MUSIC OF THE COLONIES VS.  MUSIC OF TODAY

WHAT WAS COLONIAL OR "EARLY AMERICAN" MUSIC?

Colonial music was not written here in America, but it was music that the colonists inherited from their ancestors and family, that they just brought over with them to the new world.  If we learn about the music that the colonists sang and played, we can then understand the colonists better themselves. This music included Ballads, Dance Tunes, Folk Songs and Parodies, Comic Opera Arias, Drum Signals, Psalms, Minuets and Sonatas. The many different styles came mostly from England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, Italy, France, and Africa. The colonists played music on any instruments that were handy at the time.        In early America, a great variety of types and styles of music emerged, showing the wide "spectrum" of colonial life. It is clear that while our ancestors were musically dependent upon Great Britain and Europe, American developments were not felt until 1776. To understand, appreciate, and translate such rich history behind the pleasing melodies and stories told through song—some people call our professional mission.

Some Important General Concepts

What instruments were used?

The basics     Most instruments that we have today were around by the Revolution, when pianos were just coming into popularity; but certainly some instruments were more popular than others. Violins were by far the most popular instruments.  Men of all different classes, from Thomas Jefferson to indentured servants and slaves, played violins or fiddles. Prices varied from cheap to quite expensive and there's little doubt that violins were imported in great numbers. Second in popularity to violins were flutes of many different kinds, also played for the most part by men. There were fifes, recorders (in early America these were called common or English

flutes), and transverse flutes, but it is doubtful that there were any pennywhistles, despite their numbers in the mouths of little tourists at Williamsburg. So what did the women play?       A very tight self-regulation of activity in the name of "maintaining reputation" limited musical options for women. Many wealthy women played harpsichords on which they practiced and performed for family and friends. The other instrument of choice for women was what we call today an English guitar, a now extinct 10-string version of a Renaissance guitar with a flat back and a tear-drop shape, tuned to an open C chord, seen in the picture above. The grandmother of our modern guitar was around also, but not as popular; it is called today a Baroque guitar, and it was a small version of a classical guitar with strings, and strung as a modern 12-string without the bass E strings, so it was also a 10 stringed instrument. It wasn't until around 1820 that the standard guitar had 6 strings. Women also played harps, but not before the end of the 18th century. How about you?        My favorite instrument is the banjo. I was going to get one and learn how to play it but I decided to get a piano first.  What is your favorite instrument? (yes I'm asking you)

MUSIC OF TODAY

The Songs of today      The music of today consists of many styles. There is country, christian, rock, rap, hip hop, disco, and many more. The minority group of music today is christian, there are very few christan songs and artists compared to the others. Some christian songs are.......Word of God speak, Here I am to worship, Amazing love, Freind of God, How deep the fathers love for us, Grace like Rain, Did you feel the mountains tremble........and many more. Unlike this group, there are MANY MANY non-christian songs. Some of wich are......Bad Day, White Houses, Stand My Ground, Memories, King of Insects......and many more. None of the songs I have listed are "bad", but the ones in the second list are not christian.     The Artists of today      Not only are there songs, but there are also artists now. Some christian artists include.......mercy me, SONICFLOOd, Chris Rice,  Israel Houghton, Joy Williams, Todd Agnew, Delirious?........and many more. Like the songs, there are not a lot of christian artists compared to secular artists. There are also MANY MANY artists that are not christian, like.............alvin and the chipmunks, avril lavign, Shania Twain, Bill Withers, Brynna Campbell........and many more. (just saying, I happen to be freinds with brynna campbell, she is currently only known in LA).

How was music presented? VS. How is music presented?

THEN      In the colonies, the people presented their music to the public through voices, or instruments. The few people that presented through voices did not become popular like mercy me or the other people that sing today, but they became very good and well known in their home town, even though we never read about them in history books and stuff.  The other main way that people presented their music to the public was through instruments. I have already told you about this though

NOW      Today, music is presented to the public mainly through voices. But that is not very much, or is it? Today people havedevices called radios, CD's, ipods, idogs, computers, and many more. These devices are mostly electronic and need some scource of power, but if we didn't have them, people would probably just sing and write songs for others.

This report was created by:  Seth Ritter For:  History-8  Mr. Dobbs BBBBBBBBB         UU        UU      HH       HH                         BBBBBBBBB          YYY             YYY           EEEEEEE BB           BBB      UU        UU      HH       HH                         BB          BBB          YYY          YYY            EE BBBBBBBBB         UU        UU      HHHHHHH                         BBBBBBBBB             YYYYYYYYY               EEEEEEE BB           BBB      UU        UU      HH       HH                         BB           BBB                   YY                     EE BBBBBBBBB           UUUUU          HH       HH                         BBBBBBBBB                      YY                     EEEEEEE