Popular MusicPopular Music of the Nineteenth and of the Nineteenth and

Early Twentieth CenturiesEarly Twentieth Centuries

Dance Music, Brass Bands, Dance Music, Brass Bands, and Tin Pan Alley and Tin Pan Alley

Dance MusicDance Music

American popular music has been American popular music has been closely bound up with dance and with closely bound up with dance and with the various social functions of the various social functions of dancing.dancing.

The earliest examples of published The earliest examples of published dance music in the United States dance music in the United States were modeled on styles popular in were modeled on styles popular in England.England.

Contradance Contradance or Country Dance Traditionor Country Dance Tradition

Until the early twentieth century, Until the early twentieth century, social dancing among white social dancing among white Americans was dominated by Americans was dominated by offshoots of the contradance or offshoots of the contradance or country dance tradition. country dance tradition.

The Grand BallThe Grand Ball

Originally modeled on the aristocratic Originally modeled on the aristocratic occasions of European royaltyoccasions of European royalty

Provided an important public venue Provided an important public venue for Americans hoping to demonstrate for Americans hoping to demonstrate their refinement and knowledge of their refinement and knowledge of high culture high culture

Brass BandsBrass Bands

Military bands made up of brass Military bands made up of brass instruments (e.g., trumpets, cornets, instruments (e.g., trumpets, cornets, trombones, and tubas) spread rapidly trombones, and tubas) spread rapidly during and after the Civil War.during and after the Civil War.

Drew energy from the interaction of Drew energy from the interaction of patriotism and popular culturepatriotism and popular culture

John Philip Sousa (1854–John Philip Sousa (1854–1932)1932)

America’s “March King” America’s “March King” The most popular bandleader of the The most popular bandleader of the

late nineteenth and early twentieth late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries centuries

John Philip Sousa (1854John Philip Sousa (1854––1932)1932)

The son of a trombonist in the U.S. Marine The son of a trombonist in the U.S. Marine Band. Band.

He eventually became the Marine Band’s He eventually became the Marine Band’s conductor and later formed a successful conductor and later formed a successful “commercial” concert band touring the “commercial” concert band touring the U.S. and Europe, giving over 10,000 U.S. and Europe, giving over 10,000 concerts.concerts.

The band performed a mixture of marches, The band performed a mixture of marches, original works for band, and popular music original works for band, and popular music of the day. of the day.

““Business Bands”Business Bands”

Touring bands not connected to Touring bands not connected to government institutions—were an government institutions—were an important part of the American music important part of the American music business. business.

Italian concert bandsItalian concert bands A national phenomenon and a powerful A national phenomenon and a powerful

shaper of musical taste during the late shaper of musical taste during the late nineteenth century nineteenth century

Contributed to later developments in Contributed to later developments in popular music and jazzpopular music and jazz

The Birth of Tin Pan AlleyThe Birth of Tin Pan Alley

By the end of the nineteenth century, By the end of the nineteenth century, the American music publishing business the American music publishing business had become centered in New York City.had become centered in New York City.

After 1885, the established publishers After 1885, the established publishers were being challenged by smaller were being challenged by smaller companies specializing in the more companies specializing in the more exciting popular songs performed in exciting popular songs performed in dance halls, beer gardens, and dance halls, beer gardens, and theaters.theaters.

The Birth of Tin Pan AlleyThe Birth of Tin Pan Alley

These new publishing firms—many of them These new publishing firms—many of them founded by Jewish immigrants from Eastern founded by Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe—had offices in a section of lower Europe—had offices in a section of lower Manhattan, a dense hive of small rooms with Manhattan, a dense hive of small rooms with pianos where composers and “song pluggers” pianos where composers and “song pluggers” produced and promoted popular songs.produced and promoted popular songs.

This stretch of 28th Street became known as This stretch of 28th Street became known as Tin Pan AlleyTin Pan Alley,, a term that evoked the clanging a term that evoked the clanging sound of many pianos simultaneously playing sound of many pianos simultaneously playing songs in a variety of keys and tempos.songs in a variety of keys and tempos.

The Birth of Tin Pan AlleyThe Birth of Tin Pan Alley

The 1890s saw the rise of the The 1890s saw the rise of the modern American music business.modern American music business.

Sheet music sold for between Sheet music sold for between twenty-five and sixty cents.twenty-five and sixty cents.

The wholesale value of printed music The wholesale value of printed music in the United States more than in the United States more than tripled between 1890 and 1909. tripled between 1890 and 1909.

