Prof. Songer's Music 100 Blog

2012-03-02T12:00:00.000-05:00

The 19th Century saw several revolutions in many countries throughout Europe following America’s successful revolution from Great Britain. It was a time in which the ideals of liberty were spreading. Just prior to the 19th century the civilization also witnessed the collapse of the Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Holy Roman and Mughal empires. This paved the way for the growing influence of the British Empire, the German Empire and the United States, spurring military conflicts as well as advances in science and exploration. After the defeat of the French Empire and its allies in the Napoleonic Wars, the British Empire became the world's leading power, controlling one quarter of the world's population and one fifth of the total land area.  The 19th century was an era of invention and discovery, with significant developments in the fields of mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, electricity, and metallurgy that lay the groundwork for the technological advances of the 20th century. The Industrial Revolution was beginning in Europe.  It was also a time of reaction against the Classic period (Age of Reason) which emphasized the primacy of deductive reasoning. By contrast, Romanticism emphasized intuition, imagination, and feeling, to a point that has led to some Romantic thinkers being accused of irrationalism.

During the Romantic era, melodies got longer and homophonic composition styles became the norm. Individual works even became longer. For instance, a four-movement Haydn symphony may take 15 minutes to perform whereas some of Beethoven’s later symphonies took 10 minutes to perform just the first movement. In fact, the last movement of Beethoven’s last symphony, the Ninth, took more than 40 minutes to perform; the entire symphony nearly an entire hour.

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Writing Assignment Due April 2

2012-02-29T23:00:00.000-05:00

Students should do independent study to develop a document of approximately 500 to 625 words in length. It must be presented in hard copy form (printed) and submitted in class on Monday, April 2, 2012. The writing project shall be about the life and work of a composer of classical (concert) music who lived during the Baroque, Classic, or Romantic era. The list of possible composers is provided later in this blog.

In consideration for the paper, class will not be held on March 26 or 28. This time may be used to complete work on your paper.

The paper, though brief, shall be in MLA (Modern Language Association) format. This means it must be composed using good sentence structure, proper punctuation, correct spellings of proper names, and proper citation of references used. For this paper information from Wikipedia may be used, other online resources, and at least one published book or reference work such as a scholarly journal.

14 - Music of the "New World"

2012-02-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

Note: This post is the first of three parts covering musical developments in the United States from 1620 to 2000. Though aspects of classical music are included, the main thrust is presenting America’s dominant religious and secular music traditions. The secular tradition includes both folk and popular types including those that emerged from the confluence of multiple musical styles.

Difficult Beginnings

It was in the early 1600 when Western Europeans began coming to the shores of North America in pursuit of land, natural resources and opportunities related to expanding the territories under the control of the English, French and Spanish. This was 100 years after much of the Caribbean region had already seen inhabitation by Europeans. In general, the Spanish tended to settle the area around Mexico and the northern portion of South America. The French tended to come into the area we now know to be Canada. The English tended to migrate up and down the mid-Atlantic coastline of North America. The settlements later officially became the colonies of England. As a result, what free time was devoted to the making of music included continuing the traditions and habits related to music in the homeland, England.

During the 1700’s people from other countries (France and the Netherlands) began coming to Colonial America. These settlers also brought with them their religious practices and beliefs as well as their music preferences.

Link to Exam 2

2012-02-24T11:39:00.000-05:00

Please follow the link below to access Exam 2 which will be due at the start of class on Wednesday, February 29. Any exams turned in after the due date will be considered late and will result in a penalty deduction of 25%.

http://www.box.com/shared/5ru4p06txbxcatskoikq

Please note that the link will open the test as a PDF if the computer's browser is set to display PDF documents. Other clicking on the link will download the file to the computer you are on. It is best to download the exam and then print it using Adobe Reader or some other PDF reader.

It is the student's responsibility to print the test and complete it before bringing to class on Wednesday, February 29.

Prof. Songer
JCTC - Downtown

13 - More on Mozart and Review

2012-02-22T13:30:00.000-05:00

In the Blog of session 12 I presented a You Tube video featuring Leonard Bernstein, one of the great conductors and music teachers of the 20th century. The video was of Mr. Bernstein discussing the compositional Mozart implemented in the opening movement of Symphony No. 40 in G Minor. In the presentation he stated how well Mozart carried out the classic concept of balance between chromatic melodic content and diatonic harmonic content. He especially pointed out how Mozart moved from one passage to another and even one key to another using the "cycle of fifths", a concept that had been documented by Bach and other during the late Renaissance and Baroque periods of Western musical history. (The link to the video of Bernstein discussing Mozart's symphony can be found in the previous blog.)

For the remaining class time provides an opportunity to discuss some of the more important facts regarding the development of music in the Western world. Some of those facts are presented in the outline below.

12 - Music of the Classic Era

2012-02-15T21:00:00.000-05:00

During the Classic period the Western European music environment saw the establishment of the standard concert formats we still recognize today: symphony, concerto, sonata, and string quartet. This period also saw music from Hayden, Mozart and Beethoven’s early career.

The Classic period is commonly know as the beginning of the modern era in music. The sounds, genres, and forms that were established then are in common use today. These include the instrumentation of the modern symphony orchestra and string quartet; the sonata, symphony, and concerto genres; and the sonata, minuet and trio, theme and variations, and rondo forms.

The music was centered in the sophisticated, aristocratic courts and communities of Austria and Germany. The courts valued artistic and social status. Their music, however, was becoming more available to the general public. Communities were building opera houses and concert halls in which to perform the new forms of music.

The musical characteristics reflected this Age of Reason. The music of this period was characterized by order, restraint, balance, and clarity. The melodies were lyrical melodies with clear harmonies and uncomplicated rhythms. Distinct formal structures were developed that still exist. Modulations were common, but key relationships took on a new significance.

Mozart, Haydn, and a young Beethoven were the principal composers of the Classic period.

10 & 11 - Music of the Baroque

2012-02-08T21:07:00.001-05:00

Important Developments Before the Baroque

During the Renaissance there was an increase in secular humanism. Along with that came the questioning of the religious dogma (teachings) of the time. This led to a demise in the influence by the Roman Catholic church. In attempts to make the music more appealing, the Mass was set to music as the chants became used less and less. The secular counterpart of the Motet that developed was the Madrigal. In addition to the difference of being secular, the text was in the vernacular. The music was still mainly polyphonic though the English had begun to develop homophonic variations of the Madrigal.

Once the Church of England was established, the English Anthem was born. It was among the earliest religious music to be in the vernacular.

Other reform movements going on throughout Europe featured the development of chorales (hymns) among the Lutherans in Germany and the use of the Psalms among the Calvinists in Switzerland and the north of France.

At first, instruments were only used to accompany dances or for other forms of entertainment. Using instruments to accompany vocal works didn’t become common until the late Renaissance and early Baroque.

