Study Guide #15 W.C. Handy on the Blues Leonard Bernstein, What Is Jazz?

Be!ore "lass# $ead the W.C. Handy readin% &osted under Course 'o"u(ents. What is Handy)s title or ni"*na(e? What ty&e o! (usi" does Handy "o(&are the +lues to? What does the +lues e,&ress? What are the !or( and other s&e"ial (usi"al !eatures o! the +lues? What is the &sy"holo%y o! the +lues? This is a racist article. Were a white man singing this !? The joyus hopefulness of an essentially simple race The abilities and specific stylistic aspects of jazz do not come from innate racial inclinations. They are entirely cultural. Due to the segregated nature of merica at that time! it was rare but not impossible to find people of other races who were "ersed in the musical style of blues! wor# songs! etc. $ would argue that W.%. &andy is culturally 'uropean! and his art music settings! li#e many other 'uropean composers influenced by fol# music! only reflects certain basic elements of the blues and blues music! albeit a more authentic fusion than the attempts of many other composers. $t lac#s accolouration. What is Handy)s title or ni"*na(e? (ather of the )lues What ty&e o! (usi" does Handy "o(&are the +lues to? *azz! +wing! +pirituals What does the +lues e,&ress? To generalize that the blues e,presses any one thing would be incorrect! though it is often lamenting music. joyusness calculated to drown out underlying apprehension. What are the !or( and other s&e"ial (usi"al !eatures o! the +lues? 1./05- .hrase structure /0ften but not always a 12 bar form3 )lue notes and slides (illing in the rests +yncopated 4hythms

What is the &sy"holo%y o! the +lues? ',pressing joy and courageousness in near hopeless situations.

..+. $ ta#e issue with &andy5s e,planation of the blue note. $t comes from a tradition! and before that from non6western tunings for the pentatonic scale. /we see this in 'gyptian flutes! marimbas! other ancient instruments! certain 7ora and 7amelengoni! much li#e 8amalan which seems to be more studied by western classical people3. When sla"e people were forced to sing 'uropean hymnals! the 9th was most pitchy because of the different intonation of the e:ual temperament fifth. This coupled with gestural techni:ues common in frican music /and much other fol# music! as we hear in ppalachian and nati"e merican music as well in different ways3 caused the flatted fifth and other ;blue notes5 we associate with jazz. .eople use a "ariety of techni:ues to create the blue note! as e"eryone is different! and the specific frican6 merican subculture that they may be accustom to may be considerably different than another! just as the societies of frica are di"erse. $t is elitist to call the pentatonic scale primiti"e! or to suggest there was only one! or to suggest it cannot be reproduced and it is unfortunate that W.%. &andy was not able to maintain authentic pride and understanding for the culture he considered himself part of. $ thin# a large part of jazz lies in the ability to reproduce sounds we associate with different instruments. $t is how musicians find their "oice. 'urin% "lass# Be &re&ared to dis"uss the a+o1e 2uestions. 3hen 4e 4ill listen to an audio le"ture +y 5(eri"an "o(&oser and "ondu"tor Leonard Bernstein "alled What Is Jazz? He 4ill de!ine and illustrate se1eral i(&ortant ter(s and "on"e&ts. 5(on% the(# syn"o&ation, +lue notes, the tone "olors o! +lues and 6azz, the !or( o! +lues. 3a*e notes7 Ho4 does Bernstein)s le"ture "o(&are 4ith 4hat Handy 4rites a+out the +lues? 85 2uestion !or 6azz students# What else do you thin* students in the "lass should *no4 a+out +lues?syn"o&ation# The beat pro"ided by the bass and #ic# drum. The remo"al or placement of an accent where you wouldn5t e,pect +lue notes# lowered -rds! 9ths! or <ths /or slightly inflected notes. +ee#ing a :uarter6 tone. tone "olors o! +lues and 6azz# $nstruments in jazz imitate frican and frican6 merican singing styles. the !or( o! +lues# rhymed couplet /often in iambic pentameter3 / )3 /12 bars3

Ho4 does Bernstein)s le"ture "o(&are 4ith 4hat Handy 4rites a+out the +lues? )ernstein is a lot more musically theoretical and less racially charged. What else do you thin* students in the "lass should *no4 a+out +lues?