Part 2The Tumultuous Nineteenth

CenturyChapter 7: Early Concert Music

America’s Musical Landscape 5th edition

PowerPoint by Myra Lewinter MalamutGeorgian Court University

© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

Part 2: The Tumultuous Nineteenth Century Chapter 7: Early Concert Music

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Chapter 7: Early Concert Music Differences between popular and classical music assumed more

significance in America as the nineteenth century progressed

Those differences were less distinct than the subjective lines drawn today between vernacular music (“for the people”) and art or concert music (for an audience viewed as somewhat select)

During the decades before and after the Civil War

household music and religious songs remained vital

Interest grew among composers, performers, and listeners in music for the concert hall

Part 2: The Tumultuous Nineteenth Century Chapter 7: Early Concert Music

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Rise of Nationalism in Music Romanticism ruled the arts in nineteenth-

century Western Europe and America German Writers, artists, and especially

musicians dominated their fields German composers composed

Long pieces with expansive melodies accompanied by full, rich harmonies

Music with extreme contrasts of dynamic level Program music that had intense emotional expression

Part 2: The Tumultuous Nineteenth Century Chapter 7: Early Concert Music

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Rise of Nationalism in Music: The German Sound and American Music The German sound increasingly dominated music in America

Audiences preferred to hear music by German composers

Americans chose to study music with German teachers when possible

The great mid-century wave of German immigration to America brought this opportunity

Music students who could afford it traveled to Germany to further their music education

Part 2: The Tumultuous Nineteenth Century Chapter 7: Early Concert Music

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The Rise of Nationalism in Music and in the World By the late nineteenth century, following the overthrow of several

ruling aristocracies plus establishment of popular states, nationalism became a prevalent western European movement

Nations not bordering directly on Germany were

Asserting their artistic independence

Establishing characteristic styles of their own

Artists in Russia, Bohemia, Norway, and Finland established strong national styles

Writers, painters, musicians drew inspiration from and based their works on the colorful folk tales, legends, religious music of their own locale

Part 2: The Tumultuous Nineteenth Century Chapter 7: Early Concert Music

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The Rise of Nationalism in Music: America American paintings began to

reflect America’s splendors

A few composers set out to Capture the American spirit in music Get American music performed

The attempts were unsuccessful Ignored by audiences Europeans considered

Americans as novices in art—and Americans agreed

In the FieldsPainted by Eastman Johnson (1824-1906)

Part 2: The Tumultuous Nineteenth Century Chapter 7: Early Concert Music

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The Rise of Nationalism in America:Anthony Philip Heinrich (1791-1861) 1810: Heinrich arrived in America

Became music director of a popular Philadelphia theater

Moved to Kentucky in 1817 Settled among the local Indians

Conducted the first performance of a Beethoven symphony in America

Struck by the beauty of the wilderness and charmed with the music of his Native American friends, Heinrich wrote music expressing his love of America A Doubtful Handshake

Painted byCharles M. Russell (1864-1926)

Part 2: The Tumultuous Nineteenth Century Chapter 7: Early Concert Music

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The Rise of Nationalism in America: Music by Anthony Philip Heinrich Heinrich’s music often quoted Native

American themes

He added Western harmonies

The music idealized and romanticized the Indian experience

Heinrich, “Beethoven of Kentucky” Expressed American ideas Promoted the performance of music

by himself and other Americans

Some of Heinrich’s orchestral pieces:

The War of the Elements and the Thundering of Niagara

The Columbiad, or Migration of American Wild Passenger Pigeons

Pushmataha: A Venerable Chief of a Western Tribe of Indians

The Ornithological Combat of Kings: or, The Condor of the Andes

“Father Heinrich” is remembered and revered for his important contributions toOur musical heritage

Part 2: The Tumultuous Nineteenth Century Chapter 7: Early Concert Music

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Romantic Virtuosos Virtuoso: A performer who possesses dazzling

technical brilliance; a quality of musicianship

Musicianship is the broad combination of talents possessed by the consummate performer, and includes