Keep these development of the Renaissance in mind as we move into the next period of Western musical history, the Baroque.

09 - Music of the Renaissance

2012-02-06T16:00:00.000-05:00

The Close of the Medieval

By the end of the Medieval period, two composers were preparing the way for the musical developments that would happen during the Renaissance. The two composers were were Léonin and Pérotin. They were employed in succession to serve as teachers, composers and choirmasters at the Notre Dame Choir School in France. Later this school became know as the school of polyphony.

Léonin is the first known significant composer of early polyphonic music called organum. He was probably the earliest member of the Notre Dame school of polyphony. He composed music for two voices (parts).

Pérotin lived around the end of the 12th and beginning of the 13th century. He was the most famous member of the Notre Dame school of polyphony. He was one of very few composers of his day whose name has been preserved, and can be reliably attached to individual compositions. He composed music for four voices (parts) which had never been done before. His music was not well accepted at first.

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08 - Western Music to 1600

2012-02-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

The first six sessions of Music 100 has included an overview of what music is, its essential elements and the basic building blocks. During these sessions the class has had the opportunity to listen to several examples demonstrating a variety of forms and textures. In addition, the various wind, string, percussion, and keyboard instruments used in making music have been presented. We now turn attention to a historical review of music in culture with a particular emphasis on its development in the West.

For many years music appreciation classes have only covered what is loosely defined as "classical" or concert music. I suppose the reason for that is it envelopes the styles and variants that have been documented most often. In the last 25 years the trend has been to also present an overview of popular and folk music types in an academic setting. When that is done classical and popular/folk are usually presented as separate elements by first covering the history of one type and then the other. Presenting these separately can leave the impression that one is better than the other or that they are not related in some way.

Personally, I prefer to cover classical, popular and folk traditions in juxtaposition. After all, that's how they've existed throughout history. It also gives a contextual view when studying the different periods of cultural history. In essence, all of the arts are a byproduct of the predominant culture. This means it’s a development of the history of the people regardless of class or education. A culture's music is influenced by all other aspects of that culture including social, political and economic organization and experience as well as access to the existing technology. Examining music in light of these factors can prove to be more memorable because these music traditions will be taken in context.
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Link to Exam 1 for Music 100 - Spring 2012

2012-01-31T18:18:00.000-05:00

Exam 1 for Music 100 is now available for download. You may access the exam as a PDF by following this link http://www.box.com/s/lyd8p4odnnt5b03o0epk. After going to the site the document may load and display in your browser's window. At that point you should click on the Download button which be to the right of the page.

Please print the exam and complete it prior to entering the classroom on Monday, February 6. If you have an issue with being able to bring the completed exam to class at that time please communicate that issue with me by email at bsonger0001@kctcs.edu prior to the start of class.

If don't have a computer or printer of your own you may use one of the computers in the Library or Writing Center on campus.

Prof. Songer
JCTC - Downtown

07 - Other Instruments

2012-01-31T08:00:00.000-05:00

In the last session I introduced the instruments of the orchestra. This session continues by presenting the other instruments commonly used or heard in music in our country.

The Human Voice

The human voice, when used in singing, is certainly an instrument. Our voices produce sounds of different pitches when air from our lungs goes through the larynx (voice box) and the vocal chords are activated. When we want to go higher, the physical reaction is a tightening of the cords. To go lower, we relax the vocal cords so that they become more loose. A more technical description follows. The vocal cords are a vibrating valve that chops up the airflow from the lungs into audible pulses that form the laryngeal sound source. The muscles of the larynx adjust the length and tension of the vocal cords to ‘fine tune’ the pitch and tone. The basic timbre of our voices is determined by our physical characteristics. However, humans also have the ability to alter the timbre by using what can be called the articulators. These are the parts of the vocal tract above the larynx and consist of the tongue, palate, cheeks, lips, etc. They actually articulate and filter the sound that comes from the larynx. The degree to which a person coordinates the use of these articulators has some effect on modifying the timbre.

06 - Instruments of the Orchestra

2012-01-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

Knowing the three rules of music gives us the ability to analyze music more deeply while still enjoying the pleasure that listening to or creating music can yield. Now, after laying out some of the basic aspect of music as well as some of the physics of tone, we’ll launch into a discussion of the various instruments we have in this world. We’ll start with the instruments of the orchestra.

05 - Dynamics, Timbre, and Organization the Primary Elements

2012-01-24T16:00:00.000-05:00

Dynamics is the term used to refer to the amount of loudness in music. In printed music the markings for dynamics are indicated by symbols that are abbreviations for Italian words. The illustration (below) shows the range of dynamics, the markings that are used and the Italian words that they represent.

Sometimes the word volume is used for dynamics. Technically speaking, however, the correct term is dynamics.

Beyond the basic dynamic levels, the sound may gradually change in the process of singing or playing a song or other musical work. When a singer gradually gets louder it is referred to as a crescendo. When a singer becomes gradually softer (decreases) the result is called a decrescendo. Again, these are musical terms using the Italian language.

04 - The Primary Elements of Music: Harmony (part 2)

2012-01-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

Harmony ---

In the third class session I presented the time-keeping aspects of music, rhythm, and the components that make up rhythm -- beat, meter and tempo. In that session I also talked about melody, another one of the primary elements of music. Now we consider harmony. As we do we’ll cover more terms. Those terms include:
1. Harmony
2. Chords
3. Major and minor
4. Consonance and dissonance
5. Cadence
6. Texture

When you hear two sounds (pitches) at the same time, it is called harmony. When a couple of crickets of different sizes are “doing their thing” at the same time you hear harmony. It may not be the best harmony but it is, no less, harmony. In fact, when the harmony sounds stable or pleasing to our ears it is called consonant. When the sounds tend to be harsh or clash it is called dissonant.
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03 - The Primary Elements: Rhythm and Melody (part 1)

2012-01-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

Rhythm ---

Rhythm is an essential element of music. In the third meeting of the class we observed how rhythm is measured and used in music.

Rhythm is the term musicians use to talk about the flow of music through time. Since all music moves through time it contains rhythm. The rhythm may be regular or irregular but we tend to enjoy it best when it’s regular.

Though rhythm is the term to denote the flow (movement) of music through time, it is composed of several aspects. Let’s look at those aspects now.

02 - The Music of Our World & My Music Rules

2012-01-11T16:05:00.000-05:00

Music in Our World ---

The class was exposed to the music of John Williams on Wednesday as I began making the point regarding the importance of music in our world. That which was heard in class is very familiar to most of us. It was the “Main Title Theme” from Star Wars. Williams is primarily known for the compositions used in movies such as Star Wars, Indiana Jones, ET, Super Man, and the Harry Potter movies. Not only did he compose for Hollywood but he also conducted the Boston Pops Orchestra from 1980 to 1993. He is probably the most popular and successful American orchestral composer of the modern age and is the winner of five Academy Awards and at least 17 Grammys.

