American Music History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

American Music History - Essay Example This first part of the book also illustrates how more cultured music began developing in America through the formation of singing schools as a means of improving the music used in church and then how music began expanding to become more secular in nature as it emerged as a primary source of entertainment. Part two examines America’s shift to a more European form of musical expression in the addition of various complexities such as harmony and multi-instrumental pieces despite a continued love for earlier musical forms in the country and singing schools. Music became more varied as well, as minstrel shows featured white people mimicking the songs of the African American slaves and concerts grew in popularity. Soloists were fewer but remained popular, often touring the country to provide entertainment. From the culture of mixed musical sounds grew entirely new forms of musical expression such as ragtime, mountain music, honky-tonk, swing, jazz and the blues, which is the primary topic of the third part of the book. The country’s love for much of jazz music led to the formation of the Big Bands, which became popular during the 1930s and necessitated the creation of arranged tunes instead of the earlier improvised versions and the diversification of jazz overall. Part four highlights the influence of Latin dances on the American music scene and the ways in which country-western merged with jazz and the blues to create rock and roll. Motown, Soul and the British invasion through the Beatles and the Rolling Stones are included in this part of the book. Punk, New Age, Grunge, Rap and the introduction of electronic instruments are also discussed in this segment. Part five turns its attention to the entertainment aspects of America’s musical scene in things such as Burlesque, Vaudeville, operettas, revues, Broadway and the American musicals. The incorporation of music into almost all of America’s popular