Leonard Cohen: song, poetry, prose and persona
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- Start Date: 15 May 2025End Date: 26 Jun 2025Thu (Daytime): 10:30 - 12:30In PersonLocation: Keeley StreetDuration: 6 sessions (over -7 weeks)Course Code: HLT279Tutors: Richard NilandFull fee £169.00 Senior fee £135.00 Concession £110.00
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What is the course about?
This in-college course examines important aspects of Leonard Cohen’s music and song writing, probing how Cohen’s work responds to major poetic, musical, religious and cultural elements in the modern world. It offers a focused look at Cohen’s development and how his work relates to an elaborate genealogy of cultural forms.
What will we cover?
The class will look closely at a range of Cohen’s songs and albums along with some of his prose writing, examining his encounter with and response to poetic voices and modern musical culture. We will explore an album and/or particular songs and contexts each week selected from various periods of Cohen’s career. Individual songs (or excerpts where appropriate) will be selected by the tutor ahead of each session and sent to students.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
• Have developed their musical, literary, critical, historical, and cultural knowledge and expression through varied listening, discussion and reading on the work of Leonard Cohen.
• Students should develop understanding of key aspects of Leonard Cohen's career, style, and musical influences, relating these to a knowledge of important related thematic, historical, literary, and political contexts.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
No particular skills are needed other than a general interest in music, politics, literature and culture.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
This in-college course will be held in 2-hour sessions over six weeks. The first half will be an interactive talk on the song, theme of period of Cohen's music in question. The following hour will be a round table and small group discussion of the album in question and related subjects in detail.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
No other costs. Music and reading excerpts will be distributed to students by the tutor in advance.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Look for other literature courses on our website at www.citylit.ac.uk/courses under history, culture and writing/literature.
Richard Niland has published widely on Joseph Conrad and a range of other 19th and 20th century writers. He taught for many years at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow and is interested in the various intersections of literature, culture, politics, music and film in different global contexts.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.