Sensitivity to the style of the music, which differs from one period and one culture to another

Originality of interpretation

Accuracy

Part 2: The Tumultuous Nineteenth Century Chapter 7: Early Concert Music

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Romantic Virtuosos and American Audiences Nineteenth-century Europeans enjoyed expressive extremes

Europeans responded with equal enthusiasm to a large symphony orchestra and an intimate solo recital

But Americans had more access to recitals

Americans attended concerts in the same frame of mind as viewing a circus or minstrel show; they enjoyed

Solo virtuosos’ dazzling displays of technique Familiar pieces they knew and loved

The unfamiliar new music of composers was undesirable to the American public

Part 2: The Tumultuous Nineteenth Century Chapter 7: Early Concert Music

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Romantic Virtuosos: Performers The conspicuous lack of interest in American music on either

continent frustrated American composers

But the great nineteenth-century virtuosos benefited from the American passion for their brilliant performances

Europeans were starting to tire of their virtuosos

Performers flocked gratefully to America

An adoring American public eagerly applauded their showy performance techniques

Part 2: The Tumultuous Nineteenth Century Chapter 7: Early Concert Music

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Romantic Virtuosos: The Swedish Nightingale Jenny Lind (1820-1887), called “The Swedish Nightingale,” was the

most successful virtuoso singer of her era

Within her two year American tour under the promotion of P.T. Barnum (the same Barnum of the well known circus), Lind…

Confined her program to familiar well-loved arias (songs—see glossary), Stephen Foster encores, and especially the immensely popular “Home Sweet Home”

Thrilled Americans with her voice, technique, personality Even people previously uninterested in concert music

became her fans Concert halls were built for her American performances

Part 2: The Tumultuous Nineteenth Century Chapter 7: Early Concert Music

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Romantic Virtuosos: Ole Bull (1810-1880), Norwegian composer, violinist An entertainingly flamboyant virtuoso who…

Traveled five times to America; stayed a long time One of the trips, he married an American woman

Encouraged Americans to develop a characteristic music of their own

He himself was a dedicated nationalist Managing a new opera company, he offered $1,000 for an

American opera to be written; but nobody wrote one then Displayed amazing virtuoso techniques, including

Playing on all four strings of the violin at once Producing incredibly soft pianissimos

Part 2: The Tumultuous Nineteenth Century Chapter 7: Early Concert Music

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Romantic Virtuosos: Louis Moreau Gottschalk (1829-1869) Gottschalk was a virtuoso pianist of diverse heritage, with…

An English Jewish father educated in Germany

A Creole mother from a wellborn French family that had emigrated to the West Indies

Creole refers to people of mixed racial heritage

The Creole aspect of Gottschalk’s maternal side of the family caused some to believe erroneously that Gottschalk had African American ancestors

Multilingual, Gottschalk spoke French, Spanish, English

Part 2: The Tumultuous Nineteenth Century Chapter 7: Early Concert Music

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Louis Moreau Gottschalk: Growing Up Growing up in New Orleans, Gottschalk absorbed the sounds of

various cultures

French Spanish African American Creoles

Age 13: Recognizing his talent and lack of opportunities to learn at home, Gottschalk’s parents sent him to France to study music

Abroad for 13 years, aristocratic Europeans admired… Gottschalk’s youthful compositions for piano And his astonishing virtuosity

Part 2: The Tumultuous Nineteenth Century Chapter 7: Early Concert Music

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Louis Moreau Gottschalk: Back home in America 1853: Gottschalk, after much success, returned to America

Audiences felt his long stay abroad had made him respectable They enjoyed his performances of his own piano pieces

Gottschalk then spent years in the West Indies, whose native musical sounds went into his own piano compositions 1862: Returned to the United States to find America at war

He sided with the North Toured extensively

Performing his own music Reaching people who had never heard concert music Contributing payments to the Union cause

