Classics in Jazz

1 Classics in Jazz Introduction - 2 First Jazz Recording - 5 The Influence of Jazz in Europe and the World - 70 Harling - A Light From St. Agnus - 205 2 Jazz’s Use of Classical Material Introduction Jazz, through its history, has progressed past a number of evolutions; it has had its influences and had both a musical and social background. History never begins or stops at a definite time, nor is it developed by one individual. Growth happens by various situations and experimentation and by creative people. Jazz is a style and not a form. Styles develop and forms are created. Thus jazz begins when East meets West. Jazz evolved in the U.S. with the environment of the late 19th and early 20th century; the music system of Europe, and Africa (with influence of Arab music with the rhythms of the native African. The brilliant book “Post & Branches of Jazz” by Dr. Lloyd C. Miller describes the musical cultures that brought their styles that combined to produce jazz. The art of jazz is over 100 years old now and we have the gift of time to examine the past and by careful research and thought we can produce more accurate conclusions of jazz’s past influences. Jazz could not have developed anywhere but the U.S. In his article” Jazz – The National Anthem” by Frank Patterson in the May 4th, 1922 Musical Courier we read: “Is it Americanism? Well, that is a fine point of contention. There are those who say it is not, that it expresses nothing of the American character; that it is exotic, African Oriental, what not. But if it were any of those things it would never have got a foothold in Europe. Europe has been living just across the Mediterranean from Africa for centuries, but did they ever hear of "jazz" until America made it? They have been in close touch with the Orient since the beginning of time. Did they ever get any "jazz" from it? No. They never got it at all until America took it to them. And then they received it with delight because of its vigorous rhythm, its fervid color, it’s (for them) exotic character.” With this statement we can begin to trace its ancestors and see that jazz has elements of many styles that came together within the culture of 19th century America. Surely the rhythms of both Arab and African are there; the musical culture of the long history of European music, and the necessities of the environment of the social culture of the era that jazz was evolving such as the popularity of dancing. The African use of improvising (an element long found in European music); the harmonic system of the European culture and the necessity of providing dance music for the era’s craze on the art of dancing – all added their art in the development of Jazz. The Negro Spirituals, dance rhythms of the Irish jig, and jazz’s travel from the minstrel melodies, to the syncopation of the cakewalk which led 3 directly to ragtime; then to early dance music of the early New Orleans bands. The brass bands in New Orleans, when hired for a dance (not parades, etc.) always had within them a smaller dance group, called the string band that was mostly used for dances in the smaller dance halls of the area of New Orleans. These bands played the music of their era. In New Orleans it was the Quadrilles, waltzes and other popular dances. Then the influence of the blues and the use of familiar music played by the ‘society’ bands (like A. J. Piron, etc) that was heard by musicians that ‘faked’ what they heard. I believe that jazz evolved from these musicians who might not have gotten the song heard perfect and just ‘faked’ those parts that were not gotten by ear. The style that arrived in Chicago by the early bands that came there were, like the ODJB, often were rough in their technique and they appeared to be more suited for vaudeville then dance music. There is a description of what these early bands presented in the article “Where Jazz Comes From” in the 1926 ‘Popular Mechanics’ by Earl C. May: “The Dixieland band made good because, in their ignorance of written music and innocence of technique, the boys committed many atrocities in the name of the muse. The violinist wolfed his tones, which, no good musician should do. The trombonist blatted and sounded many a flat and sharp where accidentals should not have been heard. The cornetist achieved blue notes by blowing on his cornet when the water key was open. The trap drummer indulged in many a raucous noise with the aid of cuckoo calls, horse neighs, nose blows, and other devilish devices. But they made a hit and their fame spread to far-off Chicago.” This style of playing music was copied by bands in Chicago and then in New York. When the ODJB made their European trip it left a void and local bands like Earl Fuller, Jimmy Durante and others took up the slack and this was accepted by mostly the young people. When the ODJB returned from Europe a new, smoother style of jazz was evolving and with the popularity of Vernon and Irene Castle and their conductor J. R. Europe, they soon developed this style. Thus new bands and more advanced artists arrived and this style was full developed by Paul Whiteman and Vincent Lopez – thus this new ‘symphonic’ jazz evolved. This style with musicians from symphony orchestras (like tuba player Bell, from the symphony) joined Whiteman for much more money then a symphony could pay. Jazz was developing into a new, very virtuosic style. Soon these larger more artistic orchestras were in search of additional musical material then found in the popular circles of publishing. The need for schooled arrangers was understood and we have these bands using classical material arranged in what was called “a jazz tempo.” Thus two schools developed: those who approved of using classical material by ‘jazz’ bands and those who opposed using the classics in a ‘jazz tempo.’ We read in the article “Classics in Jazz Tempo” found in the January, 1924 issue of ‘Sheet Music News’ - this controversy being explained in this article. 4 CLASSICS IN "JAZZ-TEMPO"- Does Such Playing of Classics by Dance Orchestras Help or Retard Public's Appreciation of Music. -One of the interesting developments of comparatively recent date that has attracted attention in musical circles is the practice of several prominent dance orchestra leaders to play classical numbers in "jazz tempo." This practice has been condemned and praised. But, insofar as the general public is concerned, it has met with considerable approval. Unquestionably "Excerpts from Carmen," as played by Vincent Lopez and his Hotel Pennsylvania Orchestra, "Tales of Hoffman," rendered by Benny Krueger's combination and the other like pieces played by high grade dance orchestras, are enjoyed immensely. As a matter of fact there are few pieces which Mr. Lopez plays that receive greater applause than the "Carmen" number. Those who frown upon this practice feel that the rendering of classics in this manner completely spoils their musical value, and tends to becloud their real worth. They feel that this is like enacting a scene from Shakespeare in a burlesque show. On the other hand, those who look with favor on "jazzing the classics" hold that it gives men and women, who might not, under other circumstances, ever hear these pieces, an opportunity to appreciate their worth. These people, through hearing this music played in dance tempo, frequently are aroused to the real musical quality of the operas from which the melodies come, and thus are gradually taught to appreciate music of the highest type. Concerning this topic, the "New York Herald" recently published an editorial in which some interesting views were expressed. After discussing the influence of radio and "jazz" on the public's appreciation of music, the editorial continues: "But of the cultural phases of the increase in the enjoyment of jazz? Will widespread popularity of this heady rhythm make its hearers deaf to music of a more elevated character? This has not been the experience in any other art. Enjoyment of music in its pretentious phases has usually had the effect of creating a demand for something better. "Hearers of jazz are just as likely to feel, after a while, the desire to listen to music of a different character. They argue that if Schubert's "Unfinished Symphony" sound so well as a jazz number it may be that in its original form it may be still more beautiful. Curiosity is at once created, and curiosity is the inspiration of all artistic progress. Jazz, with its adaptations, proves too many that classic symphonies are not such austere things as the public has been led to believe. "Grand opera cannot be conceived of as a difficult thing for any man to enjoy when he knows it consists of such alluring tunes as Puccini's 'Madame Butterfly" provides for the skill of the jazz players. Let there be more opera if it is so easy to listen to as all that. Dvorak never wrote his "Humoresque" to be played by such an orchestra, for he never heard of jazz, although he did put some syncopation into his symphony 'From the New World.' No taste was ever lowered by liking Dvorak. Good music, when it is heard, will always create the desire to hear more of the same kind, even if there is the titillation of jazz to awaken the first appetite for something better.

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