In the Great War’s Aftermath
The Great War came to an end in 1918 when ceasefire went into effect in Europe. They did not call it World War I at the time, because most people did not dream that another worldwide conflict would erupt two decades later. The United States and Canada had suffered few wartime losses, so their economies found it easy to rebound. In fact, a financial boom began in the next decade, which is often called the “Roaring Twenties.” The Wall Street Crash of 1929 launched a massive decline in stock values that would continue until 1932, thereby contributing to the Great Depression worldwide. Financial recovery took most of the 1930s. Through the course of these economic and political upheavals, both popular and classical music thrived. When times were prosperous and when times were hard, people looked to music for entertainment and escape. Thanks to technological advances in radio, audio recording, and film, it became increasingly easy for even very poor people to hear music on a regular basis.
The Great War came to an end in 1918 when ceasefire went into effect in Europe. They did not call it World War I at the time, because most people did not dream that another worldwide conflict would erupt two decades later. The United States and Canada had suffered few wartime losses, so their economies found it easy to rebound. In fact, a financial boom began in the next decade, which is often called the “Roaring Twenties.” The Wall Street Crash of 1929 launched a massive decline in stock values that would continue until 1932, thereby contributing to the Great Depression worldwide. Financial recovery took most of the 1930s. Through the course of these economic and political upheavals, both popular and classical music thrived. When times were prosperous and when times were hard, people looked to music for entertainment and escape. Thanks to technological advances in radio, audio recording, and film, it became increasingly easy for even very poor people to hear music on a regular basis.
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Radio Days
As the musical style of swing grew in popularity, radio also offered live dance bands, such as the one led by Benny Goodman (1909–86). By World War II, radio had gained tremendous power in American culture. Ninety percent of homes in the United States had a radio, and Americans listened to those radios for about four and a half hours a day. Radio station owners were, collectively, very conservative about what they considered appropriate material for broadcasting, so there was a great deal of censorship in their programming. Because of Prohibition (the constitutional amendment that banned the sale, production, transportation, and importation of alcohol between 1920 and 1933), no references could be made to alcoholic beverages on the air. Suggestive language and mild swear words were also forbidden, and thus many songs had “radio” lyrics that differed from the versions in printed sheet music or in other performance venues. During the war years, all four of the existing U.S. networks had agreed to offer the This Is War! program simultaneously, so during one hour each week, listeners across the nation heard the same radio broadcast, no matter what network station they had tuned in.
As the musical style of swing grew in popularity, radio also offered live dance bands, such as the one led by Benny Goodman (1909–86). By World War II, radio had gained tremendous power in American culture. Ninety percent of homes in the United States had a radio, and Americans listened to those radios for about four and a half hours a day. Radio station owners were, collectively, very conservative about what they considered appropriate material for broadcasting, so there was a great deal of censorship in their programming. Because of Prohibition (the constitutional amendment that banned the sale, production, transportation, and importation of alcohol between 1920 and 1933), no references could be made to alcoholic beverages on the air. Suggestive language and mild swear words were also forbidden, and thus many songs had “radio” lyrics that differed from the versions in printed sheet music or in other performance venues. During the war years, all four of the existing U.S. networks had agreed to offer the This Is War! program simultaneously, so during one hour each week, listeners across the nation heard the same radio broadcast, no matter what network station they had tuned in.
Keep It Snappy!
The various technological advances in radio, recording, and filmmaking led to greater financial profit, but these technologies had an impact on music-making as well. Early records during the first two decades of the twentieth century used many different playback speeds, but when electrical recording was developed, it was necessary to standardize the rpm. The largest record company in 1925 was Victor Records, and 78 rpm was the speed Victor had been using—so that was the speed selected as the new standard for everyone. The disc size was typically ten inches in diameter, giving a playback time of three minutes per side. Therefore, almost all popular recordings began to be three minutes or less. Some songs were performed without all their verses, or musicians performed a song faster than usual so as to squeeze it into the time limit.
The various technological advances in radio, recording, and filmmaking led to greater financial profit, but these technologies had an impact on music-making as well. Early records during the first two decades of the twentieth century used many different playback speeds, but when electrical recording was developed, it was necessary to standardize the rpm. The largest record company in 1925 was Victor Records, and 78 rpm was the speed Victor had been using—so that was the speed selected as the new standard for everyone. The disc size was typically ten inches in diameter, giving a playback time of three minutes per side. Therefore, almost all popular recordings began to be three minutes or less. Some songs were performed without all their verses, or musicians performed a song faster than usual so as to squeeze it into the time limit.