You can read more about Mr. Williams at this website.

http://www.johnwilliams.org/reference/biography.html

01a - Link for Syllabus

2012-01-10T08:02:00.001-05:00

The Class Syllabus for Prof. Songer's Music 100 class at JCTC is now available to download. Click on the following link to get a PDF version of the Syllabus. The link will be active from January 10 through February 8, 2012.

https://files.me.com/bnsonger/1acgkr

I'm looking forward to seeing you in class on Wednesday. Please be prepared for a short quiz covering information I provided in Monday's class (January 9).

Prof. Songer
JCTC - Downtown

01 - Introduction to Music 100

2012-01-09T20:57:00.002-05:00

This is the Blogspot site for class members of Music 100 at Jefferson Community and Technical College as taught by Byron Songer. Classes for the Spring 2012 semester should mark this page and follow it at least twice weekly and more frequently if necessary. The date range for the semester is January 09, 2012 - May 4, 2012. The spring classes taught under my direction are as follows:

MUS 100-5505 • Intro to Music (Lecture) • M/W 12:00pm - 1:15pm
MUS 100-5507 • Intro to Music (Lecture) • M/W 1:25pm - 2:40pm
MUS 100-5509 • Intro to Music (Lecture) • M/W 2:50pm - 4:05pm

25 - Film, TV, Broadway, and New Age

2011-11-29T11:48:00.001-05:00

Neo-Classical styles in Film, TV, Broadway (also includes a brief overview of New Age music)

Modern Classical Music

Heard as scores (soundtracks) for movies, television shows, and musical theater
Has remained generally typical over the past 70 years

normally uses full orchestra
based on concepts fully developed in the late Romantic

Diverse

conventional instruments
electronic instruments
computer-generated aspects

Often complex

classic tonality (major, minor, chromaticism)
influences from World music, Jazz and Pop styles

Traditional and non-traditional forms
Melody and harmony are preferred over timbre and rhythm (the contrary was true of early 20th Century Music

Neo-Classical Music

Return to structures/aesthetics of the past

forms of previous periods retained
some augmentation of established forms

Possible traits

balance of consonance and dissonance
order and structure definable
varied instrumentation
transparent texture
traditional Sounds

Not all music is as abstract

many composers returned to practices of the past (maturity?)
traditional styles used but with new adaptations
balance between innovation/style and acceptance

Neo-Classic Composers

George Gershwin (American Opera)
Richard Rodgers (Broadway)
Leonard Bernstein (Composer/Director)
Henry Mancini (Television, Movies)
Andrew Lloyd Webber (Broadway)
John Williams (Movies)

George Gershwin (1898-1937)

American
Popular and classical genres
Collaborated with elder brother on Broadway
Best known works

Rhapsody in Blue (1924)
An American in Paris (1928)
Porgy and Bess (1935).

an opera for an all-African cast
setting is costal Carolinas
Jazz elements used in the music

Richard Rodgers (1902-1979)

American composer
900 songs and 43 Broadway  musicals
Music for films and television
Partnerships with lyricists

 Lorenz Hart
Oscar  Hammerstein II

First person to win

Emmy
Grammy
Oscar
Tony
Pulitzer Prize for Composition

Known for the Following

Oklahoma! (1943), Carousel (1945), State Fair (1945 - film), South Pacific (1949), The King and I (1951),  Victory at Sea (1952 - documentary series), Cinderella (1957), Flower Drum Song (1958), The Sound of Music (1959)

Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)

American conductor, composer,  author, music lecturer, and pianist
Long tenure as the music director  of the New York Philharmonic
Wrote symphonies, ballet music,  operas, chamber music, and  other concert and incidental music
Tremendous success of West Side Story remained unequaled by his other compositions

Henry Mancini (1924-1994)

American composer, conductor  and arranger
Best remembered for film and  television scores
Record number of Grammy  Awards (20), plus a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously in 1995.
His best-known works include:

the jazz-idiom theme to The Pink  Panther film series
composed themes for Peter Gunn,  Newhart and Remington Steele  television shows
“Moon River” from Breakfast at Tiffany’s, “Days of Wine and Roses” from the 1962 film Days of Wine and Roses, “A Time for Us” from the 1969 movie Romeo and Juliet

Partnered with Doc Severinsen on many albums

Andrew Lloyd Webber

Born in 1948
English composer of musical  theatre
Composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of variations, two film scores, and a Latin Requiem Mass
Seven Tony Awards, three Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, seven Olivier Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2006
“The Music of the Night”  from The Phantom of the  Opera, “I Don't Know How  to Love Him” from Jesus Christ Superstar, “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina” and “You Must Love Me” from Evita, “Any Dream Will Do” from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, “Pie Jesu” from Requiem, and “Memory” from Cats have been widely recorded and were standalone hits

John Williams

Born in 1932
American composer, conductor,  and pianist
Career spans almost six decades
Composed recognizable film scores including the Star Wars saga, Jaws, Superman, the Indiana Jones films, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Hook, Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List, Home Alone movies and the first three Harry Potter films

Chip Davis

Born in 1947
Composer, successful innovator  and music entrepreneur
Creator of the group, Mannheim  Steamroller
Originator of New Age

mixing pop music with classical and rock styles
effected country music
rejuvenated Christmas music

Has toured the US in December for past 28 years
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas was released in 1984, and the group’s subsequent Christmas music albums have sold tens of millions of copies and become among the most popular recordings in the New Age genre.

New Age Music

Music of various styles
Intended to create:

artistic inspiration
relaxation
optimism

The harmonies are generally:

modal
consonant
include a drone bass

The melodies are often:

repetitive
create a hypnotic feeling
sometimes employ nature sounds

Pieces of up to thirty minutes are common
Vocal arrangements are rare
New Age music was influenced by a wide range of artists from a variety of genres
Often sold in bookstores and gift shops in addition to traditional music outlets

Prof. Songer
JCTC - Downtown

24 - A Musical Timeline

2011-11-17T09:30:00.001-05:00

Ancient Greece (800 - 400 BCE)

Pythagoris develops theories on pitch relationships of musical tones

Doctrine of Ethos - music possessed moral qualities and could affect character and behavior

Aristotle - music imitates state of the soul; you are what you listen to
Plato and Aristotle - education should include the proper kinds of melody, to create desirable qualities in citizens.

