Odyssey. If youre listening closely, theyll float right into your mind.
The scene you write about doesnt have to be specifically portrayed in the book as long as it would have been
part of the story of The Odyssey. For example, the book doesnt describe in detail the hundreds of days Odysseus
must have spent just sailing on the ocean with his men. Maybe a piece reminds you of a particular morning they
spend together on a certain leg of their voyage (e.g. sailing to Ithaca from the island of Aeolus--think of what
happened where they just came from and where they thought they were headed). Maybe the music reminds you
of some of the men eating the first of the succulent, but dangerous Lotus flowers, lonely Penelope, seeing the
Cyclops for the first time in the cave, exploring an unknown island, the day Odysseus leaves Ithaca for Troy,
Hermes flying to Ogygia, Telemachus at the Council of Ithaca, Aeolus, Nausicaa, Scylla, Proteus, galloping with
Pisistratus, the Laestrygonians, one of the suitors outrageous parties, ETC. ETC.!!!

Writing about music is tough. Its a great challenge to describe with written words something
intangible that is experienced through a completely different sense. Make analogies and
similies. Pick the perfect words. Consider:
The mood of the music. Is it in the major or the minor key (i.e. happy or sad)? Does it alternate
between these? Is it triumphant or dejected? Peaceful or angry? Chaotic? Wistful? Insidious?
Mischevious? Sensual? Other? What emotions does it stir in you? Pick the best words to suit the
emotions of the piece, and then think of The Odyssey.
The tempo of the music. Fast or slow? Does it resemble the waves of the ocean? A clear night?
A towering mountain? A hideous monster rearing its head? A pitched battle? Galloping horses?
Hurricane-force winds? Someone grieving?
The volume. Seems simple, but listen closelydoes it build gradually or suddenly? Does it
suddenly or subtly soften?

The instruments used. Is there an angelic vocalist? Thunderous percussion? Brave horns?
Ominous bass? Emotive strings? Lazy woodwinds? Listen for groups of instruments (a party,
army) vs. solo instruments (a scout, lonely lover).
Repetition. What recurring themes of the music are there? Which ones win out over the
others at the end?
Use time tags. E.g., if there was a giant crescendo, note that it happens at 2:40 in the piece.