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Course Description

Finding an American Sound

Course Description: Since the 1890s, when Americans were beginning to develop their own traditions in classical music, composers have recognized the dilemma of creating the American sound. This course will explore how not only classical musicians, but also Broadway and Hollywood composers of different origins and ethnicities alternated in creating a sound that has been defined as evocative of these lands and its people. Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, William Grant Steel, Florence Price, Alex North, Elmer Bernstein and others will be the protagonists of this lecture, supported with audiovisuals and anecdotes.

Weeks    Topics
Week 1     The European influence. Establishing the bases. First experiments. Antonin Dvorak, and Charles Ives.
Week 2    Aaron Copland, his contributions and his legacy.
Week 3    Parallel paths: African American Composers and Broadway/Tin Pan Alley composers in search of the same goal.
Week 4    American sounds in the Movie Industry. Elmer Bernstein, Jerry Goldsmith, and The Newman Dinasty.
Week 5    New Trends in American Music in the 20th Century: Phillip Glass, Steve Reich, Terry Riley, and John Adams.
Week 6    The search continues. The American music of today and the future: Bill Frisell, and Mark O’Connor.

Instructor: Mr. Emanuel Abramovits

 

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