Pythagoras develops theory on acoustical ratios - the link between pitch (intervals) and numerical ratios
Greek Instruments

Lyre (strummed strings), used in the worship of Apollo and for singing or recitation of epic poems
Aulos (reed instrument with two pipes), used in the worship of Dionysys and to accompany great tragedies of the classical age

Medieval (475 - 1400 AD)

Historical Event

Fall of Holy Roman Empire
Development of Feudal System

Major influence: Roman Catholic Church
Primary type: monophonic, one melodic line, music was modal with no sense of a “tonal center”
Composers: Anonymous priests and monks
Genres: chants sung without instruments and in free rhythms
Standard form of chant developed under authority of Pope Gregory
Leonin and Perotin notate chants
Instruments were crude, music was mainly vocal or choral

Renaissance (1400 - 1600)

Historical Events

Birth of DaVinci
Columbus sails to "East Indies"
Protestant Reformation

Major influence: Liturgical (sacred), rise of the secular
Primary type: polyphonic, two or more independent lines; music is modal in tonality
Composers: Des Prez, Tallis, Palestrina, Gabrielli
Genres: motets (sacred), madrigal (secular)
Other instruments are developed, often played in groups called consorts
A standard method of music notation develops over time

Baroque (1600 - 1750)

Historical Events

Jamestown Settlement in Colonial America
Cristofi develops piano

Major influence: Balance of sacred and secular
Primary types: highly developed polyphonic, homophonic texture develops, major and minor tonality evolves
Composers: Vivaldi, Corelli, Purcell, Telemann, Bach, Handel
Genres: Opera (Greek Tragedies), oratorio and cantata, chorales and anthems, sonatas and fugues, concerto and concerto grosso emerge
More instruments are developed, orchestras are formed using strings as the foundation (90% strings, 10% woodwinds or brass
Continuo important for accompaniment (keyboard and bass instrument), organ music for performance flourishes

Classic (1750 - 1820)

Historical Events

Vienna becomes the center of the "musical world"
Declaration of Independence
Revolutionary War
Adoption of US Constitution

Major influence: Secular of more importance
Primary type: homophonic compositions are predominant, music becomes less complicated
Composers: Haydn, Mozart, CPE Bach, Beethoven, Schubert
Genres: Opera buffa emerges; sonata and symphony forms develop with both being single movement works
Yet more instruments are developed, orchestra begins to expand with early forms of woodwinds and brass (75% strings, 25% woodwinds, brass and percussion)
Use of continuo becomes extinct, instrumental music becomes common, piano becomes the principal keyboard instrument, patronage system begins to decline

Romantic (1820 - 1900)

Historical Events

Napoleonic Wars in Europe
Civil War in the US
Louisiana Purchase

Major influence: Secular music is more important
Primary type: homophonic compositions dominate, music becomes more personal, emotional, programmatic
Composers: Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Schumann, Verdi, Mendelssohn, Wagner, Tchaikovsky, Liszt
Genres: Most music forms extended, emphasis on melodies and themes and cyclic forms, harmony begins to employ use of chromatic
Mature instruments are developed, orchestra is expanded with more and wider range of woodwinds, brass, percussion (50% strings, 50% woodwinds, brass, percussion)
Opera becomes “music drama”, ballet evolves from opera, concerts by virtuoso performers become popular

20th Century

Historical Developments

World War I
World War II
Korean Conflict
Cold War
Vietnam War
Assassinations or political leaders
Civil Rights Movement

Major influence: Secular music is most important
Primary type: homophonic (atonal) experimentation, styles become divergent, started by impressionism
Composers: Debussy, Schoenburg, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Gershwin, Copland, Bernstein
Genres: Chromaticism expands, dissonance becomes common, forms evolve
Many composers immigrate to the US, begin attempt at developing an American style deploying dissonance and multi-rhythms, maverick spirit develops
Concerts appeals to traditionalists or avant-garde
Romantic movement dies out as modernist and serialist trends emerge
Classical style impacted by electronics and jazz
Resurgence of interest in classical styles leads to neoclassic styles
Traditional forms and textures are modified for contemporary uses

Musical Theater in America

Minstrels Shows, touring throughout the country
Vaudeville, replaces minstrelsy, singing acts as well as others
First motion picture with synchronized sound produced (The Jazz Singer)
Broadway Theater, plays with music, considered "light" opera by some
Musical Movies, based on Broadway shows
Standalone Concerts by popular acts

Popular Music in America (1850 - 1955)

Historical Developments
Many songs written by Stephen Foster
Growth of Tin Pan Alley in New York City, center of the burgeoning popular music industry
Edison develops method of recording and playing music
Development of Radio helps spread folk and popular music trends, stations dependent on local groups for programming
Stations in different cities specialize on locally-favored music
WSM's Grand Ole Opry becomes popular
Country music becomes a widely-accepted genre
Swing (jazz for big bands) develops

Popular Music in America (1955 - 2000)

Nashville becomes the music center of the US in mid-50's
Rock and Roll develops with roots in American styles, originally not in the mainstream of American popular style
British band styles migrate to the US
Many genrés develop, each influenced by other trends
Nashville Sound emerges
Motown (Detroit and influence of Berry Gordy, Jr.)
Trends tend to morph into other styles every decade or so

Soul
Rhythm & Blues
Easy Listening
Hard Rock
Acid Rock
Soft Jazz
Alternative
Fusion
Gospel
Hip Hop
Rap
Indie styles

Prof. Songer
JCTC - Downtown

23 - Popular Music in America Since 1960

2011-11-14T21:25:00.001-05:00

The Nashville Sound

Created a genre of wider appeal
Preserved much of traditional attributes
Move from “hard country” to “modern country”
Instrumentation expanded
Studio recording sessions
singers and core group
background instruments layered on

Nashville Sound Performers

Hank Williams, Sr.
Kitty Wells, Patsy Cline
Carter Family
Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton
Jimmy Dean, Roy Clark (Country on TV)
Willie Nelson & Waylon Jennings
Randy Travis, Ricky Skaggs, Charlie Pride
Brooks & Dunn, Garth Brooks

Popular Music with African-American Roots

Motown

Detroit in 1960’s
Berry Gordy, producer

Motown Artists

Gladys Knight and the Pips
Diana Ross and the Supremes
Stevie Wonder

Black Gospel
Rhythm & Blues

Primarily sung by women accompanied by jazz group
Traditional R & B was singing to a boogie woogie piano style
Different from R & B of today

Soul

Replaced Motown

Soul Artists

Ray Charles
Ike & Tina Turner
Aretha Franklin
James Brown

Rock

Originally a combination of R & B and Country & Western
Began as “antiestablishment” music
Black and white styles

Rock

A form of popular music – further development of rock & roll
Prominent vocal melody accompanied by guitar and drums
Many styles also use keyboards such as organ, piano, or synthesizers
Rock music usually has a strong back beat.

