by Sherry Umlah
In an excerpt titled “Blues Music” from A History of Popular Music before Rock Music, author Piero Scaruffi describes Negro music from the European perspective, detailing the effect the abolishment of slavery had on the evolution of music and birth of the Blues genre.
From the 16th century to the Civil War period, the United States of America’s slavery population grew from one million slaves to over four million. The growing population of Africans presented a challenge to Christian missionaries who sought to convert the African pagans to Christianity. As a byproduct of their attempt to influence the religion of Africans, the missionaries were the first white folk to recognize the musical skills of the African race. These skills were mastered within the core of the African culture, as music was part of all Africans’ daily social activities. In contrast, Europeans viewed music as an accompaniment limited to formal events. Christians recognized music’s significant role in the African community and used it to aid in their attempt to convert Africans. As a result, Christian religious ceremonies accompanied by spiritual African music became the first form of Negro music in the New World.
In addition to playing a social role in the inception of Gospel music, Negro music was used as a form of emotional expression of daily activities, such as work tasks or parties. This form of music more closely resembled traditional African song, as work and partying were activities familiar to the African culture. Jubilee songs were heard during plantation parties and Africans created synchronized music that was in rhythm with their work tasks.
Although the social influence on religious, work, and party music was different, these forms of music shared a similar hypnotic effect for the performers and audience. Although work-related song was often mournful and party-related song was animated, the feel of all African music was rhythmic and repetitive. It was also more expressive than the music of white folk. This expressiveness, coupled with the effect of hypnosis, resulted in a fluid form of music that could extend infinitely through improvisation and interjection by individual participants.
The rhythmic beat of African music was often created through the stomping of feet or clapping of hands. This animated expressiveness, coupled with a wide vocal range of singers, had great influence on the very structured and limiting form of western music. Musical harmonization was introduced to the westerner’s linear form of music, resulting in a fluidity of song that allowed for the improvisation found in black music.
African heritage was treated very differently between the European North and South. While black heritage was mostly preserved in the South, African Americans located in the North were more unified with the white society. African composers and vocalists performed openly in venues. In contrast, Africans in the South weren’t permitted to integrate with society and were forced to maintain their cultural heritage independently.
The Civil War marked the freedom of African slaves and the publication of a collection of Negro music titled Slave Songs of the United States. Although little changed in the period following the abolishment of slavery, Africans were free to relocate and their plantation and church communities were dissolved. While music continued to be an expressive outlet for Africans, the loss of these communities altered their style of music. Instead of creating song as a united group, African music became filled with solo singers who were now free to express themselves as individuals. Music transformed to focus on personal issues of daily life, as opposed to communal topics. Instead of harmonizing with a community, solo singers turned to musical instruments for accompaniment. This interaction between instrument and singer became the foundation of Blues music.
While the music of black and white folk were alike in sound, the stories expressed by the two cultures’ songs were unique. In contrast with the harsh, sad, and realistic life stories told through Blues music, white folk ballads were comprised of exaggerated tales. Blues music reflected the true reality of a formerly poor, miserable, and enslaved community. Its twelve-bar length, and 4/4 time-structured song sang of pain and pity for one’s self. Its five-note scale, compared to the seven-note scale of western music, included two flattened notes unique to Blues music.
In addition to creating an individualistic style of Blues Music, the relocation of Africans post Civil War led to a dissolution of barriers between white and black communities and increased exposure for black musicians. White folk found black music to be obscene and outrageous and took it as proof that Africans were uncivilized. The music was laced with themes and stories consistent with their experiences, including extramarital intercourse which was formerly encouraged by white slave holders. Gospel music was also viewed as indecent because it exhibited too much animation and expression. Addressing its lack of acceptance, Blues music transformed to tell more encrypted tales that were more compatible with white folk’s principles. Songs that were filled with hidden, cryptic, double meanings would have otherwise been scorned by white folk in their true form. Symbolism and storytelling tactics allowed Blues music to be heard, not shunned, by the white population.
Eventually, negro music became an accompaniment to the art of the medicine show: a variety production, used as a sales pitch by doctors, which often included magicians, musicians, and acrobats. In 1907, Memphis became home to the first, stationary venue for medicine shows. As a result, the Theater Owners Booking Association (T.O.B.A.) was formed to support a group of venues focused on negro productions.
Post Civil War, minstrel shows began employing black singers. In time, the population of these shows became mostly black. The first Burlesque show was produced by a white entrepreneur named John Isham in 1890. A similar production made its way to Europe in 1897 and these shows continued as variety shows that included vocal singers and instrumental ensembles.
Works Cited
Scaruffi, Piero. A History of Popular Music before Rock Music. Omniware, 2007. Web. 26 Dec. 2012