Music 26: “Sweet Georgia Brown” (1925) – Ben Bernie & Maceo Pinkard

Describe the origin of the nickname 'Tin Pan Alley'

originated in the late nineteenth century when a visiting journalist remarked that the sound of pianos from various commercial music publishers on 28th Street in New York resembled a bunch of tin pans being clanged together.

role of song pluggers in the music publishing industry.

sell sheet music by demonstrating songs to potential buyers, illustrating the music for those who weren’t pianists

Define the term 'Tin Pan Alley' in the context of music.

physical location in New York where music publishers operated and the type of popular music that was published there and in other U.S. cities

How did song pluggers adapt their strategies for selling music over time?

cultivated relationships with star performers, persuading them to include new songs in their performances, and later targeting radio conductors to perform new pieces on air

What incentives were offered to performers to promote new songs?

free copies of the song, free drinks, gifts, and even cash to encourage performers to sing new songs

notable composers who worked as song pluggers in Tin Pan Alley.

Lillian Hardin Armstrong, Fletcher Henderson, James P. Johnson, Vincent Youmans, Jerome Kern, and George Gershwin

impact of commercial radio on the music publishing industry after World War I.

weekly radio broadcasts to perform new pieces, enhancing the promotion of new music

significance of the pianos in the front offices of music publishers

helped customers try out sheet music before buying it, and allowed song pluggers to demonstrate the music

How did the dispersal of music firms in the 1920s affect the term 'Tin Pan Alley'?

many music firms began to disperse to other parts of town in the 1920s, but the term 'Tin Pan Alley' continued to be used for decades to describe popular music.

Who was Ben Bernie and what was his relevance to song pluggers?

one of the targets for song pluggers, as they sought to promote new songs through his radio broadcasts.

early career of Bernie as a musician

started as a violin performer in vaudeville before being inspired to pursue a conducting career after hearing Paul Whiteman's jazz-orchestra ensemble.

significance of the Hotel Roosevelt for Bernie’s orchestra

first venue to hire Bernie’s ensemble to perform in its ballroom

How did Bernie’s speaking voice contribute to his success with NBC?

helped him gain recognition when NBC was looking for an orchestra for its first broadcast, enhancing his appeal with an 'easy-going, witty microphone manner'.

connection between Bernie and the first nationwide broadcast by NBC.

Bernie and the Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra connected to NBC’s first nationwide broadcast on November 15, 1926, via remote pickup, marking a significant moment in their career

impact of Bernie’s NBC debut on his career?

led to coast-to-coast fame and increased popularity for him and his orchestra

What role did Bernie’s group play in the early days of radio programming?

one of the earliest jazz bands to perform in regional radio programming, which helped establish their reputation before the NBC broadcast.

relationship between Paul Whiteman and George Gershwin?

Whiteman was the director who inspired George Gershwin to compose 'Rhapsody in Blue'

Maceo Pinkard's career before moving to New York.

built his career in the Midwest as a theatrical agent

impact of 'Sweet Georgia Brown' on jazz music

one of the most frequently recorded tunes in jazz, with hundreds of recordings following its initial success

significance of the year 1925 for 'Sweet Georgia Brown'?

year it was recorded and became a major hit

Composer of 'Sweet Georgia Brown'

Maceo Pinkard, an African-American composer from West Virginia

contributions of Kenneth Casey to 'Sweet Georgia Brown'.

credited as a lyricist, although his reputation as a songwriter rests solely on this song.

contributions of Maceo Pinkard to musical theater.

wrote the book for the 1922 musical 'Liza', which was a sequel to 'Shuffle Along', and arranged music for various jazz bands.

uncertainty surrounding Ben Bernie's role in 'Sweet Georgia Brown'

uncertainty about whether Ben Bernie was a composer or a lyricist (he was a co-writer)

the hemiola effect used in 'Sweet Georgia Brown'

emphasizes every third beat in a common-time meter, creating a contrasting triple-meter pulse despite the typical danceable rhythm

modulation technique used in the chorus of 'Sweet Georgia Brown

each of the four phrases shifts to a key that is a perfect fifth lower than the preceding phrase, creating a unique harmonic progression

structure of 'Sweet Georgia Brown' contribute to its musical complexity?

homorhythmic patterns and a hemiola rhythm, along with key modulations that challenge musicians, making it both bright and complex

role of the circle of fifths in understanding 'Sweet Georgia Brown'.

illustrates the key changes in 'Sweet Georgia Brown', allowing musicians to trace the modulation from one key to another by moving counterclockwise around the circle

What innovative aspect did Bernie introduce in the performance of 'Sweet Georgia Brown'?

hemiola passage in the introduction, emphasizing every third beat while maintaining a common-time meter

rhythmic characteristics of 'Sweet Georgia Brown'.

riff-focused melodies and a hemiola rhythm, which creates a unique interplay between the expected common-time feel and a contrasting triple-meter pulse

significance of the phrase structure in 'Sweet Georgia Brown'?

each phrase modulates a key a perfect fifth lower, adds to the song's distinctive qualities and presents a stimulating challenge for jazz improvisation

structure of the chorus sections i

multiple parts labeled A, A’, b, and c, with varying lengths and key shifts. Each chorus features different instrumentation and rhythmic elements, such as muted trumpets and saxophones in harmony

use of muted trumpets contribute to the overall sound in the choruses

distinct timbre and texture, often leading melodies or providing fills, which enhances the harmonic complexity and rhythmic drive of the choruses

role of live music in early film screenings as mentioned in the content.

accompany silent films, masking the noise of projectors and enhancing the viewing experience, as early cameras could only capture images without sound.

interludes in the music guidepurpose?

provide transitions between choruses, like descent and ascent to maintain the flow of the piece.

define 'Charleston' rhythm

syncopated, lively rhythm commonly associated with the Charleston dance, which adds a playful and energetic feel to the music

instrumentation used in the choruses of the music guide

trumpets, saxophones, woodwinds, and clarinets, with specific roles such as leading melodies, providing harmony, and creating countermelodies.

How does the coda function in the overall structure of the piece?

concluding section that extends the final phrase of the music

significance of the solo breaks in the choruses?

allow individual instruments, such as woodwinds or saxophones, to showcase their unique sound and improvisational skills, adding variety and interest to the performance.

concept of heterophony

involves multiple musicians playing variations of the same melody simultaneously, creating a rich and textured sound, as seen in the saxophone solo sections.