Dick Clark

Philadelphia business man and perpetual teenager
Pushed Rock to the top
Every major artist,  regardless of race, made appearances
Performers did lip-sync to maintain broadcast quality

The British Invastion

Groups

The Beatles
The Rolling Stones
The Who
Pink Floyd

Strongly Influenced Future Rock Bands
Primarily appealed to whites
Served (Mostly) Urban Whites

Merger of Styles

Influenced by American Rhythm & Blues

Everly Brothers
Buddy Holly
Chuck Berry
Little Richard

Woodstock 1969

Began as a three-day arts  and music festival
Turned into a "happening"
Exemplified the counter- culture of the 1960s
Many of the best-known musicians of the time appeared

Sub Genrés of Rock

1950s

Rockabilly

1960s

Folk rock
Psychedelic
Acid rock
Fusion (Jazz rock)

1970s

Soft rock
Blues rock
Heavy metal
Progressive rock
Punk rock

1980s

Hard rock
Alternative rock

1990s

Grunge rock
Britpop
Indie rock

2000s

Merger of pop and funk
Rap
Hip-hop

New Technologies and Rock

Sound Amplification

Studio Manipulations
Synthesizers
MIDI
Sampling
Mixing

Genrés

Acid rock
Blues Rock
Folk Rock
Gospel Rock
Industrial Rock
New Wave
Punk
Southern Rock
Metal

History of Hip-Hop

Both a cultural movement and a genre of music developed in the Bronx in the 1970s, predominantly by African Americans.
The lifestyle of the culture has spread around the world.
Includes breakdancing, urban graffiti, and style of dress.

Stylistic Elements of Rap

Heavy beat, based on loops produced by drum machines or samples from other music
“Scratching” is typical as a backbeat done by the “DJ”
More emphasis on bass (low) sounds
Rhythmic style of chanting and rhyming called emceeing or “rapping” (also “MCing”)

Rap in the 21st Century

Gangsta rap became a major part of American music, causing significant controversy
Explicit lyrics were perceived as promoting violence, promiscuity, drug use and other forms or questionable behavior
Hip-hop considered less harsh or violent in comparison to Rap

Present Day Rock

Rap & hip-hop:

50 Cent
Snoop Dogg
Kanye West
Nelly
Eminem/D12

R & B (updated)

Mariah Carey
Usher
Alicia Keys

Hip-hop is generally regarded as the most popular format of music among adults from ages 18-34.

Prof. Songer
JCTC - Downtown

22 - Music from Other Regions of the World

2011-11-11T08:22:00.001-05:00

Things to Consider

Where Western influences are apparent and not apparent
The common instruments and instrumental ensembles in these regions
Typical use of rhythms and rhythm patterns
Use of harmony, scales and aesthetic values
Melodic content: simple or complex

Classical Music of India

Classical Music

Highly Developed
Improvisatory
Melodic (Non-Harmonic)
Memorized
Virtuosic and Sensitive

Terms

Rasa
Raga
Tala
Guru

Hindustani Instruments

Sitar
Sarod
Tabla
Tambura

Karnatic Instruments

Vina
Mridangam
Sarangi

Popular Music of India

Disseminated by Cassette Tape
Music often Pirated
Influenced by Western Jazz and Rock Styles
Music often lip-synched in “Bollywood” Musicals
Ravi Shankar - famous performer on Sitar

Music in Japan

Traditional Japanese Music

Often Theatrical
Regional Variety
Goal: Maximum Effect from Minimum Resources

Styles

Gagaku (orchestral)
Kabuki (royal melodrama)

Instruments

Koto
Shakuhachi
Shamisen

Western Styles Prominent

Taught in Music Schools

Classical
Jazz
Latin

Performed Frequently

Music in Sub-Saharan Africa

Usually Found with Other Arts

Dancing
Costumes
Sculpture
Crafts
Drama

Functions

Religious
Social Activities
Entertainment
Ceremonies

Instruments

Drums
Rattles
Fiddles
Musical Bows
Xylophones
Mbiras (Thumb Piano)
Trumpets
Flutes

Popular Music

Famous Styles

Highlife
Juju
Afro-Beat

Influenced by Western Popular Music
Famous Artists

Babatunde Olatunji
Youssou N’Dour
King Sunny Adé
Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Traditional Music of Eastern Europe

Influences

Byzantine chants
Mongolian pentatonic modes
Islamic rhythms/textures

Western European musical language 
Threats to Traditional Music

Shift to industrialization
Government control of culture
Changes in national/regional boundaries
Ethnic population shifts

Music of Indonesia

Gamelan instrument

Gongs
Drums
Metal “Xylophones”

Often with poetry, drama or dance
Non-Western Scale
Found in many American Universities
Popular Music

Kroncong

“The Old Style”
From film
Patriotic
Respectable

Dangdut

Youth music
Mostly poor people

Influences

Indian Music
Kroncong
Western Pop

Jewish Music

American Jewish Composers

Irving Berlin
George Gershwin
Aaron Copland
Leonard Bernstein

Klezmer Music

Popular, upbeat
Small Band - clarinet, accordion, upright bass
Used in plays and at celebrations
Jewish tunes
Yiddish folk songs
Gentile music

Celtic Music

Artists
Altan
Clannad
Solas
The Chieftains

In Summary

Is there (or can there be) a style of music that excludes any of these elements (these elements help determine the genré?

Melody
Harmony
Rhythm
Texture
Form

Prof. Songer
JCTC - Downtown

Writing Assignment (self-guided study)

2011-11-09T09:57:00.003-05:00

Instead of attending class on November 21 and 23, you are to do self-guided study in the creation of a report related to a genré of popular music or an overview of a non-American culture’s music. The reports are to be a minimum of 500 words in length and must follow MLA (modern language association) format. (Those needing assistance in understanding MLA format should check with the Writing Center in Seminary 137.)

The papers should include information on the following:

Definition and scope of the genré
Elements of style and forms
Instruments typically used in performance
Composers and/or arrangers
Performers and/or musicians (solo or group)
Listening audience (age range or other demographic information)
Historical aspects (origins and similarities to other styles)
Two examples from You Tube (provide the URL within the text of the paper)

Suggested genrés:

Rock (and one or two of it’s variants)

Hard rock
Acid
Heavy metal
Easy listening (soft rock)
Classic rock

Reggae
Latino
New Age
Contemporary styles

Jazz
Country
Gospel
R&B

Hip-Hop
Middle Eastern (Arabic)
African
Asian

The papers must be printed and stapled. They are due no later than the beginning of class on Monday, November 28. You will receive a grade for the paper which will be used in figuring the Initiative portion of your grade and they will be used as credit for attendance for both days, November 21 and 23. Absolutely no late work will be accepted regardless of reason or excuse.

Prof. Songer
JCTC - Downtown

21 - World Music Around the Americas

2011-11-09T09:34:00.000-05:00

What to Listen For:

Pitch patterns, particularly pentatonic.
Styles in which harmony isn’t valued.
Non-Western rhythms or sense of meter.
Musical instruments and vocal styles.
Functional and ceremonial music not designed to entertain.
Music that mixes American styles with cultural styles.

