American music.
Since the United States was settled by Europ eans, it is not surprising that classical music and folk songs were brought over from that continent. Beethoven, Brahms, Debussy, Tchaikovskyi, Stravinskyi, Bach, Mozart and Verdi are but a few names of European composers which are often on orchestra or opera programmes. English, Irish, Scottish folk songs are sung very often and have been sung in America by so many generations that Americans are not even conscious that these songs are of foreign origin. But the greatest contribution to American music, however, has been made by the Afro-americans in the South. Negro songs are now part of the nation’s most precious musical heritage. Perhaps the Negro’s greatest contribution to American music has been jazz and rhythm-and-blues. Most contemporary music works root deeply in those styles. After the Civil War some of the brass instruments of the Confederate military bands fell into the hands of the Negroes, and the result was all kinds of rhythmical and melodic experiments. Thus jazz, free of conventions and written arrangements, was born. Such composers as Aaron Copland and George Gershwin in America and Stravinsky in Europe have been influenced by American jazz. And one can say that rhythm-and- blues was the beginning of modern dancing music.
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