Euro American Musics

This journal addresses all areas of popular music, spanning global commercial spheres to local folk or traditional styles. It includes articles by scholars representing diverse perspectives.

Nineteenth-century European composers found two buyers for their works: singers and pianists. Most major arias from standard opera repertories were available for both voice and piano performance in excellent editions.

European Classical Music

European classical music draws its inspiration from centuries-old European art forms, church music and concert performances. Its core norms evolved during its Classical period between 1550-1825.

Franz Joseph Haydn revolutionized the form and function of symphonic music (he wrote 104 symphonies himself), while Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart refined and expanded upon it further. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart advanced its development further. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart popularized string quartet as one of classical music’s staple forms with its ideal combination of string sound (two violins, viola and cello), economical scoring techniques, harmonic ingenuity and harmonic diversity.

Christoph Willibald Gluck was among those composers who heralded this new style, alongside prominent figures such as Smetana, Janacek and Nielsen (Grieg) from Scandinavia; Sibelius in Finland; Parry and Elgar from Britain were staunch adherents of Germanic traditions while Vaughan Williams and Holst developed distinctively British sounds.

African American Music

From the cries of Philadelphian black street vendors in 18th century Philadelphia to Motown dance rhythms, African American music has made an enormous mark on all forms of popular music. African American traditions transcend any specific cultural heritage from which they came and have had more of an effectful cultural legacy on American culture than any other ethnic vernacular tradition.

As America transitioned into the 20th Century, African Americans asserted their identities while also encountering social inequality, violence, and prejudice. Many artists broke down racial barriers – Marian Anderson being among them as she became the first African American singer ever to sing at the Metropolitan Opera.

African influences are evident throughout musical genres such as ragtime, Dixieland, blues and jazz; African influence can even be felt in old-time and bluegrass traditions; while elements of Black music have contributed to classical repertoires as well as hip hop tracks with introspective lyrics that reflect social issues.

Americana Music

Americana music encompasses an eclectic blend of influences that is generally classified as country or folk. This genre marries old with new, and can include bluegrass, honky tonk, Western swing and rockabilly among many other subgenres. Renowned artists like Elvis Presley, Lucinda Williams, Solomon Burke and Mavis Staples are notable proponents of this style of music.

The Americana Music Association is an organization that promotes and supports artists within this genre. Members are known for their inclusive spirit and dedication to finding a musical common ground across regions – making this genre ideal for listeners looking for both traditional and modern soundscapes. Americana musicians commonly employ acoustic guitars but may also employ piano or vibraphone instruments; songs rooted in storytelling or symbolism reflect America’s many cultural traditions.

Contemporary Music

Modern music stores and university music departments typically include instruction for all these forms of musical art.

Modern classical music (CAM) encompasses various styles that may be described as postmodern, neoromantic and pluralist. Furthermore, experimentation has taken place with aleatoric composition (music that lacks clear notation that relies solely on chance for its outcome) as well as shifting away from classical forms like sonata and symphony from which traditional forms have come from in the past.

CAM concerts often take place at alternative venues such as lofts, art galleries and cinemas, providing researchers with crucial insights into the social and cultural milieu in which such events take place. Research conducted by Van Eijck revealed that audiences for CAM concerts comprise of “new omnivores”, who belong to self-fulfillment milieus with high musical capital levels; more often than not female attendees are in attendance at these concerts.