Part 2: The Tumultuous Nineteenth Century Chapter 7: Early Concert Music

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Louis Moreau Gottschalk: Later Days Criticized by some for playing his own tuneful compositions

instead of classics by Beethoven, Chopin and others He replied that he played what the audience wanted to hear He felt that American musical taste improved during his lifespan

1865: Left the United States following a scandal in which he probably was innocent; traveled to South America There, organized huge concerts reminiscent of Patrick

Gilmore’s mammoth concerts Including a festival in Cuba involving 650 performers

Age 40: Died of what is attributed to be yellow fever

Part 2: The Tumultuous Nineteenth Century Chapter 7: Early Concert Music

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Louis Moreau Gottschalk: Piano Music Gottschalk’s musical output

includes Songs Orchestral works Piano music especially

Piano pieces based upon popular dances; also, character pieces

Character piece=A relatively short piano piece evoking a particular mood or scene

Part 2: The Tumultuous Nineteenth Century Chapter 7: Early Concert Music

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The Piano By 1800 the piano was the keyboard instrument of choice

The ideal Romantic instrument for its expressive capabilities

The damper or “loud” pedal (to the player’s right) Held tones, connecting them for a legato (smooth) lyrical melody line Allowed sounds to accumulate to thunderous effect

The una corda (one string) or “soft” pedal (on the left), shifted the keyboard and

Dampened the volume Altered the color of the sound

The center sostenuto pedal on larger pianos allowed the player to sustain some tones while others sounded cleanly above them

Part 2: The Tumultuous Nineteenth Century Chapter 7: Early Concert Music

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Pianos and Their Popularity Piano music was immensely popular in the United States

Varied concert programs often included a virtuosic piano performance

The best pianos in the world were produced in the United States 1854: Henry Mason, son of Lowell, cofounded the famous

Mason and Hamlin piano company Others in America included

Jonas Chickering William Knabe Henry Steinway

Mid-nineteenth century: Pianos were common in the home The average young lady could master “household” piano music

Part 2: The Tumultuous Nineteenth Century Chapter 7: Early Concert Music

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Gottschalk’s Best Known Piano Compositions Included… Character pieces that capture the mood or character of their subject

in musical terms; examples are… “Berceuse” (“Lullaby”) “The Banjo”

Popular dances for piano, not intended for dancing, but to capture the mood, style, tempo, form, and meter of a popular step

Gottschalk composed Waltzes=A waltz is a ballroom dance in triple meter

He composed Mazurkas=A mazurka is a Polish folk dance of varying character, in triple meter

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Listening Example 26Le BananierBy Louis Moreau GottschalkListening Guide page 124

Form: Theme and Variations= A melody or theme recurring throughout the piece is varied, perhaps in tempo, timbre, rhythm, meter, accompaniment, ornamentation, etc., thus providing both unity and contrast

Meter: Duple

The left hand introduces an “obstinately” repeated rhythmic and melodic pattern called an ostinato, which will accompany the first sectionof the theme (a), played by the right hand. Section a repeats. The second half of the theme (b), higher than a in range, accompanied a new ostinato. Repeat. b is delicately embellished by the right hand, with chords in the left hand. A variation of a played in a major key repeats an octave higher. A section of new material sounds improvisatory. The major version of Ais played by the left hand while the right hand plays runs. b recurs. Bits of a and virtuosic figures end the piece.

