Since the 1890s, when Americans were beginning to develop their own traditions in classical music, composers have recognized the dilemma of creating the American sound. We will explore how not only classical musicians, but also Broadway and Hollywood composers of different origins and ethnicities alternated in creating a sound that has been defined as evocative of America and its people. Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, William Grant Still, Florence Price, Alex North, Elmer Bernstein, Duke Ellington, Leonard Bernstein, Wynton Marsalis and others will be the protagonists of these lectures, supported with audiovisuals and anecdotes.
This course will meet online January 30, February 6, 13, 20, and 27.