The American composer and pianist, Louis-Moreau Gottschalk (1829 – 1869), was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, one of the most culturally diverse areas in America during his time. His father, Edward Gottschalk, was of German-Jewish heritage, and his mother, Aimée de Bruslé, was a Creole of French-Roman Catholic background. The Bruslé family had fled from Haiti to New Orleans because of the rising slave rebellion. Also, his maternal Grandmother Bruslé and Sally, her African-American nurse, were originally from Saint-Dominque. The cultures of Gottschalk’s family resulted in his mixed heritage. His family background most likely triggered an interest in him to travel and tour many places during his musical career. He travelled to places including France, Switzerland, Spain, as well as the West Indies. All of the areas he visited influenced his music in some way.
Gottschalk’s unique blend of exotic cultures was key to perpetual fame during his time. By examining the compositions Bamboula (Op. 2) and Souvenir de Porto Rico (Op. 31), I will demonstrate how Gottschalk’s musical style represents an integration of Creole, New Orleans, West Indian, and Afro-Caribbean backgrounds he was exposed to throughout his life.
Gottschalk was a child prodigy, showing astonishing musical abilities at a young age. His father, against his mother’s wishes, sent him off to study music more intensively in Paris. During his time in Paris, Gottschalk studied piano with Charles Hallé, Camille Stamaty, and later studied composition with Pierre Maleden. Paris was just the beginning of the many places where he would compose some of his finest works.
Bamboula, one of Gottschalk’s early solo piano works, is part of a set of four pieces called the L...
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For centuries, music has been defined by history, time, and place. To address this statement, Tom Zè, an influential songwriter during the Tropicália Movement, produced the revolutionary “Fabrication Defect” to challenge oppression as a result from the poor political and social conditions. On the other hand, David Ramsey discusses, in mixtape vignettes, the role of music to survive in New Orleans’ violent setting. Furthermore, “The Land where the Blues Began”, by Alan Lomax, is a film and perfect example to understand under what musical conditions profound ways of communication are made to stand the hard work of cotton plantations. As a result, music plays a crucial role in the sources’ cultures and its creation relies on particular conditions such as the social
Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe, more commonly known as Jelly Roll Morton, was born to a creole family in a poor neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana. Morton lived with several family members in different areas of New Orleans, exposing him to different musical worlds including European and classical music, dance music, and the blues (Gushee, 394). Morton tried to play several different instruments including the guitar; however, unsatisfied with the teachers’ lack of training, he decided to teach himself how to play instruments without formal training (Lomax, 8). ...
Nearly a century’s worth of compositions has earned Aaron Copland extensive recognition as the foremost American composer of his time. Ironically, Copland was raised the son of Russian Jewish immigrants and inhabitant of a colorless city environment, yet would become known for producing the music of “rugged-souled Americans” (Mellers 4). Unbounded by historical musical constraints such as those present in the culture of France, where Copland studied for many years, Copland found himself free to explore and experiment in pursuit of a unique, undoubtedly American sound.
Though the two differed in many ways, the were both chock full of musicality. A key difference between the two is the style of music they both held. New Orleans was a city of a multitude of musical styles, while Vienna remained a well known city for classical music. New Orleans streets would fill with parades and musical performs all over the city. As the documentary mentioned, after Louisiana became American controlled, an influx of newly freed African Americans began calling New Orleans their home. This brought on new styles of African and Caribbean music in addition to spiritual songs from the south. These new styles were not accepted by with upper class of New Orleans. White descendants of the French and Spanish who lived in New Orleans adopted the term “Creole” in order to distinguish themselves from the influx of new American’s for whom they disdained. Creole’s were classically trained and participated in local orchestras in New Orleans, lending to the multitude of musical styles of the city. Creoles soon became second class citizens along with blacks, and thus a new music was born. The influence of the Creoles classically trained music, along with the multitude of different styles, created a music of freedom and liberty. Together African Americans and creoles transformed music as it was known, creating jazz, a quintessential
On Halloween weekend, 2009, I had the opportunity to attend a major music festival in New Orleans – Voodoo Experience. Prior to this assignment, I had no intention of going to this event. However, as I began to piece together my topic and goals for this project, this became my best opportunity to experience what I have set out to understand. The purpose of this music-culture research report is to chronicle Jewish music in New Orleans – specifically the New Orleans Klezmer All Stars. I gave up the typical Halloween experience in order to seek out a band that seemed to be the ultimate blend I was looking for – a Jewish klezmer band that is distinctly New Orleans. In addition to this show, I was able to enjoy many great bands playing at the festival. I also make a point to catch the headlining bands, Jane’s Addiction and Kiss, both of which put on great shows.
