4/25/2011

HISTORY OF MUSIC: The evolution of music part 1 (4th, 5th and 6th grade)


Hi everybody!

As I promised, we are going to split the lesson for the music history in 2 parts: Classical and Modern.

Which were the steps music did in order you to listen to your favourite music today?
Which was the route for its evolution?

We will try to follow this path step by step...

- Ragtime (peak popularity years : 1897 - 1918) Ragtime music was born in N. Orleans and it was original played by black bands. It became very famous in the whole world as a combination of ragtime and classical European music  as : the Cakewalk dance. Famous classical composers back at that time, like Debussy,  created music based on ragtime.
One of the most famous composers of ragtime was Scott Joplin (Entertainer, Maple Leaf Rag etc)
 Here below you can listen to some of ragtime music videos:


Please, click the link at the right to see the video:

  



The Entertainer (1902)













 The Maple Leaf Rag (animated piano)













Debussy plays Debussy Golliwogg's Cakewalk (1913)









After Ragtime, our next stop is at 1928: The year,  Boogie Woogie was born. The ancestor of upbeat  music was a short strange music  composition called: "Pinetop's Boogie Woogie":

                                                                              


    



Neville Dickie playing Pinetops Boogie Woogie









Boogie Woogie was instantly accepted and loved and it got more and more fans all over the planet.
The origin of the term was unknown for many years, however , one of the most interesting linguistic suggestions is Dr J. Tennison's who said that Boog  and Booga in  many African Dialects means Beat as in  beating the drum.  In West African the word "Bogi" means: Dance.


Boogie Woogie got so famous, that in 1948 Walt Disney created the animated film Melody Line  including the Boogie Woogie variation of Rimsky Korsakov's "Flight of the Bumblebee", performed by Freddy Martin and his orchestra:







Disney and Freddy Martin - Bumble Boogie, 1948








This song is still one of the most famous Boogie Woogie music ever performed. Listen to this video with  a modern version performance:


Boogie Woogie : Jools Holland - "Bumble Boogie"








The period  1948 - 1950 is the time we had a new transition- a new evolution in the Music History.
Boogie Woogie, evoluted into Rock ' n ' Roll.


Chuck Berry, is considered one of the pioneers of Rock 'n ' Roll music. 
With songs such as: Maybellene, Roll over Beethoven and Johny B. Goode,  he introduced the new beat, Rock 'n' Roll  to the whole world:




Chuck Berry - Maybellene (live 1958)


Roll Over Beethoven - Chuck Berry


Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry



Johny B. Goode has been covered by many famous artists, some among them are John Lennon, Eric Clapton, ACDC, Guns 'n ' Roses, Green Days etc - also included in the movie "Back to the Future".






Marty McFly with the Starlighters "Johnny B. Goode"











Green Day "Johnny B Goode" cover







In 1986, Chuck Berry was inducted into the Rock ' n ' Roll Hall of Fame.
In 1999, "Johny B Goode" was inducted into the "Grammy Hall of Fame"  for its influence as a rock ' n ' roll single.
In 2008, the magazine "Rolling Stone" placed it at #1 on their list of the "100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time"



Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode w/ Bruce Springsteen and the the E Street Band - Concert in Hall of Fame








One of the most famous early pioneers of Rock ' n ' Roll Music is,  Jerry Lee Lewis AKA: "The Killer".  He was the first performer inducted into the Hall of Fame. His song: "Great Balls of Fire"  considered an epic composition:




Jerry Lee Lewis Great Balls of Fire
















Great Balls of Fire - the movie






As a pianist, "The Killer" Jerry Lee Lewis always complained because he had to sit down during his shows.
 Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash suggested him to stand up. Jerry Lee accepted their advice. 
So he started to kick the chairs, to go up on the keyboards and even to burn pianos...







Jerry Lee Lewis - Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On (1957)











HOMEWORK:



1 link for Ragtime music
1 link for Boogie Woogie music
1 link for a song from C. B or J.L.L
1 link for a cover from one of the above  rock ' n ' roll composers











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