Classical music recordings often made use of larger twelve-inch 78 rpm discs, allowing them to hold four or five minutes on each side. A very long piece, such as a Beethoven symphony, would still have to be divided up among several sides of several discs. Sometimes, however, longer works were modified because of the audio format’s time limitations. For instance, on June 10, 1924, for the first recording of Rhapsody in Blue (Listening Example 6), George Gershwin (1898–1937) gathered in a studio with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, which had premiered his work four months earlier. On this later occasion, however, Gershwin made fairly drastic cuts to Rhapsody, reducing the nearly seventeen-minute original by almost half (8:59) so it would fit onto two sides of a “classical”-sized 78 disc. It was worth the effort; the recording sold a million copies, and the sheet music also enjoyed brisk sales. [The shortened performance can be heard below.]
Rise of the Crooners
With the introduction of electrical recording, it was possible to preserve much finer details of a performance. Capitalizing on this improved fidelity, certain vocalists developed a more sensitive singing style that became known as “crooning.” Historian Larry Starr describes the style as “a private experience. The singer’s silky, gentle, nuanced voice invites you to share the most intimate of confidences; it speaks to you alone.” The most famous of the first generation of crooners was Bing Crosby (1903–77). Songwriters capitalized on this new singing style, including Irving Berlin (1888–1989), who wrote “White Christmas” for the 1942 film Holiday Inn. Crosby’s recording of “White Christmas” not only became one of the biggest war-time hits, but also remains the best-selling single of all time. [Crosby’s 1942 recording can be heard below.]
With the introduction of electrical recording, it was possible to preserve much finer details of a performance. Capitalizing on this improved fidelity, certain vocalists developed a more sensitive singing style that became known as “crooning.” Historian Larry Starr describes the style as “a private experience. The singer’s silky, gentle, nuanced voice invites you to share the most intimate of confidences; it speaks to you alone.” The most famous of the first generation of crooners was Bing Crosby (1903–77). Songwriters capitalized on this new singing style, including Irving Berlin (1888–1989), who wrote “White Christmas” for the 1942 film Holiday Inn. Crosby’s recording of “White Christmas” not only became one of the biggest war-time hits, but also remains the best-selling single of all time. [Crosby’s 1942 recording can be heard below.]
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Tin Pan Alley: A Place and a Style
In the early twentieth century, the leading U.S. music publishers were clustered along 28th Street in New York City. They all had pianos in their front offices so that prospective purchasers could try out sheet music before buying it. A journalist, Monroe Rosenfelt, found the racket from all the neighboring businesses deafening. He commented that the pianos sounded like a bunch of tin pans being clanged together, and thus the Alley got its nickname. “Tin Pan Alley” does not refer to just the street, however; it quickly became the general term for the kind of music that these businesses published. Many were romantic love songs with rich accompanying harmonies, thanks to the same improved recording fidelity that had encouraged the rise of crooners. As the Depression took hold of the nation’s economy, such songs were a form of escape.
In the early twentieth century, the leading U.S. music publishers were clustered along 28th Street in New York City. They all had pianos in their front offices so that prospective purchasers could try out sheet music before buying it. A journalist, Monroe Rosenfelt, found the racket from all the neighboring businesses deafening. He commented that the pianos sounded like a bunch of tin pans being clanged together, and thus the Alley got its nickname. “Tin Pan Alley” does not refer to just the street, however; it quickly became the general term for the kind of music that these businesses published. Many were romantic love songs with rich accompanying harmonies, thanks to the same improved recording fidelity that had encouraged the rise of crooners. As the Depression took hold of the nation’s economy, such songs were a form of escape.
Alongside Tin Pan Alley’s flood of love songs, patriotic numbers also flourished. The ever-prolific Irving Berlin wrote the most enduring song, “God Bless America.” He had composed the melody in 1918 for a show titled Yip, Yip, Yaphank, but had pulled it out of the production and set it aside. In 1938, he was alarmed at the dark threat of fascism that he saw during a trip to Europe. He revised the lyrics and gave the song to the singer Kate Smith (1907–86) for her Armistice Day radio broadcast in November 1938. (The United States now recognizes “Veterans Day” on the same date, November 11.) Smith also performed the song in September 1939 during The Kate Smith Hour, her weekly radio show. She sang it yet again as the closing number of her program during the next two weeks, but omitted it the fourth week. A huge outcry from her listeners led her to reinstate it, and for the rest of the war, she closed every show with “God Bless America.”