AMERICAN COMPOSERS

Stephen Foster John P. Sousa

Irving Berlin George Gershwin

Aaron Copland Richard Rodgers

THE START OF AMERICAN MUSIC Early settlers were so busy just existing that they did not have time to

enjoy music solely for entertainment. The only music the Puritans sang or listened to was sacred music. They

were allowed to sing psalms in unison. By 1770, the earliest singing schools were flourishing in New England.

As more people came to settle in the new world, they brought with them much of the European music of Bach, Handel, Haydn and Mozart. They also brought their own musical instruments.

During the 18th century, secular (non-religious) music became important. Businessmen in cities along the east coast began to make money and had more leisure time to enjoy music “just for the fun of it.”

In the 19th century much patriotic and nationalistic music was written. During the War of 1812, the words for the Star-Spangled Banner were written by Frances Scott Key.

From the South, the greatest contribution was folk music brought from Africa. This type of music is known as the “spiritual.” They also had music that was not religious. Work songs made their hard work move a little more quickly. Their sound and spirit was imitated on the stage, called a minstrel show.

STEPHEN FOSTER1826 - 1864

Born on July 4, he was a true son of the United States. He sang about his own land and his own people. His songs had simple melodies and words and the sincere quality of folk songs.

He often went to church to hear the spirituals as a child. Later, he would go down to the river to listen to the workers sing as they labored.

Stephen Foster wrote a treasure chest of songs. He wrote his first song at 13 with his first song published at 16. By the time he was 20, he had composed many songs for the minstrel shows.

Many of his songs had the same melodies but different lyrics. His song, “Oh! Susanna” was known as “Oh California.”

“Camptown Races” also had other lyrics for California: “On the Banks of the Sacramento.”

JOHN PHILIP SOUSA1854 - 1932

Born in Washington, D.C., he heard a lot of band music. It was a great time to hear bands, during the Civil War.

His father enlisted him in the Marine Corps to study music. He became the leader of the Marine Band. He held this job for 12 years and went on to form his own band.

Sousa wrote over 100 marches, besides some waltzes, operas, and songs.

He asked an instrument maker to change the shape of the tuba so that the large bell-shaped end would be turned out to spread the sound. The coils were changed so it could be worn over the shoulder. The Sousaphone was born.

His most famous marches are the “Washington Post” and “The Stars and Stripes.” His “Semper Fidelis” is the official Marine Corps theme song.

IRVING BERLIN1888 - 1989

Born in Russia, the youngest of 8 children, Izzy Baline (later, Irving Berlin) and his family came to the US in 1892 when he was just 4. They wanted to flee Russia where they were being persecuted.

He ran away from home at 13 to pursue his musical interests. He was a singing waiter and finally got a job writing lyrics to music. He composed many songs although he could not read music.

His first published song in 1911, “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” was a huge hit, and from there he went on to fame and fortune.

He helped his family, was awarded a medal in 1955 by President Eisenhower for his contribution in composing patriotic songs.

He was able to create both words and music to 900 songs! He wrote for Broadway musicals and motion pictures as well.

While he was in the army he wrote and produced two all-soldier shows. He is best remembered for three songs, “God Bless America,” “White

Christmas” and “Easter Parade.”

GEORGE GERSHWIN1898 - 1937

As a young boy in New York City, George had no interest in music or school or reading. He loved sports, particularly baseball.

He became friends with Max Rosen, a violinist, and a whole new world opened up for George. He studied composition, took piano lessons, and became a song plugger in Tin Pan Alley.

Tin Pan Alley was the nickname for the place where publishing companies had song pluggers perform their new music. This is how new music was heard before radios or stereos were common.

George frantically composed music, read about great musical personalities and learned to play many instruments.

He never married but had many friends. He and his brother, Ira, wrote many songs and shows together. He even wrote an opera but not long after it was written he became ill in Hollywood and died.

Gershwin loved jazz. All of his music contains threads of jazz, ragtime and blues.

He composed his most famous work, “Rhapsody in Blue” at age 26.

AARON COPLAND1900 - 1990

Aaron Copland is the realization of the great American dream. The son of poor Russian Jewish immigrants, who settled in Brooklyn and worked very hard to build up a prosperous business, he was able to pursue a successful career in music.

He was one of the first American students to study in Paris where he wrote a symphony. This work brought him fame and recognition in America.

Copland’s music included cowboy songs and other folk music. In the 1920s some of his serious music began to show the influence of jazz. Fortunately for Copland, the radio became a very popular piece of

equipment and many people had them in their homes. Thousands of people could now hear music.

He composed several motion picture scores during his career. His most popular works are “Billy the Kid,” “Rodeo,” “Appalachian Spring” and “Fanfare for the Common Man.”

RICHARD RODGERS1902 - 1979

Born in New York, he often went with his family to the theater to see stage shows and brought home entire scores. There was always lots of singing in the home.

Richard composed his first song at 14 and wrote a complete musical score at 15.

He met Lorenz Hart, a lyricist, and they became a team writing many musicals. They also wrote for movies but did not like it in Hollywood and returned to Broadway.

After Hart died, Rodgers teamed up with another great lyricist, Oscar Hammerstein II, and together they wrote and produced eight great musicals such as Oklahoma, South Pacific, The King and I, and Carousel.

Known as musical comedy, their shows combine a plot, talking, singing, dancing, costumes and scenery.