Music nurtured the African American tradition and their struggle towards equality in the same century.... ... middle of paper ... ... Greensboro, N.C.: Morgan Reynolds Pub. Carter, D. (2009).
The author also makes a short analysis of two Boston publications associated with the evangelist Jacob Knapp that present the tune WARRENTON as a popular revival tune. Both of these publications refer to the female Pilgrim (31-32). Moreover, these two publications present the tune in three-part harmony with the melody in upper voice, which reveals the format for revival hymnals around that time. The author states that the tune WARRENTON found popular acceptance in the Northern version with the female pilgrim text, while the Southern version used the text “Come, thou fount of every blessing.” (33).
Throughout early American history, musical repertories have shown traces of how painful and agonizing the experiences that African American’s had dealt with during the Slave era and how painful and tragic the transition was. This a moment in African American history in which developing a new culture was a difficult process, due to the fact that they were previously stripped away from their homeland and were forced to adapt a new way of life. Spirituals were introduced throughout the culture of African American Slaves as a new form of musical expression who had converted to New World
The history of Jazz music is one that is tied to enslavement, and prejudices. It Is impossible to separate the development of Jazz music from the racial oppression that occurred in the United States as they are inextricably connected. Slavery was a part of our country’s development that is shameful and yet, lead to some of the greatest musical advances of the twentieth century.
“How Musical is Man?” was published in 1974. This book was written by John Blacking, a musician turned social anthropologist. His goal in writing this ethnography, and several other papers during this same time period, was to compare the experience of music-making that takes place within different cultures and societies throughout the world. In this book, he discusses and describes the musicology of the Venda people in South Africa. Though he does go to Africa to research and learn about the Venda people and their music, he specifically states that his book is “not a scholarly study of human musicality” (ix), but rather it is a summary (written from his point of view), which is both expressive and entertaining, of several different issues and ideas that he has seemingly been contemplating for some time.
The freedom and opportunity sought by Dorsey and his fellow migrants found expression in an explosion of new music in Chicago-jazz, blues, and gospel. Soon Chi...
Not only is it nearly impossible to pinpoint jazz’s conception in time, many locations are accredited with its origin, the United States allowed for jazz to start gaining popularity and leading into the change it had to the music scene. When jazz is brought up, many first think of its birth place being New Orleans, Louisiana. New Orleans has always been a big musi...
...ne of the most musically influential people in the twentieth century. A leader of modern piano, Bartok’s six string quartets have been considered the finest achievements of the twentieth century. He is one of the most remarkable rhythmic modernizers. Pushed by the love of his country’s folk music, and other musical influences to create a sound all his own.
1. "Let the Good Times Roll" talks about how important Mardi Gras is and how the New Orleanians carry out the traditions of this celebration. Chris Rose states that Mardi Gra shouldn't be canceled, and it should be celebrated fully, just like they do it every year. He also states that the state of Louisiana needs Mardi Gra in this bad time to cheer up everyone. Chris also argues that people judge this holiday based on Mardi Gras being a parade, "an alcoholic binge" or "the girls that flash on French Quarter balconies". No matter where you are, you should gather up people, go to a park, make lots of food, play music, and have a good time.
Before I take this class, the jazz music is familiar as well as unfamiliar to me. I am pretty sure that I heard jazz performance at many times, but I cannot tell what jazz is. And there was a time when I thought jazz music was belong to the upper class, however I understand the jazz music is regardless of class and race, so much even it more tends to lower middle class. In the early of 19th century, the New Orleans was owned by the French, and due to the lax management, lots of African-Americans got away from slaveholder from America’s south. They got married with French under the “mixed marriages”, therefore there were huge amount of mixed-race know as Creoles. The Creoles had the same rights with white people, they got