Is there a historical evolution of the theory of American music? Yep, in this text there is. So where do we start? Well at the beginning or thereabouts. In the study of the theoretical musical components used in the creation of the American styles over the last 200 years or so, will developing a historical perspective based on the theory of it's elements help the emerging creative artist to gain a sense of their place in the present scheme of things? Just might eh?
Starting say two hundred years ago, early 1800's, musical cultures from different parts of our planet continued to merge in new ways. One of the newly emerging combinations of cultures was founded during this period and continues onward to this day in the southeastern region of the North American continent. Of the peoples of this newly emerging society, one group was rooted to the natural world and lived in a rural landscape governed by nature, immigrating mainly from the African continent and Carribean islands. The other group immigrated from the European urban centers, which were at the time gradually being be redefined by scientific discovery. The music of this newly emerging society combined an earthy, rural quality of sound with an intellectual, urban sophistication of structure that went on to reflect all of the dreams, heartbreak and triumph that has been the course of events of American history.
Combining the essential musical elements of these two rather uniquely and different cultures and musical systems, the histories of which go back thousands of years, they’re unique merging creating what we commonly know today as American music. This term "American music" is a very broad description of numerous musical styles that have emerged over the the last 100 years or so. A consistent theoretical trademark of this music, of which traces can be found somewhere in all of the styles of American music, is the combination of an earthy, looser bluesy melodic flavor contained within a highly organized and rather complex system of melody and harmony, as provided by the equal temper system.
This combination of musical elements is completely unique in our planet's recorded history of music. This text simply examines the elements of both of these contributing musical systems and combines them in common ways that define the various sounds and styles of American music. From a three chord delta blues to bebop, from Appalachian mountain tunes to concert orchestral works, from rock to rap to whatever is next, the rare combination of blues earthiness and equal temper sophistication of American music has continually energized the people of this world. Here are a few links to www. sites for further study of American music / history.
| The Sonneck Society of American music |
| Oral History Of American music / Yale University |
| I Hear America Singing / Public Broadcasting System |
The following links are within this text and look at basic components of our American music from a historical, philosophical and spiritual perspective. Historical reference texts.
| history of chords | a brief discussion of how our present day harmonic resources have evolved. |
| history of scales | examining the historical development of our present day melodic resources. |
| John Coltrane | the "father" of modern American music. |
| major / minor tonality | basic ideas concerning these two essential creative environments. |
| music from the spheres | ideas on the universal and cosmic basis of our music. |
| pitches / spheres | where do our pitches come from? |
| rhythms / spheres | where do our rhythms come from? |
| the evolution of tonality in American music | a brief historical discussion of the dissolution of tonality within American music of the last 4 centuries. |
| theory of equal temperament | discusses the basic organizational principles of the system of music used to create American music. |
| acknowledgements | thanks to friends and teachers and info about the author and the writing of this text. |
"When it sounds good, it is good."
Edward "Duke" Ellington