Part 2: The Tumultuous Nineteenth Century Chapter 7: Early Concert Music

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Orchestral Music in the Late Nineteenth Century: Background Music activity increased greatly across America, including

Outstanding conservatories=professional music schools Concert halls Opera houses

1882: Metropolitan Opera House, New York City 1891: Carnegie Hall, New York City

Americans enjoyed access to more concert music of greater variety and finer quality than ever before

Choral and chamber societies presented programs Serious and light opera became popular Great virtuosos continued to attract an appreciative audience

Part 2: The Tumultuous Nineteenth Century Chapter 7: Early Concert Music

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Orchestras Throughout the Nineteenth Century Large orchestras held little interest for the young republic

Few orchestras existed Professional and amateur musicians tried to make the orchestras

appealing to American taste 1820: Moravians founded a Philharmonic Society in Bethlehem, PA

Philadelphia: American and immigrant musicians organized a Musical Fund Society to perform Symphonic music and choral music accompanied by orchestra

1842: The New York Philharmonic Society, the nation’s oldest orchestra still in existence today was founded But it was a loosely organized and haphazard association

Part 2: The Tumultuous Nineteenth Century Chapter 7: Early Concert Music

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European Orchestras in America Performed European works The visiting orchestra led by French

conductor and showman Louis-Antoine Jullien (1812-1860) was The first ensemble to give American

orchestral music serious attention Jullien gave a flashy looking concert

Performances of great orchestral music were played well

1853: Added American musicians to his orchestra

Part 2: The Tumultuous Nineteenth Century Chapter 7: Early Concert Music

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Image Credits Slide 6: In the Fields, by Eastman Johnson (1824-1906)

© Corel Slide 7: A Doubtful Handshake, by Charles M. Russell

(1824-1906) © Corel Slide 9: Portrait of a Violinist,

© Ryan McVay/Getty Images Slide 18: Grand Piano in a Living Room

Royalty-Free/Corbis Slide 25: Conductor Silhouette Highlighted on Music,

© Digital Vision/Getty Images Slide 28: Conductors Hands, © Digital Vision/Getty Images

Part 2: The Tumultuous Nineteenth Century Chapter 7: Early Concert Music

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Orchestral Music: William Henry Fry (1813-1864) Fry was among the struggling nationalists who benefited from

Jullien’s interest in American music

He composed operas, symphonies and other orchestral works

Fry’s opera Leonora (1845) was the first American opera to be produced in this country

Fry had to pay for the production himself due to resistance by American opera companies to produce an American opera

His opera was unsuccessful in America

The Parisian music community eagerly produced Leonora

Part 2: The Tumultuous Nineteenth Century Chapter 7: Early Concert Music

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William Henry Fry and His Lectures Fry gave a series of public music appreciation lectures, during

which He complained that the New York Philharmonic Society never

commissioned and seldom performed American music Urged American musical societies to perform American music

Audiences should listen to American music Critics should review American music objectively

Advocated laying the foundation of an American School of Painting, Sculpture and Music

Fry’s music is rarely heard today

Fry’s experience reveals the struggle of American composers

Part 2: The Tumultuous Nineteenth Century Chapter 7: Early Concert Music

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Theodore Thomas (1835-1905) A German born violinist

who joined the New York Philharmonic Society Played for theater and

opera orchestras Intended to become an

orchestral conductor To raise the level of

Americans’ appreciation for orchestral music

His dream came true!

Part 2: The Tumultuous Nineteenth Century Chapter 7: Early Concert Music

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Theodore Thomas Could no longer take the casual rehearsal and

concert procedures of the New York Philharmonic Society Formed his own orchestra

Hired the best musicians Rehearsed rigorously 1864: Started performing public orchestra concerts

guaranteed to please an audience Altered the balance in his concerts between light, familiar

pieces and more serious, challenging works His listeners became experienced with orchestral fare

Part 2: The Tumultuous Nineteenth Century Chapter 7: Early Concert Music

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Theodore Thomas and His Contributions to American Music Invited solo virtuosos to perform for an enthusiastic audience

Alternated audience favorites with more serious pieces Gave some attention to American music

Traveled widely with his orchestra Bringing orchestral music to new audiences Extending musicians’ employment season

Established and conducted the Theodore Thomas Orchestra Later known as the famous Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Other orchestras formed in America during the next decades By the mid-twentieth century orchestras across the country rendered

America a veritable nation of symphony orchestras