The last century was the first time in the history of Western music that different genres of music became more popular than the classical genre. Besides a few traditional folk tunes and religious songs, classical music has been what wealthy people have played and listened to for almost three hundred years. This all changed in the 20th century when other types of music began to emerge and evolve from the foundations laid by earlier composers. Of course, it is difficult to differentiate certain genres of music from each other because there are no universal rules surrounding these classifications. Classical music is divided into a few distinct eras as each era produced its own original music. However, it could be said that impressionist composers such as M. Ravel and J. Turina created an entirely different genre that was unlike anything ever heard before. For the purposes of this article, I’ve exaggerated generalizations that apply to different genres of music – such as rock music with guitars – so that I can clearly explain the shift that led to the decline in popularity of classical music. .
In the early 1900s, opera still dominated American performance halls. Yet by the end of the 1990s, pop and rock were topping the charts. How did it happen? Well, there were many factors involved, but historians and musicologists can agree that one of the first big changes to the music scene was the introduction of the jazz band in the 1910s and 20s. were composed primarily of black musicians, and artists like Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong paved the way for the genre’s expansion. The 1930s and 1940s are considered the height of the “swing” era, and bandleaders such as Benny Goodman and Count Basie popularized “big band” music. During World War II and throughout the 1940s, big bands never lost their popularity, and the addition of a solo singer to the group laid the foundation for pop music. The 1950s saw the rise of country and rock ‘n’ roll, and singers like Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly blew up the music world with their songs. After the early 1960s, popular genres were less straightforward, as this decade also brought music from other cultures. In simplified terms, the 70s was all about disco and electronic music, the 80s was all about hard rock, early hip hop and heavy metal, and the 90s saw a takeover by pop and metal. hip-hop.
So where were the classical music composers during all of this? They certainly weren’t hiding. In fact, many were among the most prominent citizens of their country. You have to remember that many European countries have clung more tightly to classical music traditions than the United States. After all, they do create this kind.! Modern classical music flourished in Europe before World War II, and composers such as D. Shostakovich, B. Britten and B. Bartok have been compared to brilliant composers of the 1800s. However, the world was changing slowly but surely, so many classical composers followed him. Leonard Bernstein is one of the best known and best-known examples of a ‘transitional’ composer: he was a classical conductor, but he also wrote the famous soundtrack for the musical West Side Story. This Broadway show and movie was considered groundbreaking because it spotlighted immigrants, remade Romeo and Juliet, and had such outstanding music. As we see with Bernstein, many classical composers had to adapt to the new era because the world was changing, whether they liked it or not. The 20th century was a time of great growth, and not just for music.
I don’t mourn the “loss” of classical music because I really love the music of the last century and artists like Doris Day, the Beatles, ABBA and Bon Jovi. Frankly, classical music had its time as the reigning champ, and it was time to move on. However, I am confident that he will continue to be enjoyed for many years to come, and I am proud to carry on his legacy through my game.
