Module 1

Our first week of listening included selections that were considered to be “old-time music”.  According to our reading, old-time music is, “a category that comprises string band music (randing from fiddle to banjo duets to larger dance ensembles with guitar, mandolin, and autoharp); ballad songs, performed with or without instrumental accompaniment; sacred songs and church hymns; and a variety of functionally specialized music genres such as lullabies and work songs.” (Starr & Waterman p.21).

The first three listenings showcase two important branches of old-time music, including the British Ballad tradition and the string band tradition.  The first selection of the three was Barbara Allen.  This composition was first definitively documented in 1666 in London.  Ballads such as “Barbara Allen” generally tell a story through the verses- this one being about a young man who dies from an unrequited love for Barbara Allen then she dies soon after because of the guilt.  This song has been sung by many people since 1666, including modern day popular artists such as Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton, and the most surprising version I found- one by Billie Joe Armstrong from the rock band Green Day and Norah Jones.

We also listened to two versions of the fiddle tune Soldier’s Joy- one performed by Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers in 1929 and the other a fiddle solo performed by Tommy Jarrell in the early 1980’s.  I found it very interesting to hear the two different versions of the same song.  The first version by Gid Tanner and the Skillet lickers was clearly a version meant for dancing as popular music, the second by Tommy Jarrell seems to simply be an Appalachian country song. 

The works Coo Coo performed by Dink Roberts in 1974, Long John performed by Lightning Washington and fellow convicts in 1934, and Stagolee performed by Mississippi John Hurt in 1965 are all selections that are representative of African American musical traditions.  In “Coo Coo”, Dink Roberts performs each phrase by playing independent but interlocking parts by utilizing a technique of alternating thumb and finger movements that are common technique for lute players in West Africa. “Long John” is an African American work song used to help the convict line work together and efficiently, avoiding physical danger.  The final selection, “Stagolee” is an African American variation of the ballad song tradition that was formerly mentioned.  Of these three selections, I found the work song, “Long John” to be the most interesting.  The other two felt authentic, but not nearly as much as the work song.  To me, it sounds so raw and full of emotion.  The call and response pattern gives a powerful image of the men working along the side of the road, or chopping wood, or whatever it was they were doing.

There were also many listening examples from other ethnicity’s besides whites and African Americans.  We listened to two versions of the same tango, La Cumparsita, one performed by Carlos Gardel, the other by Francisco Canaro.  In the first version, attention is automatically drawn to the lyrics about a betrayed lover (by both the girl and their dog!), but in the second version is instrumental and is very clearly a tango.  The melodies are so crisp and the instrumental choices just make you feel the need to move.  The next dance style we listened to was the Afro-Cuban Rumba Enigue Nigue performed by AfroCuba de Matanzas.  This song has a heavy percussion feel, coming from it’s African roots.  Music such as this inspired a modern jazz and rumba style by artists such as Dizzy Gillespie.  The other ethnic style we listened to was La Negra by Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitian.  Mariachi music is still today, a staple of the Mexican tourist trade and is made up by stringed instruments and trumpets.

Our final selections of listening were focused around popular music in 19^th and early 20^th centuries.  Stephen Foster was considered the first popular songwriter who was able to have a career in the profession.  He wrote over 200 songs, one of the most popular being Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair.  This song contains hints of an origin as an Irish popular song,  “Jeanie” along with many other songs by Foster were passed down orally through generations and still continue to be sung today in many different versions.  Our final early popular listening song was After the Ball by Charles K. Harris.  According to our reading, this song, “published in 1892, was the first “mega-hit” pop song, eventually selling over 5 million copies in sheet music.”(Starr & Waterman p.59).  Clearly pulling from the ballad traditional style, “After the Ball” tells a tragic story with a clear beginning, middle, and end.  This song is considered a predecessor of 20^th century popular songs.

I found all of the listening selections interesting in their own way, though some were more interesting to me than others.  Each selection we focused on this week helped pave the way for popular music throughout history.