American Vernacular Music: October 2015

This week's reading focused on the foundation for American popular music. The opening of chapter one discussed what genres that are considered forms of American popular music. The genres of American music have shaped the way that different regions of the country listen to music across the United States of America. In the begging of the chapter the music process is covered. How the music of early America has evolved into the music that we enjoy today. Music elements that cause a song to be hit can include the groove of the music and how it makes the listener feel. The riff or hook of the song can create a memorable phrase that immediately grasps the listener and makes them enjoy the music over and over again.

Music technology has also made the way we enjoy music very different than our ancestors. Printed music helps spread music into homes through catalogs and even jingles that were printed in newspapers. With inventions of wax rolls and records, it made music in the home even more enjoyable. When listening to music today there are many choices for the listener from MP3 or other audio files. Games also have helped revive some music that was popular and fell into obscurity. Music has become a major business all over the world. Making money for many people that don’t play a musical instrument themselves.

The sources of popular music in America has its root in Europe. During the revolutionary war, the start of popular music began with English folk ballad. Famous traditional melodies such as Greensleeves and Barbra Allen were popular. These two particular songs have lasted the test of time with audiences and are still listen to today. In 1960, Jean Ritchie performed Barbra Allen a capella with the influence of the traditional of the Appalachian hill country singers. While she was not a popular musician, her style influenced many other popular musicians after her. Most people gained their knowledge of music from pleasure gardens in 1650 through 1850, which are very similar to the modern theme park.

With the progression of American music the role that African Americans was instrumental to popular music in America. Black spirituals were a major part of the lives of slaves in the United States. It gave them the power through music to worship and organize their own formal spaces for worship. Through this music, there would be many other types of music that African American would create and be enjoyed by all Americans. The Banjo would have a major role in the progression of American popular music. Coo Coo by Dink Roberts would use are mixture styles that would predate the blues. The song contained lyrics along with banjo, this style would be shared with the call and response of black spirituals.

Latin American music would also develop and have influence from the Latin culture mixed with other cultures of the United States. Dances called the contradanza and habanera had its influence on American Music. This would lead to the creation of the tango and Carlos Gardel who would become the superstar of the tango. Latin American music also would contain strong roots in African Music. In Mexico, the mariachi music would be a popular form of music in the south-west and through Mexico.

The minstrel show would be the first music entertainment to be considered purely American. This featured white performer in blackface, which at the time was socially acceptable. This style of show did progress American popular music, but it was at the cost of the African American people. This tradition has not carried on due to the racial insensitivity. During this time, the first pop songwriter would emerge. Stephen Foster’s melodies can still be heard today and they are just catchy as they were when they were introduced to the public. Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair has a hook and a melody that has plenty of movement. His rise as a popular songwriter was due to his music being published and performed in homes around the country.

Brass Bands would find their way into popular music during this time and their importance would make sure every town had a band. One of the great bandleaders John Phillips Sousa would set the path for future performers. With his band, he would tour the country and while touring he would compose some of the most famous melodies that bands still perform today. One of his most famous The Stars and Stripes Forever would become the United States National March. He would also be one of the first musicians to receive royalties for the music that he had composed.

With popular music becoming more of business, it would give birth to Tin Pan Alley. On 28th street in New York City, there would be clanging pianos playing songs in various keys. Tin Pan Alley influenced the popular music through printed music and they would have some of the best teams of composers and lyricist writing new music all the time. Vaudeville acts would help to promote the music written in Tin Pan Alley through music hall shows and minstrelsy. After the Ball written in 1892 would be a mega-hit and would sell over 5 million copies. They would sell even more sheet music after a Sousa Band performance of After the Ball.

Ragtime music would emerge in the 1880’s and represented a more intimate engagement with African American music techniques. The term “rag” meant the piece of music was uneven or syncopated which was influenced by Latin American Music. One of the ragtime era greatest composers was Scott Joplin and he help to popularize ragtime through his piano arraignments. Tin Pan Alley also used similar rag styles techniques to spice up it music for the public.

In 1877, there would be a major change in the way people enjoyed popular music. Thomas Edison and Charles Cros would create the Phonograph. At first, these were not viewed as musical listening devices. They were a chance to preserve a different type of history. Records would evolve from the wax rolls and change the way the American public listens to popular music. With this new technology, it would change the way people made music and businesses that produce music.