CLASS 10

MUSI 432 Class 10: Between the Wars: Jazz and Popular Music Part 1

Europe and America after WWI

  • Impact of WWI:

    • More than 20 million people were killed in total, including 9 million soldiers.

    • The flu pandemic that followed (1918-1920) resulted in an estimated 50 million deaths.

  • Political Consequences:

    • The war and the Russian Revolution of 1917 led to the dissolution of significant political units in Europe:

    • German Empire

    • Austro-Hungarian Empire

    • Ottoman Empire

    • Russia

    • Nations that gained political independence include:

    • Finland

    • Estonia

    • Lithuania

    • Poland

    • Czechoslovakia

    • Hungary

    • Yugoslavia

Rise of Fascism

  • Fascism in Europe:

    • Benito Mussolini's Fascist Party took control of Italy in 1922.

    • The Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) brought Francisco Franco to power in Spain.

  • Economic Trouble in Germany:

    • The Weimar Republic established in Germany in 1919 was plagued by national weakness, heavy war debts, and eventually hyperinflation.

    • Economic and social turmoil contributed to the rise of the Nazi government in 1933.

  • Antisemitism and Artistic Migration:

    • Adolf Hitler's antisemitic policies resulted in the banning of works by Jewish composers and led to the systematic murder of millions in concentration camps during WWII.

    • Composers such as Arnold Schoenberg, Kurt Weill, and Paul Hindemith (the last of whom was not Jewish but whose work was deemed "degenerate") emigrated to the US as a direct result of German policies.

    • Russian composers fleeing from Soviet control, including Sergei Rachmaninoff and Igor Stravinsky, also immigrated to the United States.

The US and Canada in the 1920s

  • Economic Growth:

    • Post-WWI, there was a surge in political and economic power in the US and Canada.

    • The rising popular culture was driven by the availability of disposable income and advancements in technology (recording, radio, sound film) that expanded the audience for music.

  • African American Cultural Influence:

    • African American culture, especially through jazz and blues, increasingly influenced popular culture in the US and Europe.

    • The Great Migration saw many African Americans leave the South for urban centers in the Northeast and Midwest, enhancing the cultural landscape with their contributions.

The Great Migration

  • Motivations:

    • Many African Americans sought to escape segregation, discrimination, and racial violence endemic to the South during the Jim Crow era (1870-1964).

  • Scale of Migration:

    • Between 1916 and 1970, as many as six million African Americans moved northward.

    • Prior to the migration, 90% of the Black population resided in the Confederate states; post-migration, this number dropped to less than 50%.

  • Cultural Impact:

    • Included were numerous musicians who brought the sounds of the Southern culture to urban areas like Chicago, Detroit, and New York City.

    • Isabel Wilkerson’s book, "The Warmth of Other Suns," offers insights into the migration and its enduring impacts on American society.

The Migration Stimulates the Arts

  • Cultural Hub of Harlem:

    • By the 1920s, Harlem in New York City had emerged as a prominent center of Black cultural life.

    • Poet James Weldon Johnson referred to Harlem as:

    • "not merely a Negro colony or community, [but] a city within a city, the greatest Negro city in the world."

  • Artistic Contributions:

    • Jacob Lawrence created a series of paintings based on the Great Migration, accessible online through The Phillips Collection's dedicated website.

    • Musicians, including Duke Ellington, flocked to Harlem seeking artistic opportunities during the Harlem Renaissance.

Impact on the Arts

  • Artistic Development:

    • The 1920s saw an exploration of complexity in the works of writers, composers, and painters, particularly within Modernist styles.

    • The stock market crash in October 1929 and subsequent economic depression dramatically affected artistic trends.

  • Economic Impact:

    • Unemployment rates soared to as high as 33%.

    • Initiatives were launched to create jobs across various societal sectors, particularly in the arts.

  • Shifts in Musical Style:

    • Composers shifted towards more accessible styles during this time.

    • Popular music, increasingly influenced by African American artists, offered low-cost entertainment via radio broadcasts during the Great Depression.

Increased Communication

  • Technological Advances:

    • In 1925, the introduction of electric microphones improved recording fidelity, transforming the sound quality of singers’ recordings.

    • Bing Crosby was notable for embracing the new soft, direct "crooning" style.

  • Radio Expansion:

    • By 1924, there were approximately 1,400 radio stations across the US broadcasting programs nationally.

    • Duke Ellington benefited especially from national broadcasts from the Cotton Club, while Benny Goodman’s band made appearances on shows like "Let’s Dance" and "The Camel Caravan."

  • Adaptation by Artists:

    • Songwriters began composing music tailored to fit the 3-minute length of 78 rpm records,

    • Jazz and blues artists adapted their improvisational styles to accommodate these constraints.

The Golden Age

  • Musical Revue Popularity:

    • Musical revues, featuring multi-song and dance numbers around a loose narrative, became a popular form of entertainment.

  • Evolution of Musicals:

    • Musicals like Jerome Kern’s "Showboat" (1927), which placed emphasis on narrative and character development through music, gained prominence.

    • George and Ira Gershwin’s works, including "Strike Up the Band," served as political satires on commercialism and war.

    • "Of Thee I Sing" (1931) was notable for winning the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, marking a significant achievement in musical theater.

The Composers

  • Notable Songwriters:

    • Songwriters created popular songs for Tin Pan Alley publishing companies, composed scores for musicals and revues, and eventually created for Hollywood adaptations of Broadway shows.