Vaudeville Vaudeville

Theatrical form descended from music Theatrical form descended from music hall shows and minstrelsy hall shows and minstrelsy

By the turn of the century, it had By the turn of the century, it had become the most important medium become the most important medium for popularizing Tin Pan Alley songs. for popularizing Tin Pan Alley songs.

Vaudeville shows typically consisted Vaudeville shows typically consisted of a series of performances presented of a series of performances presented one after the other without any one after the other without any overarching narrative theme.overarching narrative theme.

Paul Dresser (1857–1906)Paul Dresser (1857–1906)

One of the most popular composers One of the most popular composers of the early Tin Pan Alley period of the early Tin Pan Alley period

Wrote a series of sentimental and Wrote a series of sentimental and nostalgic songs, including “The Letter nostalgic songs, including “The Letter That Never Came” (1885) and “On That Never Came” (1885) and “On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away” the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away” (1899; later adopted as the official (1899; later adopted as the official state song of Indiana)state song of Indiana)

Harry von Tilzer (1872–Harry von Tilzer (1872–1946)1946)

Sometimes referred to as the “Daddy of Popular Sometimes referred to as the “Daddy of Popular Song” Song”

Successful turn-of-the-century songwriterSuccessful turn-of-the-century songwriter His big hits included “A Bird in a Gilded Cage” His big hits included “A Bird in a Gilded Cage”

(1900) and “I Want a Girl (Just Like the Girl That (1900) and “I Want a Girl (Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad)” (1911). Married Dear Old Dad)” (1911).

Von Tilzer was a calculating composer: one of his Von Tilzer was a calculating composer: one of his hints for aspiring songwriters was to keep the hints for aspiring songwriters was to keep the tunes to a limited range so that even a baby tunes to a limited range so that even a baby could hum them. could hum them.

The songs of Dresser and von Tilzer represent the The songs of Dresser and von Tilzer represent the commercial peak of the nineteenth-century parlor commercial peak of the nineteenth-century parlor song.song.

James A. Bland (1854–1911)James A. Bland (1854–1911) One of the best-known and most successful One of the best-known and most successful

composers of plantation songscomposers of plantation songs The first successful black songwriter The first successful black songwriter An ex-minstrel show performer from a An ex-minstrel show performer from a

middle-class backgroundmiddle-class background Wrote some seven hundred songs, includingWrote some seven hundred songs, including

– “ “Carry Me Back to Old Virginny” (published in Carry Me Back to Old Virginny” (published in 1878, for a long time the official state song of 1878, for a long time the official state song of Virginia) andVirginia) and

– ““Oh, Dem Golden Slippers” (published 1879).Oh, Dem Golden Slippers” (published 1879). Became popular in Europe, where he Became popular in Europe, where he

performed concerts for large fees performed concerts for large fees

Charles K. Harris (1867–Charles K. Harris (1867–1930)1930)

Self-taught banjo player from Self-taught banjo player from Wisconsin Wisconsin

Could not write down musicCould not write down music Dictated his songs to a professional Dictated his songs to a professional

musicianmusician Published “After the Ball” in 1892Published “After the Ball” in 1892

– First “mega-hit” pop songFirst “mega-hit” pop song– Eventually sold over five million copies in Eventually sold over five million copies in

sheet musicsheet music

““After the Ball”After the Ball” Harris paid a well-known singer in a traveling Harris paid a well-known singer in a traveling

theater production to incorporate “After the Ball” theater production to incorporate “After the Ball” into his performance. into his performance.

It soon became the most popular part of the play, It soon became the most popular part of the play, and audiences requested that it be repeated and audiences requested that it be repeated several times during each performance.several times during each performance.

Harris published the song himself and was soon Harris published the song himself and was soon clearing around twenty-five thousand dollars a clearing around twenty-five thousand dollars a month. month.

““After the Ball” was performed by John Philip After the Ball” was performed by John Philip Sousa’s band at the World’s Columbian Exposition Sousa’s band at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago (1893).in Chicago (1893).

““After the Ball”After the Ball”

Tells a tragic story of lost love in the Tells a tragic story of lost love in the ballad traditionballad tradition

Waltz time, ¾ meter Waltz time, ¾ meter The form is strophic (verse-chorus)The form is strophic (verse-chorus) Each verse of “After the Ball” is Each verse of “After the Ball” is

followed by a chorus, a contrasting followed by a chorus, a contrasting section consisting of a fixed melody section consisting of a fixed melody and lyrics. and lyrics.

Three main sections or strophes, each Three main sections or strophes, each made up of a verse and a chorus. made up of a verse and a chorus.