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Ben Franklin invented this intriguing and difficult instrument, which supported his ideology that America needed to produce art before claiming to have a taste for it.
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1st truly American songbook- American songs by American composers, printed on paper made in America
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The Star Spangled Banner is a poem written by Francis Scott Key, as the author watched Fort McHenry get attacked by British boats during the War of 1812. The poem was later set to the tune of a drinking song, is known for being difficult to sing due to the leaping melodic line, and was named America's national anthem.
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A part of the Indian Removal Act, the Trail of Tears was a part of the forced relocation of thousands of Native Americans, in which the people had to walk this trail on a dangerous journey resulting in thousands of deaths for reasons such as disease, illness, and starvation.
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A spectacular show created by PT Barnum starring Jenny Lind (AKA The Swedish Nightingale). The show created a market for solo opera arias (specifically popularizing the Italian opera) through the solo female singer. She became a phenomenon through brilliant marketing strategies including charity donations, newspaper articles, merchandise sales, and by creating artificial mobs buying tickets for her shows.
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A composition for piano designed to sound like African-American banjo playing at the time.
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Recorded negro melodies/spirituals to help preserve them/prevent them from being forgotten. This was the first time they were recorded in written form, as the vocals used non-Western intonation/variations and thus were difficult to notate on sheet music.
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Was completed during the Gilded Age, a time of classical music complication and glorification. Tchaikovsky conducted the grand opening, showing that America was still looking to Europe for musical ideals.
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One of the first pieces by a female composer to gain attention, the symphony was a response to Dvorak's New World Symphony.
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One of the most famous piano rags, known for its infectious rhythms.
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Handy is considered the "father of the blues," and this song is significant because it was the first published song to be recognized as blues music, inspired by other music heard with the flatted 3rd and 7th and establishing the form of 12-bar blues.
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Escapism, focus on sociopolitical statements.
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"Lafeyette" by Joseph Falcon
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Price was the first black woman to have her music performed by a major US orchestra.
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Copeland was inspired by Mexican dance music
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Originally sung by contralto Kate Smith
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Anderson was denied a stage to sing on while performing in the US because of her race, so she sang a public, outdoor concert, which resulted in her performing for a live crowd and radio audience larger than would have been held in a concert hall.
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A very modern jazz song at the time, which emphasized soloists, was too fast to really dance, and started pushing jazz in the direction of bebop.
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Originally recorded by Guthrie in 1944, written in 1940
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A poem that was adapted into a gospel song that became an anthem for the civil rights movement with the sentiment that G-d will help and that the black people would prevail.
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Folk music from the Appalachian Mountains developed for concert stages.
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Written by Alan Lomax, who travelled around the USA trying to record and learn about the folk songs of different regions and how they connected or diverged from each other. His work resulted in the recording and preservation of numerous songs and styles, which he felt was important to education. He described folk songs as "continually varying performances."
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Drew more attention to prepared piano, explored the possible sounds and textures a single instrument could convey.
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First coined the term "Rock and Roll" as a radio DJ- when playing R&B for white audiences, he didn't want to use the term R&B, so he called it rock and roll instead.
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Broadway premier!
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An example of modal jazz, in which the chord changes are determined by the soloist; this song was important to defining modal jazz as it's own genre.
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This song was important due to its overall popularity and for pushing the boundaries of rock music- it was heavily produced and densely orchestrated and used the classical techniques of lament bass and additive polyphony.
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A proactive and innovative album, it is considered the first concept album and featured music produced in ways that it couldn't have been performed live.
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Based on the song "Good Times" by Chic
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A collaborative song presented in a music video that features both groups, and is meant to send a message of unity, acceptance, and that hip-hop music belongs in American culture and is "here to stay."
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An American opera that shows Adam's strong minimalistic style at the time.
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Premiere!