History of Folk Music in America
"Hillbilly" music grew out of the rich tradition of British folk
ballads, songs and hymns brought to North America by British settlers and
then adapted to the peculiar circumstances, e.g., biographical names, place
names, frontier concerns, of the North American wilderness. It is
important to remember that all of the colonies were British, from Maine to
Georgia. The exact ethnic origins of the south are difficult to determine
and not well documented. The rural south did not attract large numbers of
European immigrants in the great period of immigration (1850-1920);
however, it is certain that by 1920 there had been considerable
intermingling of a few ethnic groups (English, Welsh, Scottish,
Scotch-Irish, German, Czechoslovakian, native Indian and African).
Likewise, the ethnic origin of the music of the southern region is complex.
There were Irish jigs, English and Scottish ballads and folk songs, hymns,
etc. However, as Malone (1985:4) suggests, the end result of the musical
melting pot was a product "more British than anything found in Great
Britain today."
The 1790 census report indicates that the population of the United
States was 60.1% English, 14% Scotch-Irish and 3% Irish. These three
groups made up 78% of the total population. The White Anglo-Saxon
Protestant core culture dominated all of pre-Revolutionary America.
However, for reasons we will examine later, the southern region produced a
white and a black musical tradition which were significantly different from
the rest of the nation.
The British folk ballad is at the heart of the southern musical
tradition. Three outstanding characteristics of the Briti...
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Middle Ages, used a four, five or six note scale which did not fall within
tradition major or minor scales. The tunes were almost chants which rose
and fell in pitch - usually peaking at the middle of the song and then
diminishing. Instrumentation was usually non-existent and, when present,
not very important to the song. In the U.S., harmony was much more
important. This probably results from the importance of gospel singing.
Sources
Malone, Bill C. Country Music USA: Fifty Year History. Austin:
University of Texas Press, 1985.
Carr, Patrick (ed). The Illustrated History of Country Music.
Garden City: Doubleday, 1979.
Roebuck, Julian B. and Mark Hickson. The Southern Redneck: A
Phenomenological Class Study. New York: Praeger Publishers, 1982.
For almost 90 years, The Grand Ole Opry has withstood the test of time to become one of the tried and true traditions in country music. From the show's humble beginnings as an obscure radio program, to it's renowned place today as one of the premiere stages for music, The Grand Ole Opry has had an extremely colorful and interesting existence. Over the 88 years that have passed since the show's inception, The Grand Ole Opry has featured many talented performers. Those performers, along with social changes and economics, have all contributed to the growth and success of The Grand Ole Opry.
-The American people were hungry for new music, so they accepted the independent stations of the majors.
What comes to mind when thinking of the 1920’s? Most people think of the freedom the United States felt after World War I and that is exactly what jazz and the Charleston symbolize (Boundless.com par. 1). Jazz and the Charleston were extremely controversial in the 1920’s because they promoted a new way of thinking, which outraged the older generations (Knowles 160). Older generations did not like the fact that young people were becoming more and more daring with their actions just by playing music and dancing (Boundless.com par. 6). Today, jazz and the Charleston are thought of as out of date, but without them, music today would be completely different. Jazz and the Charleston revolutionized modern music and dance by altering the rhythm of classical music, changing the culture of American society (Boundless.com par. 1).
way in front when Old Major gave his speech. There was also gloomy music when
Native American music has many different musical styles. Within every Native American tribe there is a variety of musical styles and instruments. In response to the research that I have conducted, there are three main musical styles that are going to be my point of focus. The Sioux Grass Dance, the Zuni Lullaby, and the Iroquois Quiver Dance are the principal methods which contribute to Native American music.
American Exceptionlism is basically the idea that we are different then other countries in the world. Which I believe is false because the U.S has these rules but there not really writing down rules there just like norms that American should have. There are certain attributes that a American should have there are things you should know as a American. Now what am I talking about it could be many things such as knowing who the president is in the big chair in D.C or having a huge truck that can drive up heels. Having the U.S flag out on Memorial Day. So many things can be things that make American. What I want to solely focus on is the idea that country music is what it is to be an American and accepted in the U.S.
