This course explores the interface between twentieth-century Western art music and broader cultural change, including political, technological, social and artistic developments.  The course uses Alex Ross's seminal The Rest is Noise as a point of departure to link seemingly disparate musical styles by understanding their shared extra-musical origins and values.  In this way, the sound world of avant-garde composers may be linked with the soundtracks of film scores and the works of minimalist composers may be joined with pop and dance music.  With an emphasis on understanding composers from the perspective of their own words through interviews and writings, the course examines the continuing influence of this most pluralistic of musical periods.  Previous academic study of music is not required.