THE CONCERT HALL BECOMES AMERICAN: EXPLORING TWENTIETH CENTURY ICONS

By Jamie Bernstein

(OVERVIEW)

As the 20th century got under way, American music in the concert hall was finding its own musical identity; it would no longer be merely a pale imitation of Europe.

The exciting new compositions reverberating in concert halls across the U.S. allowed audiences to hear their nation's own unique musical tributaries merging together to form a bold, new, identifiably American musical current. Thanks to the invention of recorded sound, we can actually hear American music coming into being, all these years later. Additionally, we can marvel at the way American composers reflected their nation's values through inclusivity and activism.

Join Jamie Bernstein on her exploration of four iconic 20th century composers who helped create a uniquely American flavor of classical music: Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, and Leonard Bernstein.

This talk was originally featured on Idagio.com.