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American Composers. The Music of Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, & George Gershwin. Elements of American Music. The use of jazz styles such as Dixieland, rhythm and blues, rag, swing, and bebop. Experimentation of sounds. Use of American folk tunes, cowboy songs, and Latin rhythms.
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American Composers The Music of Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, & George Gershwin
Elements of American Music • The use of jazz styles such as Dixieland, rhythm and blues, rag, swing, and bebop. • Experimentation of sounds. • Use of American folk tunes, cowboy songs, and Latin rhythms. • The American Musical dealing with American topics and lifestyles.
Aaron Copland (1900-1990) • Lived in Brooklyn, New York. • His sister taught him how to play the piano at the age of 10. • Studied music in Paris at the age of 20 with Nadia Boulanger.
While in Europe, Aaron noticed that jazz was an American music that was becoming popular. • Began to use jazz rhythms in his music along with the modern techniques of the day. • He traveled to Mexico and liked the music of the Mexican people. • He included pieces of Mexican folk songs in his piece El Salón Mexico.
El Salón Mexico inspired Copland to write his ballet Billy the Kid. • Copland liked stories of the Old West and so he included American Cowboy tunes in Billy the Kid. • Copland’s ballets and compositions dealt with American folk songs, folk tales, and issues important to the American people.
Copland’s Famous Works • Symphony for Organ and Orchestra (1925) • “El Salón Mexico” (1933-36) • Rodeo (1942) • “Fanfare for the Common Man” (1942) • Appalachian Spring (1942-43)
Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990) • Leonard Bernstein was a composer, conductor, and pianist. • He was born in Lawrence, MS. • He learned to play the piano at the age of 10 and soon became an excellent pianist.
He was interested in all types of music be it symphony orchestras, jazz, or rock. • He also became interested in composing and conducting music. • He began to study music at Bershire Music Center in Tanglewood, MS. • He was the assistant conductor for the New York Philharmonic and became famous when he filled in for the famous conductor Bruno Walter.
He soon got many offers to conduct and began to compose music for symphonies, musicals, and ballets. • He often blended musical styles in his music most of which included jazz, operatic singing, Latin rhythms, circus-like comedy, and orchestral sounds. • He also took the time to explain aspects of music so people can enjoy the listening experience more.
Berstein’s Famous Works • On the Town (1944) • West Side Story (1957)
George Gershwin (1898-1937) • George Gershwin was a composer. • He lived in Brooklyn, NY in the Tin Pan Alley. • Began to study piano at the age of 12 along with his brother Ira. • He also studied music theory and composition.
Dropped out of high school to pursue his musical endeavors. • He worked as a rehearsal pianist for a Broadway show by Jerome Kern and Victor Herbert and soon began composing his own music. • His career as a composer soon flourished. • His “Rhapsody in Blue” labeled him as the man who brought Jazz into the concert hall.
Gershwin broadened his musical scope and began to compose for Hollywood films along with his brother Ira. • He also began to compose operas of which Porgy and Bess being his most famous.
Gershwin’s Famous Works • “Lullaby” (1919) • “Rhapsody in Blue” (1924) • “An American in Paris” (1928) • “I’ve Got Rhythm Variations” (1934) • Porgy and Bess (1935)
