OPPapers.com

Popular Music

Popular Music

Popular music, or ‘pop music', means ‘music of the populace'. The term embraces all kinds of folk music which, originally made by illiterate people, were not written down.

The creation of a popular music that aims simply at entertaining large numbers of people is a product of industrialisation, in which music became a commodity to be bought and sold. It is in the rapid industrialised nations, notably Britain and USA, that we first encounter composers who have devoted themselves to fulfilling a demand for popular, entertainment music.

· Foster
Stephen Foster (Born Lawrenceville in 1826; died in New York in 1864)

Foster was an American composer, mainly self-taught in music. He wrote over 200 songs, several of which have come to be regarded almost as American folk-songs. Though a Northerner, several of his songs capture the Southern plantation spirit in an authentic and eloquent manner. His songs are considered as ‘escapist', through nostalgia. All of Foster's songs yearn for the ‘good old days', but their yearning is not innocent, as real folk music is.

· Sousa
John Philip Sousa (Born in Washington DC in 1854; died in Reading, Pennsylvania in 1932)

Sousa was an American composer and bandmaster. As a youth he played the violin in an orchestra. He conducted the US Marine Corps band in 1880-92. He formed his own military band in 1892, which became very popular and toured Europe four times between 1900 and 1905, and toured the world in 1910-11. Unfortunately it was victim of the 1931 Depression. Sousa was best known for his superb marches, of which he composed nearly 100. His music is also considered ‘escapist', by means of hedonism.

· Gottschalk
Louis Moreau Gottschalk (Born in New Orleans in 1829; died in Brazil in 1969)

Gottschalk was an American pianist, conductor and composer. He went to Paris to study in 1842. His pianoforte debut was in 1844 was praised by Chopin. On return to the USA he toured widely, playing...