The Underground Renaissance: Acknowledging Early 20th Century Black Musicians as Forefathers of Modern Musical Culture

Open Access
- Author:
- Hooper, Kelly
- Area of Honors:
- Music
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Arts
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Charles Dowell Youmans, Thesis Supervisor
Charles Dowell Youmans, Thesis Honors Advisor
Eric John Mckee, Faculty Reader - Keywords:
- classical music
jazz
music
culture
music culture
copland
debussy
elitism
black music
blues
music history
classical music performance etiquette
jazz improvisation
Baroque improvisations - Abstract:
- The culture of modern classical performance has changed considerably since the early romantic period. The expectations of the audience began to shift; Beethoven demanded complete silence at the beginning of his Ninth Symphony, and Mendelsohn specifically asked that his Scottish Symphony be played without applause between movements. In the twentieth century, the audience became even more removed from the performance, with composer-scholars like Milton Babbitt arguing that the study of music should be purely academic, not to be judged and shaped by the ears of the common folk. At the same time, a new musical culture was emerging in the United States. Black music, specifically the blues, was casual and improvisatory. It served as a complete cultural contrast to the etiquette and stylistic correctness that held sway in Europe. Some aspects of blues have been incorporated into modern compositional practices, such as a swung rhythm, creative modes, and extended harmonies (seventh and ninth chords, etc.). However, the relaxed atmosphere and form of Black music in the early 20th century has been far more culturally inspirational to modern popular music. The true renaissance of 20th and 21st century music, the huge impact of Black peoples’ musical innovations, has been hidden in low-brow compositions for decades. In my thesis recital I have made an effort to acknowledge and legitimize Black music so that it is respected in the academic community. I have chosen repertoire that begs to ask where the line should be drawn between modern classical music and jazz.