Hist Of American Music Study Guide 2

Front 1

Identify LOUIS MOREAU GOTTSCHALK, name his areas of expertise,
What is his special importance in American music history? Give 2 titles.

Back 1

Piano, composer, conductor
First internationally recognized American virtuoso performer
“The Banjo” and “The Dying Poet”

Front 2

Give the names & dates of 2 concert halls, orchestras, OR schools founded in the 19th C.

Back 2

New York Philharmonic founded 1842
Boston Symphony Orchestra founded 1881
Carnegie Hall New York 1891

Front 3

Identify AMY MARCY CHENEY BEACH and her important position in
Am.music history. *Give title and date of her most significant composition.

Back 3

Concert pianist and composer
First important American woman composer
“Gaelic Symphony” 1896

Front 4

CHARLES IVES: Describe his unique approach/attitude about music and its value.
• Give the complete title of his Piano Sonata no.2 and name each of its 4 sections.

Back 4

“The Concord Sonata 1840-1860”
I – Emerson
II – Hawthorne
III – The Alcotts
IV – Thoreau

Front 5

G. GERSHWIN: What was his goal in writing his “crossover” works?

Back 5

Aimed to combine Classical form, discipline, with American jazz and popular music flavor and rhythmic appeal
** Give titles of his 2 most famous “crossover” works and their genre.
“Rhapsody in Blue” 1924 (piano concerto: piano solo +orchestra accomp.)
“Porgy & Bess” 1935 Opera (premiered in Boston at Colonial Theatre)

Front 6

WILLIAM GRANT STILL Identify and mention his special distinction
Give 2 Classical titles.

Back 6

African American composer
Orchestra: “Afro-American Symphony”
Opera: “Troubled Island”

Front 7

JOHN PHILIP SOUSA: describe his multi faceted career (skills, etc.).

Back 7

Composer , conductor, violinist, author, activist
Give 3 titles of his specialty in music.
“The Washington Post” “The Stars and Stripes Forever” “The Federal”

Front 8

What is ASCAP? What do the letters stand for, when was it founded, what are its duties?

Back 8

American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers
1914
Copy right laws, offer legal help, collect royaltie

Front 9

What is J.P. Sousa’s connection to ASCAP?

Back 9

Helped to found the organization

Front 10

What are 2 main characteristics of piano rag music.

Back 10

Left hand kept beat
Right hand syncopation

Front 11

Identify SCOTT JOPLIN and give 2 titles of piano works by him.

Back 11

I868-1917 “The King of Ragtime” composer and pianist
“Maple Leaf Rag”
“The Easy Winners”

Front 12

What is “TREEMONISHA” ? *When was it first performed?

Back 12

Folk opera, written in 1911, performed in 1972
Wrote to have ragtime to be accepted as a serious art form but was not performed fully in his lifetime. It caused him to have stress and lead to depression and time in a sanitarium.

Front 13

FLORENZ ZIEGFELD: identify, describe his special type of shows and their content.

Back 13

Theater producer and owner, Known for his extravagant staging and settings, tableaux of beautiful women, panoramic productions

Front 14

GEORGE M.COHAN: Give brief bio information about career (early beginnings, skills)
What is the unique element of his work in theatrical music?
Name 2 shows or songs by him that illustrate this.

Back 14

(1878-1942) American actor, composer, director, writer, producer
Vaudeville act called Four Cohans with parents and sister
American vigor, brashness, and patriotic naiveté
“Yankee Doodle Boy” and “Give my Regards to Broadway”

Front 15

IRVING BERLIN: area of skill, give his life dates and 3 titles by him.

Back 15

1888-1989
Song writer
“God Bless America” “White Christmas” “Blue Skies”

Front 16

Give name and date of J.KERN”S special musical.
Give 3 reasons why this work is considered important in music theatre history.

Back 16

“Showboat” 1927
Subject matter was mature and realistic
Plot and music made references to lives/ presence of Black population
Special show-within-a-show format, action takes place over longer period of time

Front 17

Identify the GERSHWIN brothers (name, specialty of each);
Give name and date of one of their works and the important award it received.

Back 17

George Gershwin Pianist, composer, songwriter
Ira Gershwin Lyricist
“Of thee I Sing” 1931, won the Pulitzer Prize

Front 18

Name 4 sources that contributed to the origin of the Blues.

Back 18

Work songs
Field Hollers (solo call/ hollers)
Leader & chorus (call and response)
Songsters

Front 19

What is the harmonic and lyric format of the Blues?

Back 19

Lyrics: 3 lines (first two the same, third line “answers”) AAB form
Chord progression: three primary chords I -- IV I ---V IV I

Front 20

Give information about the Country Blues:
usual performers, vocal style, instrument use/styling, subject matter.

Back 20

Male Performers
Vocal style- rough, often words not clear, personal styling
Instrumental style- guitar accomp., varied personal stylings (use of bottleneck slide,
rhythmic variety, improvising.)
Subject matter – hard times, escape (train, leave), women trouble, drink, no money,
depression; (Dirty blues: raunchy sexual reference/content)

Front 21

Charley Patton

Back 21

Mississippi Dockery Plantation

Front 22

Robert Johnson

Back 22

“King of the Delta Blues”

Front 23

Jazz: What are its musical origins ?

Back 23

Ragtime and Blues

Front 24

Jazz: What city is considered the birthplace of this style?

Back 24

New Orleans

Front 25

Name and explain 2 elements of life there that contributed to the development of Jazz.

Back 25

Brass Band Tradition and Storyville (rough neighborhood)

Front 26

LOUIS ARMSTRONG: brief bio information include: instrument, performing specialty, name important recordings/ titles, later appearances, describe his legacy/influence.

Back 26

1900-1971
Trumpet
Influence in improvising, scatting, phrasing, rhythmic invention and control
“Dippermouth Blues”, “Canal St. Blues” “Ain’t Misbehavin’” “Wonderful World”
Born New Orleans
Age.12: shot off pistol, sent to Boys Home, began playing comet, became leader of
Home band, year and a half. Left and did manual work.
Age 17: met King Oliver (in Kid Ory Band) his mentor
Age 18: marriage for 3 years.
1917 Playing in bands in Storyville
1919 joined Kid Ory's band.
1924-130 Recording with Fletcher Henderson, tours
1931+ World figure touring England and Europe
1947 Formed the All Stars
1957 Visited Africa Good Will Ambassador
Carried positive aspects in personality, playing skill, openness to colleagues

Front 27

What is the makeup of a SWING BAND from the 30s/40s? (give sections & instruments)

Back 27

Brass – Trumpets and Trombones
Reeds- Clarinets and Saxophones
Rhythm- Guitar, Double Bass, piano, drums

Front 28

Name 2 Ladies who sang with Big Bands of the Swing era and later.

Back 28

Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald

Front 29

Name a famous song by one of these ladies, and describe its controversial content.

Back 29

Billie Holiday “Strange Fruit”
Song about lynching in the south

Front 30

BENNY GOODMAN, DUKE ELLINGTON.
*Name their areas of expertise, in what areas did they develop and change JAZZ.

Back 30

Goodman – clarinet, at concert in 1938 at Carnegie Hall broke color line integrated trio
Ellington – pianist, created a mood symphonic and scared jazz and created scores for African American movie directors