Music in the Western Culture is the result of various influences, including the formalization of improvised traditions; the growth of notation; the development of tuning systems; the treatment of text; innovative approaches to form; the role of patronage; the absorption of various cultures into the style; the growth of technology; investigations of performance practice; and various other factors.
Western music also benefits from various dualities: sacred and secular traditions; monophonic and polyphonic textures; conservative and progressive tendencies; popularism and elitism; canon and non-canonic works; and other polarities. The western tradition is complicated by these various influences and perspectives, and formal musicological study often becomes a point of departure for other, more individualized investigations of music.
Blues and jazz became very popular in the twentieth century. A person who “sings the blues” feels sad. Usually , he or she lost something-a person or maybe money or a job. Blues express sad feelings, sometimes in a funny way. People played blues first with only one or two instruments, for example, a guitar, a harmonica, or sometimes a piano. Sometimes they sang without any instruments. Some famous blues musicians are Bessie Smith, John Lee Hooker ,etc.
Jazz came soon after blues. Composers added more musical instruments. Jazz can be happier and is often faster. Some famous jazz musicians are Duck Ellington, Louis Armstrong, etc.
Rock and Roll
Rock and roll came from jazz and blues during the 1950s. One of the first rock and roll songs was Bill Haley’s “Rock Around the Clock.: One of the first very famous rock and roll singers was Elvis presley. Others were Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry. Now , almost every country has many rock and roll bands and singers. Sometimes performers call their music by different names, like “rap” or “punk” . They sing and play mixtures of rock and roll and talking or other sounds. “Rap” and “punk” both came from rock and roll or “rock music”.
Country Western Music
Country western music is very old. It came form the United States, Canada, Ireland, and Great Britain. Country western music is a mixture of music from all of these places.
In the American West , cowboys had to take care of the cattle. They had to watch them all day and all night because the cattle were nervous and sometimes ran away. A cowboy’s life was lonely and dangerous. When he was alone in the desert with cattle, he drank strong coffee with lots of caffeine to stay awake at night . He also sang music to the castle to calm them. He sang about the stars and the moon, about his family and his friends. The cattle listened to the cowboy and went to sleep. They did not run away if he sang beautiful , peaceful music.
Country western music describes life . It talks about love, jobs home, and money. It talks about friends and enemies, trucks and highways , farms and crops. People in many parts of the world like country western music because everyone knows something about these ideas. Also many country western music fans wear western clothes and dance together to country western music. Many bands all over the world now perform country western music. Country western music fans enjoy Patsy Cline, etc.
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