Native American Music

Dissimilar from Western European
Unique:

Instruments
Functions
Aesthetics

Oral Tradition
No literacy
Great variety between Tribes
Ignored by Colonial Americans
Unknown – even today
Little (or no) influence on popular music

Styles and Context of Native Music

Music served a function in daily life
Not used as a means of entertainment separate from its function
Some words (vocal sounds) carried no meaning – vocables
Melody instruments were rare
Vocal melodies were ornamented with no concern for harmony

Assimilation and Preservation

Originally, there was pressure to enter the “mainstream” and segregate the culture – this has changed
Some indigenous American music exists though much has been lost
Native Americans tend to be multi-cultural today

Ethnic Music in the U.S. - The Nineteenth Century

English folk songs
Ireland, Germany and Scandanavia
Italy, Poland, Greece, and other Eastern European countries
China and Japan (on the west coast)
Asia and former states of USSR
Rural Europeans became urban, (concentrated) ethnic Americans
Immigrants – a strong market for recordings of music of their homeland
Tastes often modified by experiences in the “new world”

Examples of Ethnic Music

Reggae
Salsa
Bossa Nova
Tex-Mex
Mariachi
Cajun/Zydeco
Klezmer

Reggae

From Jamaica 1950s
Connected to

Rastafarianism
Black Nationalism
Social Reform

Substyles

Ska
Rocksteady

Artists

Jimmy Cliff
Bob Marley
Bunny Wailer
Peter Tosh

DJ was integral

Precursor to rap
Merged with hip-hop

Latino

Salsa (Latin jazz), chachachá and mambo (Cuba)

Ruben Blades
Tito Puente

Bossa nova (Brazil)

Antonio Carlos Jobim
Joäo Gilberto

Tex-Mex (Texas and Mexico)

Little Joe Hernandez
Texas Tornados

Mariachi (Mexico)
Traditional (mostly local) ensembles

Cajun/Zydeco (Louisiana)

Cajun

Mostly Whites,
French Language
Instruments

Fiddle
Accordion

Zydeco

Mostly Blacks
French Language
Instruments

Accordion
Electric Guitar
Electric Bass
Drums
Washboard

Music of South America, Mexico and the Caribbean

Indigenous folk music
Spanish-language folk styles
Folk instruments
Church/missionary influence
Music schools
European art music accepted
Nationalism

Latin American Instruments

Wind Instruments
Reed Flutes
Ocarinas
Panpipes
String Instruments
Violins
Guitars
Bass Guitars
Harps  
Percussion Instruments
Maracas
Claves
Guiros
Castanets
Bongos
Congas
Xylophones (and marimbas)
Steel Drums

General Qualities of Latin Music

European harmonies
Simple and repetitive, but layered for complexity
Rarely chromatic
Melodies of limited range
Little improvisation (except where African-influenced)
Clear, regular phrases
Usually major and/or minor tonality
Syncopated, percussive rhythms

Prof. Songer
JCTC - Downtown

20 - Classical Music in the 20th Century (part 2)

2011-11-05T11:15:00.003-04:00

Bela Bartók (1881 – 1945)

Hungarian
Ethnomusicologist
1. Preserved folk songs of Hungary
2. Did field recordings
3. Used Hungarian folk melodies in his compositions
Extended his interest to other parts of Europe/Africa
Representative Works
1. Mikrokosmos
2. Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta
3. Concerto for Orchestra
4. 6 string quartets
5. 3 piano concertos

Minimalism Movement

Seeks great effect from minimal material
Began in 1960’s
1. Philip Glass
2. Terry Riley
Reaction against serialism
Traits
1. Extensive repetition
2. Slow, subtle changes
3. Rhythm
4. Chords

Traditional Trends Return

Not all music should abstract
Many composers returned to practices of the past (maturity?)
Traditional styles used but with new adaptations
Balance between innovation/style and acceptance

Neo-Classical Music

Return to structures/aesthetics of the past
1. Forms of previous periods (Romantic, Classic and Baroque)
2. Using some modern developments and trends in tonality as well as Jazz
Possible traits

Control
Order
Emotional restraint
Minimal instrumentation
Transparent texture

Ralph Vaughn Williams (1872 – 1958)

Prolific English composer

Symphonies
Chamber music
Opera
Choral music
Band music
Film scores.

Collector of English folk music

Influenced editorial approach to the English Hymnal

Included many folk song arrangements set as hymn tunes
Influenced several of own original compositions.

Truly American Composers

Charles Ives (1875 - 1954)

Great innovator in music
Highly successful businessman

Felt great freedom to compose
Substantial resources

Style

Based composition on American things
Complex (performers and audiences)

Representative Pieces

4 Symphonies
200 Songs
Tone Poems
Three Places in New England
The Unanswered Question
2 Piano Sonatas

Aaron Copland

Merged classical and vernacular styles
Innovative but built on concepts of past
Organized new music concerts
Sources

Cowboy songs
Mexican songs
Church music
Jazz/Blues

Works

Ballets

Billy the Kid
Rodeo
Appalachian Spring

Patriotic Music

Fanfare for the Common Man
Lincoln Portrait

Movie Music

Red Pony
Our Town

Other American Composers in the Classical Traditions

William Grant Still (African American)
George Gershwin (both classical and popular)

Prof. Songer
JCTC - Downtown

19 - Classical Music in the 20th Century (part 1)

2011-11-01T14:15:00.002-04:00

Characteristics of “Modern” Classical Music (1900-1965)

Diverse
Conventional instruments
1. Traditional techniques
2. Unconventional techniques
Unconventional instruments
Often complex
1. Blurred tonality
2. Longer melodies
3. Difficult, puzzling forms
Timbre and rhythm over melody and harmony

Impressionism: Early 20th Century Music

Style adapted from French painting philosophy
1. Monet
2. Renoir
Reaction against intellectual German music
Favored delicate instruments
1. Flute
2. Harp
3. Strings

Claude Debussy (1862 – 1918)

French
Rejected traditional practices
Influenced by
1. Painters
2. Poets
3. Gamelan music of Indonesia
Excelled at works for piano and orchestra
Pianist for Tchaikovsky’s patroness
Well-known music of Debussy
1. Le Mer
2. Claire de Lune

Maurice Ravel (1875 – 1937)

French
Expanded traditional practices
Musical characteristics
1. Required a lot of the performer
2. Virtuosic
Excelled at works for piano, voice, chamber groups and orchestra
Estate earns more royalties than that of any other French musician.
Well-known music of Ravel
1. Pavanne
2. Pictures at an Exhibition

Experimental Music

Avant-garde composers in every generation
1. Experimental works
2. Varying degrees of success
Two types of composers
1. Uses proven techniques
2. Wants to develop original techniques

Igor Stravinsky (1882 – 1971)

