music acadeca

Jazz spread

recordings + crossed into theater, radio, film + influenced classical composers

Music Definition

Sound organized in time requiring perception + intention

Sound Waves

Amplitude controls loudness; frequency controls pitch

Pitched vs Non-Pitched Sound

Pitched sounds have regular frequency; non-pitched sounds do not

Instrument Classifications

Sachs-Hornbostel system: chordophones, aerophones, membranophones, idiophones, electrophones

Western Instrument Families

Strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion, keyboards

Pitch Definition

Highness or lowness of sound determined by frequency

Octave

Pitch distance created by doubling frequency

Half Step vs Whole Step

Half step is smallest interval; whole step equals two half steps

Staff + Clefs

Treble, bass, + movable C-clef define pitch placement

Grand Staff

Two staves used for piano: treble + bass

Overtones

Additional faint frequencies above fundamental pitch

Equal Temperament

Octave divided into twelve equal semitones

Chromatic Scale

All twelve pitches within an octave

Enharmonic Pitches

Different names for same pitch

Major Scale Pattern

W-W-H-W-W-W-H

Minor Scales

Natural, harmonic, + melodic

Blues Inflections

Lowered or bent 3rd, 5th, + 7th scale degrees

Melody

Single line of successive pitches

Contour

Overall shape of melody

Conjunct Melody

Movement by steps

Disjunct Melody

Movement with frequent leaps

Range vs Tessitura

Range is total span; tessitura is most-used area

Rhythm Organization

Beat, tempo, + meter structure music

Beat

Steady underlying pulse

Tempo

Speed of beat

Meter

Grouping of beats

Syncopation

Accent on weak or unexpected beats

Harmony

Simultaneous combination of pitches

Common-Practice Tonality

Major/minor key system dominant 1650–1900

Triads

Three-note chords built from stacked thirds

Dominant Function

Creates tension resolving to tonic

Form in Music

Large-scale structure of a piece

Theme

Primary musical idea

Variation

Repetition with alteration

Twelve-Bar Blues

Standard blues harmonic pattern

Improvisation

Spontaneous creation during performance

Blues Origins

Rooted in African American experience + traditions

Country Blues

Solo performers + regional styles

Classic Blues

Professional singers with accompaniment

Bessie Smith

Empress of the Blues

Jazz + Blues Relationship

Jazz adopted blues scales, forms + expression

New Orleans Jazz

Collective improvisation + polyphony

Storyville

New Orleans district fostering early jazz

Great Migration

Musicians moved north spreading jazz

Chicago Jazz

Smaller groups + featured soloists

Louis Armstrong

Shifted jazz focus to solo improvisation

Hot Style

Jazz emphasizing rhythmic drive + virtuosity

Swing Foundations

Early jazz elements leading to swing era

Duke Ellington

Expanded jazz harmony + orchestration

Count Basie

Big band leader emphasizing rhythm section

Fletcher Henderson

Architect of early big band jazz

Jazz on Broadway

Jazz rhythms integrated into musical theater

Shuffle Along

Breakthrough Black Broadway musical

Charleston Dance

Dance tied to jazz rhythm + youth culture

White Broadway Adoption

Jazz style absorbed by white composers

Jazz Song Form

Popular songs shaped by jazz harmony

Jazz as Subtext

Jazz signaling identity + emotion

Show Boat

Integrated jazz into serious musical theater

Radio’s Role

National spread of jazz through broadcasts

Jazz Standards

Songs widely known + frequently performed

Jazz in Film

Silent + early sound films incorporated jazz

The Jazz Singer

Early sound film featuring jazz performance

Jazz Ballet

Fusion of jazz rhythm + classical dance

European Jazz Interest

Jazz embraced by European composers

Milhaud

Fused jazz with classical idioms

Concert Jazz

Jazz presented in formal concert settings

Gershwin

Blended jazz + classical forms

American Sound

National musical identity shaped by jazz

Copland

Used jazz rhythm + American themes

Chamber Jazz

Jazz elements in small classical ensembles

Ravel

Integrated blues style into classical structure

Jazz Piano

Classical piano repertoire influenced by jazz

French Composers

Jazz-inspired modernist styles

Conclusion

Jazz reshaped American + global music across genres

Timeline

Chronological development of blues + jazz

Glossary

Key music terms + definitions