    • Prominent composers included:

    • Irving Berlin (1888-1989)

    • George Gershwin (1898-1937)

    • Harold Arlen (1905-1986)

    • Richard Rodgers (1902-1979)

    • Cole Porter (1891-1964)

The Songs

  • Song Structure:

    • Typically, songs were structured with an opening verse or verses that set the thematic scene, followed by a 32-bar chorus often arranged in AABA format.

    • The chorus tends to showcase the most distinctive musical elements of the song.

  • Influences of Jazz and Blues:

    • By the early 1930s, songs like Gershwin’s "I Got Rhythm" started incorporating significant rhythmic and harmonic elements derived from jazz and blues.

The Blues

  • Race Records:

    • In the mid-1920s, record companies targeted Black rural audiences with “race” records, leading to increased representation of blues music.

    • Mamie Smith recorded "Crazy Blues" in 1925, marking the first blues recording by a Black singer, selling over 75,000 copies initially.

  • Pioneering Blues Artists:

    • Prominent blues artists included:

    • Mamie Smith (1883-1946)

    • Bessie Smith (1894-1937)

    • Ma Rainey (1886-1939)

    • This period’s blues, known as classic or vaudeville blues, often featured female vocalists accompanied by small combos.

    • Notable songs by Bessie Smith include "Back Water Blues" and "St. Louis Blues."

The Blues (continued)

  • Classic Blues Structure:

    • Classic blues typically adhered to a 12-bar form, with compositions frequently written by professional songwriters like W.C. Handy.

    • Lyrics were generally structured in AAB format, with each line spanning 4 bars, and the chord changes repeating every 12 bars.

    • Common chord progression:

    • IextIextIextIextIVextIVextIextIextVextIVextIextII ext{ } I ext{ } I ext{ } I ext{ } IV ext{ } IV ext{ } I ext{ } I ext{ } V ext{ } IV ext{ } I ext{ } I.

    • Songs by Bessie Smith such as "Back Water Blues" and "St. Louis Blues" are illustrative of this structure.

The Blues (continued)

  • Delta Blues:

    • Delta blues, or country blues, originates from 19th-century folk blues, typically featuring male vocalists accompanying themselves on guitar.

    • While the 12-bar form is common, the structure often allows for greater improvisation and looseness.

    • Though delta blues existed prior to recordings, it emerged on records later than classic blues.

    • Notable performers include:

    • Son House

    • Robert Johnson (1911-1938)

    • Muddy Waters (1915-1983)

    • Delta blues directly influenced Chicago blues and the rock movements of the 1960s in England.

Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington (1899-1974)

  • Importance in Jazz:

    • Recognized as the most critical jazz composer, Ellington created an extensive catalog of works and arrangements.

    • Moved from Washington D.C. to New York City in 1923, becoming an iconic figure of the Harlem Renaissance.

  • Musical Beginnings:

    • Ellington learned jazz from piano rolls of artists like James P. Johnson.

    • His first composition, written at age 14, was "Soda Fountain Rag."

    • In NYC, he initially worked at the Kentucky Club and then at the Cotton Club from 1927 to 1931, where radio broadcasts contributed to his band's fame.

The Ellingtonians

  • Key Band Members:

    • Trumpet: Bubber Miley, Cootie Williams

    • Saxophone: Johnny Hodges, Benny Webster

    • Trombone: “Tricky Sam” Nanton, Juan Tizol

    • Bass: Wellman Braud, Jimmy Blanton

    • Piano: Duke Ellington

Ellington’s Style

  • Innovative Use of Tone Color:

    • Demonstrated intense interest in tone color through mutes, a range of instruments, and combinations of instruments, creating what is known as the "Ellington Effect."

  • Harmonic Complexity:

    • Used complex, often dissonant harmonies to enhance atmospheres or provide percussive density.

  • Philosophy of Swing:

    • Noteworthy quotation from Bubber Miley: "If it ain’t got swing, it ain’t worth playin."

Ellingtonian Examples

  • Selected Works:

    • "Soda Fountain Rag"

    • "Mood Indigo"

    • "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo"

    • "Creole Love Call"

    • "Black and Tan Fantasy"

Jazz in the 1930s

  • Impact of the Great Depression:

    • The Great Depression, starting with the 1929 stock market crash, severely impacted the recording industry.

    • Audiences began turning to radio for inexpensive entertainment options.

    • Dance became an affordable leisure activity, leading to a demand for dance bands.

  • Cultural Impact of Dance:

    • Energetic dances such as the Lindy Hop offered a form of escapism during tough times.

Swing Dance

  • Origins in Black Culture:

    • Dance styles like the Lindy Hop originated in Black cultural settings such as the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem but gained popularity nationally.

  • Physical Character of the Dance:

    • Required athletic skills and creative expression, particularly highlighted by spectacular air steps performed by dancers.

  • Musical Requirements:

    • This dance style necessitated a steady 4-beat musical structure, known as swing.

Swing Bands

  • Instrumentation:

    • 1930s dance bands typically included a rhythm section (piano, string bass, drums), often with guitar as well.

    • The ensemble was supplemented with saxophones/clarinets, trumpets, and trombones.

  • Arrangement Styles:

    • Arrangers crafted elaborate harmonized sections (soli) for reed and brass instruments.

    • Many swing arrangements were complex notated charts, while some involved head arrangements based on simple riff tunes developed by the band without using written parts.