Introduction
During this time period, there comes the emergence of several different branches of music. The two main ones however, are going to be focused around the genres of Jazz and Blues. The roots of Jazz begin in the city of New Orleans. New Orleans is a place that is made up of a jubilant atmosphere and celebration. Music was a big thing in this city, most notably the African Drums and European Horns, because of their unique sound and vibrant deliverance of music. When these two instruments collided, there became a formation of a very peculiar blend of spirit that each withheld. People of New Orleans got together and began experimenting more and more with sounds that each instrument produced until a common rhythm and tonality that was enjoyed by many. This new musical foundation discovered in New Orleans slowly arose through endless collaborations of musicians eventually leading to what is now known as Jazz. Blues was founded in a similar way, in Mississippi, however, and it grew with the sharing of the "new genre" to locals . People would sometimes gather on a porch to sing Blues, but this hometown tune soon transformed into a widely appreciated genre of music that took over the early 20th century. There were different sub genres that had developed as well such as Swing and Gospel, which added groovy twists to their predecessors. In this era, there were so many wonderful musicians who made such profound impacts on not only music, but the American society as a whole. On top of all this, new creations and ideas ran rampant during this time in hopes of leaving landmarks that would inspire Americans to pursue and cherish music for generations to come.
Pianola (Photograph)
The picture to the left depicts something called a Pianola, which was put up for sale in America in 1898. This musical instrument was an innovative extension of the popular known Piano, which was used widely during this time. The Pianola was essentially a mechanism that allowed for the piano to be played without an actual player. Specifically, it mostly played music published from older composers such as Mozart and Beethoven, however it was not limited to this genre. The Pianola operated with imprinted paper called music rolls. Music rolls were basically made by machines which punched many tiny holes into long sheets of paper that corresponded to the notes of a composed song. The sheets were then rolled around a spool (seen in the middle of the body of the piano) which had little metal openings in the tube, resembling something like a harmonica. The idea was that when the perforated paper would rotate around the tube, the holes indicating the notes in the paper would allow air to pass through once it got into line with the openings in the spool. The change in air pressure would in turn be enough to push the hammers inside the piano down creating a continuous series of vibrations to play out the selected song. The longer the hole along the paper was, the longer the note was held. The pianola was loved by many during this time because the production of the music didn't require the technical skill of an actual pianist. Nonetheless, it did have tools such as the two pedals seen attached to the pianola that could be controlled by the player to make the music a little more expressive.
The creation of something like this self-playing piano was really unprecedented at this time, and so it sparked interest among innovators to expand this idea into something even greater. Now a days, there is now a digital method that encompasses this process which is done via digital piano and midi software. When I first saw a pianola in action, it occurred to me the music scrolls closely resembled a program known as Synthesia, which plays back music notes on screen as each drops down onto the piano keys. It truly is amazing to see how far the music industry has come in the past century in terms of its creative ideas that make the sharing of music all the more easier.
The creation of something like this self-playing piano was really unprecedented at this time, and so it sparked interest among innovators to expand this idea into something even greater. Now a days, there is now a digital method that encompasses this process which is done via digital piano and midi software. When I first saw a pianola in action, it occurred to me the music scrolls closely resembled a program known as Synthesia, which plays back music notes on screen as each drops down onto the piano keys. It truly is amazing to see how far the music industry has come in the past century in terms of its creative ideas that make the sharing of music all the more easier.
(Primary Source)
This is an excerpt of an article from The Odgen Standard-Examiner in 1920. In this article, the writer is trying to convince the reader that music is essential to a child's life. It states that "You are naturally interested in the best development of your own child" and that in order to have your child develop in the best way possible, introducing music is key to the growth process. It is especially important to do this as they are learning more about the world because they will naturally develop a love for this art and even find joy in taking part in it. The writer also adds that once music is a part of his life, "It can never be taken from him." I totally agree with this statement because music is like an unbreakable bond that you only grow more attached to as you discover all it has to offer. After reviewing the date in which this was published, I realized that this idea of the importance of music in everyday life was really starting to take flight during the roaring 20's, and this makes sense because this was a time of celebration after the first world war had ended. It was the perfect time to "refresh" America and music would showcase this ideal through the good feelings it provides. If you look on the bottom of this article, there is sort of an advertisement that explains how the reader should go ahead and purchase a musical instrument. I found that this was particulary interesting because it led me to believe how maybe citizens during this time were kind of obligated to get involved in music is some form or fashion.
Duke Ellington (Photograph)
Duke Ellington was a very influential musician and composer during the mid 1920's. He became the conductor of a jazz orchestra named "The Washingtonians" in 1923, which was filled with many of the most talented musicians in America at the time. Ellington utilized this talent in his band by composing music that would showcase their abilities to their full potential. In addition to this, Ellington's compositions were often filled with complex chord structures that really impressed the crowds. He was a very charismatic and memorable figure that played a vital role in the development of jazz music during this time, and his band heightened the popularity of jazz by pushing it up the charts with other top hits. Ellington is known for his contributions to the music community with his stellar stage presence and piano playing always stealing the show.
Mamie Smith (Photograph)
This photograph taken in 1920 shows a band known as the Jazz Hounds. The woman standing in the middle of the instrumentalists is named Mamie Smith, and she is known for being the first African American vocalist to record the blues. The song that sparked her popularity was called "Crazy Blues" and it reached top hits in a matter of weeks. Smith was seen as a very prominent person in starting the era that was known as classic female blues. Other wise known as "The Queen of Blues", Mamie Smith paved the way for future black artists in America in regards to their involvement in recording records within the music industry. As a dancer, actor, singer, and overall entertainer, she was admired by many, and this resulted in her success as an artist. Mamie Smith's pursuit and love for the blues differentiated her among many at the time, and her actions would leave a legacy in greatly popularizing black music for years to come.