Russian
Became American citizen
1. Style contributions
2. Rhythmic complexity
3. Innovative orchestration
4. Original uses of tonality
5. Reinvention of other material
  - Baroque and Classical forms
  - Jazz
  - Russian folk melodies
Representative Works
Ballets
1. The Firebird
2. Petrushka
3. The Rite of Spring
Opera, The Rake’s Progress
Chamber work, The Soldier’s Tale
Opera-Oratorio
1. Oedipus Rex
2. Symphony of Psalms

Atonal Music and Serialism

Atonality
1. Literally means, “No tonality”
2. Alternative to major and minor keys
Serialism
1. Uses the 12 tones in a fixed row
2. No traditional scales
3. No traditional chords
Row may be altered
1. Reversed
2. Upside down
3. Transposed
4. Combinations of the above (i.e. reversed and transposed)

Arnold Schoenberg (1874 – 1951)

Austrian
Became an American citizen
Early works post-romantic
Style
1. Disjunct melodies
2. Small ensembles
3. Irregular phrases
4. Complex and fragmentary sound
5. Controversial
Representative Works
1. Verklärte Nacht
2. Five Pieces for Orchestra
3. Pierrot Lunaire
4. Variations for Orchestra
5. Opera, Moses and Aaron

Electronic Music

Began in 1950’s
1. Invention of magnetic tape recording
2. Musique concrète
  1. Altered speed of tape
  2. Reversed tape
  3. Splicing of tape
  4. Synthesizers
  5. Computer-generated music
  6. MIDI (musical instrument digital interface)

Edgard Varèse

French (came to America)
Promoted experimental music
1. Conducted
2. Wrote articles
3. Participated in classes and seminars
Lifelong interest was in science and technology
Representative Pieces
1. Hyperprism
2. Octandre
3. Intégrales
4. Ionization
5. Déserts
6. Poème Électronique
7. Ecuatorial

Chance Music

Also called indeterminate music
Performer is allowed to create:
1. Randomness
2. Chance elements (think of dice, etc.)
3. Improvisation
Large-scale structure provided by composer
Pieces never performed the same way twice

John Cage (1912 – 1992)

Known for original ideas
Prepared piano with:
1. Items (screws, paper, erasers, etc)
2. Placed on strings inside a grand piano
3. Made sounds like a full percussion ensemble
Chance music
1. Less control for the composer
2. Accept what you get
3. Multiple radios simultaneously playing on stage
4. 4' 33" of “Silence” performance in which audience, theater, and surroundings create the “music”.

Prof. Songer
JCTC - Downtown

18 - Jazz in America, Part 2

2011-10-27T22:21:00.002-04:00

Post-World War II

Jazz begins to change
No longer restricted to:
- New Orleans
- Chicago
- Swing
New forms emerge, a sense of yearning for new experiences (a part of forgetting the time of war).

Bebop

Jazz Combo Instrumentation
Imaginative/clever use of chords
Virtuosic
- Complex
- Intense
- Fast tempos
Grew from Jam Sessions
Artists
- Dizzy Gillespie, trumpet
- Thelonious Monk, piano
- Kenny Clark, drums
- Charlie Parker, sax

Cool Jazz

Name taken from Miles Davis’ album: The Birth of the Cool (1949)
Compared to Bebop

Softer
More Relaxed
More Accessible (easier to understand for most people)

Artists
- Miles Davis (early works)
- Modern Jazz Quartet
- Dave Brubeck
- Gerry Mulligan
- Stan Getz
- Chet Baker

Smooth Jazz

Less Intense
Easy Listening
Artists
- David Sanborn
- Kenny G
- George Benson
- Grover Washington Jr.

Prof. Songer
JCTC - Downtown

17b - Jazz in America, Part 1

2011-10-24T22:43:00.002-04:00

Historical Events of 1910 to 1955

World War I
Increase in Immigration from Eastern Europe
Women’s Suffrage (right to vote)
Prohibition and It's Repeal
Radio, offers access to entertainment in the home
Broadway Musicals (musical theater)
Stock Market Crash and Great Depression
New Deal (Franklin Roosevelt, President)
Industrialization and Return of Prosperity
World War II on Two Fronts, Europe and Pacific
Peacetime Prosperity
Korean Conflict
Nuclear Arms Raise and Cold War
Birth of Rock-n-Roll

Ragtime

Sounds like marches for piano
In 2/4 meter
Catchy melodies
Two rhythm patterns

steady beat in left hand (bass and chords)
syncopated rhythms in right hand
(melody and supporting harmonies)

Joplin: “Maple Leaf Rag”

Blues

Texts about personal hardships
Musical features

a a b form in 12 measures
Established progression of chords
Strophic with several verses
Instruments sometimes adds “breaks” in lines

Bessie Smith, Empress of Blues: “St. Louis Blues”

Beginnings of Jazz

Jazz had a variety of ancestors - blues, ragtime, etc.
Was not written down, improvised
First appeared in New Orleans funeral bands
Moved “up the river” to St. Louis and Chicago and then New York by 1920's

Elements of Jazz

Treatment of Melody - is done with sense of freedom
Interesting Harmony - in general, rapid movement of other parts
Heavy Use of Syncopated Rhythm - emphasis occurring off the beat
Interesting Timber (tones) - mixture of tones, muted trumpets, saxophones
Form (verse/chorus)
Improvisation (requires an understanding of techniques to compose and perform at the same time)

Types of Jazz

Dixieland
Boogie-woogie (jazz for piano)
Swing (written and improvised for use in a large band)

Types of Swing

Sweet Swing

No Improvisation
Rhythms only lightly “swung”
Not considered “true” jazz by many connoisseurs.
Artists

Guy Lombardo
Lawrence Welk

Hot Swing

Improvisation Featured
Heavy Swing Style
Sophisticated Arrangements
Artists

Benny Goodman
Duke Ellington
Count Basie
Stan Kenton

Glenn Miller (King of Swing)

Most popular big band of the “swing era”
Unique sound of clarinet on melody doubled by sax and three saxes in harmony
Born: March 1, 1904
Disappeared and presumed dead: Dec 15, 1942

Prof. Songer
JCTC - Downtown

17a - Music in the United States 1850 - 1950 - Part 2

2011-10-24T22:09:00.001-04:00

In today's class lecture I continued looking at some historical aspects of American music. One thing that makes it somewhat difficult to discuss American music is that there are so many varieties. And, as if that weren't enough, these varieties change over time and even evolve into new genrés.