Looking at Lord of the Flies by William Golding, readers may notice both good and evil in each character. Golding wrote this novel to demonstrate that humans are evil and requires the constraints of society to maintain social order but Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s philosophy states that a person is naturally good but is corrupted by society. Taking place during World War II, Golding’s novel is centered around a group of British boys between the ages of six and twelve whose plane was shot down and were left to survive on an island. While on this island – away from the laws of England and the rules of the school – the boys had the freedom to act however their hearts desired but most of the boys became savage and violent proving Golding’s belief, that the evil of a person is kept in order by the restrictions of society, to be true. Rousseau’s belief is defined by the term the state of nature, which in this case, is hypothetical.
Appalachian Music Appalachee - people on the other side Folk music - What is folk music? Traditional songs existing in countries. Handed down through generations. Passes on by word of mouth, not written in musical notation. Don't know who wrote it. Melody and lyrics change as they are passed on.
part of the 16th century and continued to be used well into the 18th century.
Music is an important aspect of every society. Music can tell stories, release emotions, build bridges and break down barriers, but above all music is entertaining. There are various forms of music but not many have as rich a history as gospel music. The importance of gospel music has been relevant in American music for more than a century and its importance to society is still relevant to this day (See Appendix A). Gospel music helped slaves escape to freedom and paved the way for other styles of music. It promotes a spirit of hope and provided an outlet to worship God. So how exactly has Gospel music impacted today’s society?
...nt! The hypocrisy of this is although Hester had public humiliation Dimmesdale went through his own. There was no way to get rid of the shame in the end Dimmesdale ended up going through the humiliation in the form of pain."Such helpfulness was found in her-so much power to do and power to sympathized -that many people refused to interpret the scarlet "A" by its original signification. They said that it meant "Able": so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman's strength" She was able to deal with the society filled with hatred towards her, she was a seamstress and the town accepted her as being good at that. They were able to look past their own hatred for her and realized that she wanted to be there so she could stay there. At the beginning the “A” only stood for Adultery. As the story progressed the society finally started to accept her again through what she did.
The Holocaust, one of the most devastating moments in history. Hitler’s mass genocide of Jews and other ethnicities had left a scar in the world that would never truly heal. During a time of death and destruction, one camp held the title for most fatalities. The Auschwitz concentration camp, one of the most infamous places during the Holocaust with its bloody history forever etched into the mind of its survivors and future generations to come.
For centuries, philosophers debating human nature passionately have been all trying to reach a concise conclusion when faced with certain questions; Are we nothing more but civilized savages bearing ill will that lurks beneath the surface? Or do we enter this world as gentle spirits who become lost and corrupt along the way? They are questions that have yet to be answered, yet their themes are still heavily explored throughout human history and appear in many of man kind’s artifacts, such as art and literature. One of these examples lies within the context of Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, a story in which a band of young boys survives a plane crash and is marooned on a deserted island without adult supervision. They eventually form together under a chosen chief, named Ralph, and attempt to govern themselves, with ultimately disastrous results. The novel evokes the themes of two philosophers- Thomas Hobbes, who believed that mankind is essentially in a constant state of war and requires laws and government to dictate his behavior, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who believed that men are “noble savages” corrupted by civilization and the laws and government inherent in it. Based on the characters and plot in the Lord of the Flies, Hobbes’ belief is the correct one, as Golding depicts the boys slipping further and further away from civilized behavior and turning into savages.
In the play, Webster does not only look at the physical entrapment of the Duchess that her brothers exert on her, but also the trapping of the soul and mentality. The Duchess resembles a beautiful bird that is held in a diamond filled cage. She has access to everything she needs on a materialistic level, but she is denied freedom in any form. Her overbearing brothers are the ones who control her every move and make every decision for her. “And fearfully equivocates, so we are forced to express our violent passions in riddles an in dream…”(1.2.354-357). Her brothers, along with Bosola, are the physical demonstrations of the evil that exists. Ferdinand’s devilish traits are often seen, “He and his brother are like plum trees, that grow crooked over standing pools, they are r...
The beginnings of Jazz are thought to be born at a specific time, but there is more to the birth of jazz. Jazz music was born more or less simultaneously in different parts of the United States and had many sources for its creation. Africans have contributed a lot to the style of making music, free rhythm, and the emotion with which they interpret their folk music that was later transformed into jazz. In the new world they absorbed the harmony and the concept of the Western form and condensed the African and European musical ideas, giving a musical style that can be called African American. Jazz became a type of urban expression that began to take hold in the cafes of New Orleans in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.