Chapter 35: American Music before 1920

American Gothic by Grant Wood, 1930

18th Century America (1700’s)oMusic was only for religious and educational purposes oIsolated in European customs – work to “Transplant and Establish the superior culture”Frances Hopkinson (1731-1791)oSigner of the Declaration of IndependenceWilliam Billings: (1746-1800)oChester: became Anthem of the American Revolution

UNIT 7: MUSIC IN AMERICA: Ch. 35-39

19th Century America (1800’s)oMost music and goods still imported from EuropeoPolitical and Religious upheavals in Europe brought immigrants and their musicLowell Mason (1792-1872)oMusic curriculum for Boston public schools in 1837Theodore Thomas (1835-1905)oGerman ViolinistoCreated the American orchestral traditionAmy Cheney Beach (1867-1944)oFirst American woman to write a successful symphonyEdward MacDowell (1861-1908)oSuite No. 2 for piano employs Native American melodies

20th Century America (1900’s)

John Phillip Sousa (1854-1932)oCreated the tradition of the Marine Band’s exception skill oDeveloped the Sousaphone (marching tuba)

Wind Band oLarge instrumental groupoStarted from military traditionsoPopularized by schools

March Form oMany are very technically challenging (harder than they sound)oAll Sections are Repeated:

1st theme - Opening statement, what marches are recognized by 2nd theme – Also rhythmic and energetic Trio – Soft dynamic, Lyrical, features woodwinds Dogfight (Break) – Rough, Aggressive, features brass

Charles Ives (1847-1954) oExperimented with polytonality, dissonance, atonality, and speaksinging

American Patriotic Songs

oYankee Doodle American Revolution 1775-83 Sung by the British to tease colonists during the Revolutionary war

oStar Spangled Banner War of 1812 Adapted from an English drinking song Francis Scott Key wrote the new words in 1914 Became the National Anthem in 1931

oMy Country tis of Thee 1832 British national anthem “God Save the (King)Queen.”

oAmerica the Beautiful 1895 Comes from an ancient hymn tune “O Mother, Dear Jerusalem” The words were written by an English professor inspired by Pike’s Peak in CO.

oGod Bless America 1918 Written by Irving Berlin for a musical but never used.

Chapter 36: Concert Music since 1920oAmerican music bolstered by composers and performers seeking refuge during WarsoImproved Music Education system allowed musicians to stay in AmericaoAmerica on the forefront of Technological development.

Nationalism oSurged between 1930 -1950oComposers sought to bring together many cultural ideas within their music to create unity and contrast European styles. Aaron Copland: (1900-1990) oCreated music all people can understand and appreciateoPlayed into the fascination with the romantic “Wild West” ideas

Fanfare for the Common Man, Rodeo, Appalachian Spring, Billy the Kid, etc.

Samuel Barber (1910-1981) - “Adagio for Strings”

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA): oStarted by the federal government in 1965. oProvides funding for state councils, grant programs, education, and foundations to support and continue artistic outlets across the nation

Minimalism oGoal of was to create something very simple that was still interesting and satisfyingoReaction against complexity and excessive nature of German RomanticsoComposers:

Steve Reich b. 1936 John Adams b.1947 Philip Glass b.1937

• Called his music philosophy “Change through repetition.”• Inspired by Indian music like Gamelan and Ravi Shankar

oAlso inspired Linda Ronstadt Paul Simon

• The Thin Blue Line and Songs from Liquid Days David Bowie - Low

Chapter 37 & 38: Popular Music and JazzoNot much is known before 1700 oMusic passed through oral traditionoSong sheets were just words

Parlor Song - oSheet music sung in middle class homesoMajor (happy) keys, even the sad onesoSentimental or nostalgic themes

Stephen Foster: (d.1864) oFamous for Parlor SongsoCamptown Races, Oh Susanna, Beautiful DreameroSold “Oh Susanna” for only $100. Publishers made a fortune.

Plugger – oMusicians hired by publishers to play live music in storesoOnly way to advertise new sheet music

Blackface Minstrels (1800’s) oSinging, dance, and instrumental show evolved from traveling circus and vaudevilleoWhite entertainers wearing black makeup impersonated uneducated blacks.

Jazz: oThe original American art formoUltimate form of personal expression and communicationoEach player is expected to take a standard melody and personalize it.oStarts with Southern Gospel

Branches out to become:• Country (Johnny Cash, Roger Miller, Waylon Jennings)• Rock and Roll (Elvis Presely, Beatles)• Pop (Eric Clapton, John Mayer)

Timbre: oCombinations of common instruments:

o Saxophone, Clarinet, Trumpet, Trombone, Guitar, DrumsoNew sounds from practical places:

Brass use plungers or hats over the end of the instrument Drums use brushes for softer sound

oVocalists and Players often “bend” or scoop to pitches

Improvisation: oThe art of making music on the spotoUsed throughout Baroque and ClassicaloFundamental to Jazz

First jazz music was not written down and all based on improvisationoIdeas are based on the chord progression of the tuneoMakes a familiar melody personal and individual to the player

Ragtime oUpbeat, dance music, major keys, balanced phrases, much syncopationoFound for ensembles and piano solo, beginnings of big band jazzoScott Joplin – (d.1917) learned banjo and classical piano

Maple Leaf Club (Maple Leaf Rag sold over 1 million copies)

Blues (early 1900’s)oSouthern folk music, vocal soloist expresses life troubles. oLyrics and personality of the singer makes the music unique and powerful.oPlayers: Bessie Smith, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Ray Charles, W.C Handy

Dixieland (1920’s) –Small bands play up tempo dance music. oSounds busy as several players improvise at the same time. oPlayers: King Joe Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Fletcher Henderson

Boogie Woogie (1930)oPiano solo, combined with bandoRepeated bass line with improvisation over the topoPlayers: Fats Waller, Tuts Johnson

Swing/Big Band (1930-50)oUpbeat dance music, larger 15 piece ensembles, played in clubsoContrast full ensemble with solo improvisation oPlayers: Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington

Latin (1940’s) – Rhythms and instruments from Latin America and Africa (Afrocuban), oMany styles: Flamenco, Samba, Bossa nova oRhythm is straight unlike Big Band SwingoTito Puente, Chic Corea, Flora Purim, Arturo Sandoval ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1950-60’s: oMusic becomes a serious social reaction to racial discrimination. oPlayers are irritated with the practices of white producers and record labels. oBlack musicians were tired of only being white entertainment. Cool: oSoft, understated, contrast to busy swing music oPlayers: Chet Baker (trumpet,vocal), Dizzy Gillepie, Miles Davis

Bebop (Hard Bop): oFast, erratic melodies, not Danceable.oPlayers: Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet), Charlie Parker (saxophone)

Free Jazz or Avante garde – oNo form, often Atonal, often completely improvisedoSpiritual and philosophical music only for the benefit of the playersoPlayers: Ornette Coleman, Miles Davis (trumpet), John Coltrane (saxophone)

Fusion(3rd Stream) - combination of 2 musical styles: Jazz and Western Classical oPlayers: Stan Getz, Dave Brubeck, Bill Evans, Jimi Hendrix