Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
A Feast for the Ears Any large city in the United States can provide musical choices to satisfy every taste. Performances of jazz, pop and rock bands, symphony orchestras, opera, chamber music, blues, folk, country and blue grass music, and musical theatre have become a part of the daily offering at concert halls across the country. As was the case in American graphic art, this rich musical heritage is also the product of many influences. Strongest has been the interaction — and often conflict — between Europe's classical traditions and the vitality of regional and ethnic idioms. In fact, many of America's most talented composers have worked in popular forms. Historians give the honor of being America's first native composer to Francis Hopkinson of Philadelphia (1737-1791) a leader of the American Revolution and a close friend of George Washington, the first president. Music experts, however, credit William Billings (1746-1800) with being a revolutionary force in early American song. Most American composers and performers of serious "art" music, however, remained dominated by European musicians and traditions throughout the 19th century. Edward MacDowell (1861— 1908) stands out among the serious American composers during this period. With the best training Europe had to offer, MacDowell established his reputation on both sides of the Atlantic as a brilliant pianist and composer of romantic works. Ragtime's greatest composer was Scott Joplin (1868-1917), who wrote two ragtime operas and believed his music stood the test of comparison with European classical music. Historically, however, ragtime is perhaps most important for its association with the blues. And out of the blues came jazz, America's greatest and most original contribution to the world's music. The blues, which developed from African folk songs and Christian religious music , is typically a lamenting song with an undercurrent of resignation and often humor. The greatest of the early recorded singers were often women, including Gertrude "Ma" Rainey (1886-1939) and Bessie Smith (1900-1937). Among the most popular modern blues musicians were Muddy Waters (1915-1984) and B.B. King. Jazz emerged as blues and Dixieland musicians refined their instrumental styles. One of jazz's central features is improvisation. By 1920, jazz had spread from the South as black musicians moved to Chicago and New York City. The most influential of the early jazz musicians was Louis Armstrong (1900-1971) a trumpeter. Born in New Orleans, one of the early centers of jazz, Armstrong was also the first well-known male jazz singer. Another major jazz leader of the same generation was Duke Ellington (1899-1974). A pianist bandleader, composer and arranger, Ellington had a major impact on jazz composition and playing. For most people around the world the sound of American music is the sound of rock and roll. First popularized in the 1950s by white musicians performing mixtures of southern gospel, "country music" and black rhythm and blues, rock and roll quickly became a second language for American youth. Elvis Presley (1935-1977) was the early "King of Rock'n'roll", selling over 500 million records and the first rock musician to be given near-mythological status by young enthusiasts around the world. The 1960s also saw the rise of the "Motown" sound — irresistible Detroit rhythm and blues. Among its greatest stars is Diana Ross. Still another southern style that began to gain wider popularity was country music and blue-grass music — a mixture of folk, country and blues — also gained a broad audience through the music of Bill Monroe and others. Rock and roll seemed to lose its almost revolutionary momentum in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1985 millions of Americans contributed to Live Aid, an effort by top pop and rock musicians to raise money and supplies to combat widespread starvation in Africa. Tasks: 1. Answer the following questions? 1. What can any large city in the USA provide? 2. What is American music by its heritage? 3. Who is the first American composer? 4. What traditions dominated in American music in the 19 th century? 5. Who was Ragtimes' greatest composer? 6. Who were the greatest early recorded singers? 7. How did jazz come into being? 8. When did jazz spread throughout the USA? 9. Who were the major jazz leaders? 10. When did rock and roll emerge in the USA? 11. Who is the "King of Rock'n'roll"? 12. What campaign was mounted in 1985? 2. Give Russian equivalents to the following English word combinations: at concert halls; musical heritage; brilliant pianist; classical traditions; give the honor to; serious "art" music; folk songs; stand the test of comparison with; modern blues; black musicians; country music; jazz singer; have a major impact on jazz composition; top pop musicians; protest songs; blue-grass music; to combat widespread starvation; to lose the revolutionary momentum; singer-composer; country music. 3. Retell the text, using expressions given in Task 2. 4. Speak about your favorite band (jazz, pop or rock); or your favorite performers and composers. 5. Translate into English: Сфера коммерческой музыки США чрезвычайно обширна. Наиболее значительная часть относится к области популярной музыки, представленной в основном вокалом в стилях крунинг, мюзиклом. Многообразно развивается джазовое искусство:наряду с традиционными формами джаза, получили развитие новый джаз, свободный джаз, фьюжн, джаз-рок. Попмузыка возникла на основе таких стилей как ритм-энд-блюз, рок-н-ролл, отчасти соул. Поп-музыка стала одной из форм функциональной досуговой музыки, а также важнейшей формой самовыражения молодежи. Многочисленные солисты и рокгруппы прошли в своей эволюции несколько стадий развития, впитав в себя элементы джаза, академической и авангардной музыки. С конца 60-х годов начала 80-х годов существовали параллельно и сменяли друг друга такие направления как калифорнийский рок, фолк-рок, тяжелый рок, хеви металл. Проводятся фестивали рок-музыки. Поп-музыка захватила радиовещание и телевидение, студии грамзаписи и видеозаписи.