Music Traditions Chapter 38 Flashcards

Popular and Classical Music in the 19th Century

• Popular and classical music traditions coexisted, performed in the same spaces and by the same ensembles.

Stephen Foster's Recognition

• Stephen Foster did not achieve public recognition as a singer.

Texture of Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair

• "Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair" is primarily composed in a homophonic texture.

Inspiration for My Old Kentucky Home

• The song "My Old Kentucky Home" was inspired by Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin."

Sources of Foster's Income

• Foster earned most of his income from plantation songs, rather than opera arias or parlor songs.

Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair as a Parlor Song

• "Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair" is classified as a parlor song, designed for intimate performances at home.

Performance Format

• The song is performed by a solo voice accompanied by piano.

Language of Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair

• "Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair" is sung in English.

Background of Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair

• The song was written after Foster separated from his wife, not as a wedding gift or for his daughter.

Form of Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair

• It is structured in strophic form, which is common for many of Foster's songs.

Definition of Popular Music

• Music characterized as "popular" is defined as belonging to the people and generating significant financial profit.

Accessibility of Nineteenth-Century Parlor Music

• Parlor music was intentionally written to be accessible for amateur performers in middle-class homes.

Influence of European Immigrants

• European immigrants brought cultivated repertoires to the Americas, enriching the cultural landscape.

Stephen Foster's Blend of Traditions

• Foster successfully blended vernacular American spirit with European art traditions in his parlor songs.

Relationship of Classical and Popular Music

• There was no clear division between classical and popular music in the early nineteenth century.

Commonalities in Foster's Songs

• Both "Camptown Races" and "Old Folks at Home" were written for or became part of minstrel shows.

Minstrelsy's Impact

• Minstrelsy significantly shaped perceptions of African American culture, promoting stereotypes that persisted into the twentieth century.

Racially-Charged Theatrical Variety Shows

• Minstrel shows were a prominent type of racially-charged theatrical entertainment in the nineteenth century.

Immigrants' Nostalgia and Music Preferences

• Anglo-American immigrants often romanticized their ancestors' homeland but did not primarily listen to Italian opera.

Historical Context of Foster's Career

• Foster wrote popular songs for the Christy Minstrels but did not profit greatly from his sheet music sales.

Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair's Popularity

• Despite it not being the most famous during Foster's lifetime, it gained renewed popularity in 1941 due to changes in music licensing practices.

Foster's Contractual Affiliations

• From 1847 onward, Foster was contracted with the Christy Minstrels.

Authorship of Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair

• Foster wrote both the music and lyrics for "Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair."

Reasons for Revived Interest in the Song

• The song became a hit in 1941 primarily due to a licensing dispute that led broadcasters to air older music like Foster's.