Music History 11/9 Flashcards
American Music History
As a young country, it had no cultural past. Had to draw upon European culture.
Composers at the time studied in Europe and were romanticists who came on the scene too late. Were overshadowed by greater composers of Europe
American
Edward MacDowell was 19th Century ___ composer with some name recognition
19 Century American Composer
Edward MacDowell
Americans, American
____ were inferior as musicians and composers, ___ style of writing was needed.
American Impressionists
The music scene switched from German Romanticism to French Impressionism - American composers began to be noticed - with a new kind of music, comparisons were not so apt to be made
Charles Griffes
___________ was most prominent of American Impressionists
American Impressionism
Noted for White Peacock and Poem for Flute, Charles Griffes
Charles Ives
Did not have fame until after his death but is considered father of American music. First original voice of American composers
Charles Ives
Born in Conn, father was a musician who challenged his son and family musically.
Charles Ives
Studied at Yale with Horatio Parker
Charles Ives
Was not a musician by vocation but owned an insurance company. Wrote music on weekends.
Charles Ives
Conductors would not play his music, scoffed at it. Stopped composing at 44 after illness, many years later his music first gained attention in Europe. Concord Sonata gained him recognition.
Charles Ives
Began music to be popular, his third symphony was awarded Pulitzer Prize in 1947. Then 2nd symphony was performed 50 years after it was composed
Charles Ives
Made use of hymns, folk, and popular songs indigenous to America
Charles Ives
Subjects were American. 4th of July, Central Park in the Dark, Three Places in New England, etc
Charles Ives
Influenced by childhood experiences like two bands in a parade playing in different keys and tempi (Putnam’s camp)
Charles Ives
Used polytonality, atonality, clusters, and polyrthyms
Charles Ives
One of the first to write without bars or time signature
New Music in America
New music began to be promoted in our universities and by conductors in the 1920’s. This gave composers more exposure to public and hence more acceptance.
New Music in America
Music scene shifted from Vienna to France. American composers went to France to study.
Nadia Boulanger
Who did composers study with in France?
Nadia Boulanger
Most prominent teacher in France
Nadia Boulanger
Pupils were Copland, Harris, Piston, Thomson.
Copland, Harris, Piston, Thomson
these composers found recognition in the 30’s but there were still some who were not interested din neoclassicism. These were the experimentalists.
Edgard Varese
Born in Paris, came to US in 1915.
Edgard Varese
Founded international Composer’s guild to perform new works, gave American Premier of Pierrot Lunaire