Popular Music with African-American Roots

Black Gospel
Rhythm & Blues

Primarily sung by women accompanied by jazz group
Traditional R & B was singing to a boogie woogie piano style
Different from R & B of today

Spirituals and Blues

Tone bending - to add “feel” to the song
Began as distinct performance practice of the genré
Blues - secular counterpart of the spiritual
Intent was to “lift the spirit”
Text could be mournful or melancholy

Negro Spirituals (historical name)

Sacred texts
Simple structure
Easily remembered
Verse/chorus form with call/response
Text tends to focus on the future, not the present
Began as slave songs when used with “field hollers”
Bending/sliding notes in performance
Became famous around the world after being notated and printed

Fisk Jubilee Singers performed them in tours to Europe
See http://www.negrospirituals.com/ for more information

Blues

Secular version of the Negro spiritual
Predated development of Jazz
Influenced many other folk styles

Boogie woogie (jazz for piano)
Rock
Zydeco (Cajun culture)

Analysis of Blues

The text

Three-line poetic stanza
First line usually repeated
Contrasting third line
Form is - a a b

Musical form

Regular pattern of chords
Certain pitch in the scale are altered and called the blue notes (flatted seventh)
Tone bending enhances the “blues” feeling, similar to moaning

This video shows 12-bar blues being sung at a faster tempo. The words are also more upbeat. However, the chord structure remains as the traditional 12-bar format as does the structure of the text.

Black Gospel [(Blues + Jazz) + Religion = Black Gospel]

Vocal solo emphasized
Physical and emotional
Theatrical at times
Musical skill required for accurate performance practice
Syncopated
Embellished
Calls for response
Cross-over artists starting in Gospel and moving to popular genrés

Edwin Hawkins Singers
Aretha Franklin
Sam Cooke
Little Richard

Thomas A. Dorsey – father of modern, black gospel music

Music director, Chicago’s Pilgrim Baptist Church from 1932 until the late 1970s.
Former blues performer
Well-known songs

“Take My Hand, Precious Lord” performed by Mahalia Jackson, a favorite of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
“(There'll be) Peace in the Valley” performed by the Carter Family and later by Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley and others. Sung at funeral of Lyndon B. Johnson.

Traditional White Gospel

Austere (straight)
Both classical and folk styles exist
Four-part harmony emphasized
Early composers

Thomas Hastings
William Bradbury
Lowell Mason

Led to development of Southern Gospel

Emphasis on quartet
Simple structure like folk music
Differentiated from other, evangelistic music which may be for choir or vocal solo

Gospel Music Today

Often racially mixed
All styles exist

Country & Western
Rhythm & Blues
Heavy Metal

Performance practices similar to pop music
Commercially viable - GMA Dove Award

Listening – beyond the lyrics: To develop the best understanding and appreciation for any musical composition, listen for the following:

Rhythm
Melody
Harmony

Prof. Songer
JCTC - Downtown

16 - Music in the United States 1850-1950 - Part 1

2011-10-20T20:50:00.000-04:00

The three major categories of music that exists in our world may be defined as folk, classical and popular.

Reviewing the Categories of Music
Folk Music -
All cultures have some form of folk music, music developed by the inhabitants of an area where music has been passed on from generation to generation through the oral tradition. This type of music is closely related to the traditional uses of music in these areas and reflects the traditional culture of its region. Folk music is built on the traditional scales or tones that have existed for thousands of years in a region. Of course, folk music only uses acoustic instruments. Because of the way it is passed on it is, generally, of a simple nature avoiding melodies, harmonies, rhythms, and texts that are difficult to memorize.

Classical Music (also called Art Music) -
While composed by people, classical music is considered the music of the educated; those that have received special training and exhibit an innate ability with respect to creating or performing music. Classical music, by intention, doesn’t particularly reflect a specific culture but does reflect the best practices universally accepted across a broad range of a particular era. It tends to be somewhat complex in comparison to folk music. Most frequently it is written with the intention of being studied or played by highly skilled musicians.

Popular Music -
Almost an American phenomena, popular music’s existence is driven by the opportunity for economic reward. Song writers, performers, publishers, distributors, concert managers, and retail establishments are a part of the popular music economy that are a part of the music enterprise. Popular music, though it appeals to a broad range of people, tends to its many genres accepted under sociological implications. These involve economic status, age range, ethnic environment, region, and level of education.

The United States as it looked in 1850

The United States as it looked in 1900

With the growth of the United States of America came changes in musical tastes partly because of the variety of nationalities making up the US population and the regions in which they lived.

Popular Music

Broad appeal and listener base
Developed to be commercialized
- broadcast
- published and distributed
- sold
Transcends many boundaries

Common Traits of Popular Music

Simple and tuneful
Singable
Repetitive
Three (or less) chords — I - IV - V
Strong beat and regular meter
Clear phrases
Easily recognizable
Today – effective marketing is critical to achieving success
Do not remain popular (on the charts) for a long time
Few survive to become “standards”

American Popular Music Scenes

Tin Pan Alley
Country & Western
African American-Influenced
- Blues
- Gospel
- Motown
- Rap
Pop/Rock

New York and music of Tin Pan Alley was pervasive from 1880 to 1960 –

Vaudeville – 1907 to 1932
Broadway musicals – 1920’s to present
Films with synchronized music – 1927
Nightclubs – the “Big Band” era
Radio and recordings
Concerts

Vaudeville Shows featured -

Singers
Dancers
Comedians
Jugglers
Animals
Child Performers
Dramatic Sketches

Vaudeville Drifts from Popularity and Replaced by the Broadway Musical

An American art form
The musical play is not Opera
National tours of Broadway hits allow others to see musical theater of high quality
Examples
- Porgy and Bess
- The Sound of Music
- The Music Man
- West Side Story
- Carousel
- Camelot
- A Chorus Line
- Cats

Example: I Get a Kick Out of You

Here’s a rendition of lead song from a 1934 Broadway musical. This version was recorded by Frank Sinatra in the 1950s. By then the song was better known than the musical from which it came. This version is very similar to other swing music of the late 1940s and 1950s.

Radio and Early Recordings

Invention of the term “Hit”
Folk styles preserved through studio recordings
Fame possible for obscure artists
Aided the spread of Jazz
“Live” radio variety programs

Country Music’s Roots

Hillbilly
Cowboy Songs
Western Swing
Bluegrass
Grand Ole Opry
Nashville Sound

Bluegrass Music

Mountain Music
Instruments
- Acoustic guitar
- Fiddle
- Mandolin
- Bass Fiddle
- Banjo
Artists Then
- Bill Monroe
- Lester Flatt
- Earl Scruggs
Artists Now
- Alison Krauss
- Nickel Creek
- Nashville Bluegrass Band

Example: The Crow

Steve Martin, Bela Flek and Tony Trischka join to play banjo music in the Bluegrass style on a 2009 performance with David Letterman. Pay particular attention to the “clawhammer” style of playing and the tonal differences in the sounds of the three banjos. Though constructed of similar materials, they each of a distinctive sound. Fiddle and guitar are also heard in this video. The tune, by the way, was written by Steve Martin himself.

Prof. Songer
JCTC - Downtown