1.
Popular music
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Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training and it stands in contrast to both art music and traditional or folk music. Art music was historically disseminated through the performances of music, although since the beginning of the recording industry. Traditional music forms such as blues songs or hymns were passed along orally, or to smaller. The original application of the term is to music of the 1880s Tin Pan Alley period in the United States, although popular music sometimes is known as pop music, the two terms are not interchangeable. Popular music songs and pieces typically have easily singable melodies, in the 2000s, with songs and pieces available as digital sound files, it has become easier for music to spread from one country or region to another. Some popular music forms have become global, while others have an appeal within the culture of their origin. Through the mixture of genres, new popular music forms are created to reflect the ideals of a global culture. The examples of Africa, Indonesia and the Middle East show how Western pop music styles can blend with local traditions to create new hybrid styles. Sales of recordings or sheet music are one measure, middleton and Manuel note that this definition has problems because multiple listens or plays of the same song or piece are not counted. Manuel states that one criticism of music is that it is produced by large media conglomerates and passively consumed by the public. He claims that the listeners in the scenario would not have been able to make the choice of their favorite music, moreover, understandings of popular music have changed with time. A societys popular music reflects the ideals that are prevalent at the time it is performed or published, david Riesman states that the youth audiences of popular music fit into either a majority group or a subculture. The majority group listens to the commercially produced styles while the subcultures find a minority style to transmit their own values and this allows youth to choose what music they identify with, which gives them power as consumers to control the market of popular music. Form in popular music is most often sectional, the most common sections being verse, chorus or refrain, other common forms include thirty-two-bar form, chorus form *, and twelve-bar blues. Popular music songs are rarely composed using different music for each stanza of the lyrics, the verse and chorus are considered the primary elements. Each verse usually has the melody, but the lyrics change for most verses. The chorus usually has a phrase and a key lyrical line which is repeated
2.
Irving Berlin
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Irving Berlin was an American composer and lyricist, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in American history. His music forms a part of the Great American Songbook. Born in Imperial Russia, Berlin arrived in the United States at the age of five. He published his first song, Marie from Sunny Italy, in 1907, receiving 33 cents for the publishing rights and he also was an owner of the Music Box Theatre on Broadway. Alexanders Ragtime Band sparked a dance craze in places as far away as Berlins native Russia. In doing so, said Walter Cronkite, at Berlins 100th birthday tribute, he helped write the story of country, capturing the best of who we are. He wrote hundreds of songs, many becoming major hits, which him a legend before he turned thirty. During his 60-year career he wrote an estimated 1,500 songs, including the scores for 19 Broadway shows and 18 Hollywood films, with his songs nominated eight times for Academy Awards. Many songs became popular themes and anthems, including Easter Parade, White Christmas, Happy Holiday, This Is the Army, Mr. Jones, and Theres No Business Like Show Business. His Broadway musical and 1942 film, This is the Army, Celine Dion recorded it as a tribute, making it no.1 on the charts after the September 11 attacks in 2001. In 2015, pianist and composer Hershey Felder began touring nationwide as a show, portraying Berlin. Composer George Gershwin called him the greatest songwriter that has ever lived, Berlin was born on May 11,1888, in Tolochin, Russian Empire. He was one of eight children of Moses and Lena Lipkin Beilin and his father, a cantor in a synagogue, uprooted the family to America, as did many other Jewish families in the late 19th century. In 1893 they settled in New York City, as of the 1900 census, the name Beilin had changed to Baline. By daylight the house was in ashes, as an adult, Berlin said he was unaware of being raised in abject poverty since he knew no other life. Tsar Alexander III of Russia and then Tsar Nicholas II, his son, had revived with utmost brutality the anti-Jewish pogroms, which created the spontaneous mass exodus to America. When they reached Ellis Island, Israel was put in a pen with his brother and his Yiddish-speaking family eventually settled on Cherry Street, a windowless cold-water basement flat in the Theater District of the Lower East Side. His father, unable to find work as a cantor in New York, took a job at a kosher meat market and gave Hebrew lessons on the side
3.
1925 in music
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This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1925. January 1 - First day of broadcasting in Sweden, Gaston Borch conducts the Skandia Cinema Orchestra in the countrys first broadcast of orchestral music. February 25 - Art Gillham - The Whispering Pianist records the first electrical recordings to be released for Columbia using the Western Electric system, march 1 - Edgard Varèses Intégrales is premiered in New York City. March 21 - Maurice Ravels LEnfant et les sortilèges is premiered in Monte Carlo, april 3 - Gustav Holsts opera At the Boars Head is premiered in Manchester. June 6 - Sergei Prokofievs Symphony No.2 is premiered in Paris, november 28 - The weekly country music radio program Grand Ole Opry is first broadcast on WSM radio in Nashville, Tennessee, as the WSM Barn Dance. December 11 - Carl Nielsens Symphony No,6, the Sinfonia semplice, is premiered in Copenhagen. December 14 - Alban Bergs opera Wozzeck is given its first complete performance, in Berlin, Joseph Canteloube founds a group called La Bourrée in Paris to publicize the folklore and other attractions of the Auvergne. Blind Lemon Jeffersons recording career begins, Louis Armstrong leaves Fletcher Hendersons Orchestra, returns to Chicago, Illinois, and makes his first records under his own name, leading Louis Armstrong & His Hot Five. Adios, Mariquita Linda w. Ray Gilbert Marcos A. Jimenez m. Marcos A. Jimenez Alone at Last w. Gus Kahn m. Ted Fio Rito Always w. m, Irving Berlin Bam, Bam, Bamy Shore w. Mort Dixon m. Hoagy Carmichael & Irving Mills Brown Eyes, Why Are You Blue, W. Alfred Bryan m. George W. Meyer By the Light of the Stars w. m. Arthur Sizemore, George A. Little, & Larry Shay Bye and Bye w. Lorenz Hart m, Richard Rodgers Cecilia w. Herman Ruby m. Dave Dreyer Cheatin on Me w. Jack Yellen m. W. Billy Rose & Ballard MacDonald m. Joseph Meyer Collegiate w. m, moe Jaffe & Nat Bonx A Cup of Coffee, a Sandwich and You w. Billy Rose & Al Dubin m. Joseph Meyer Davenport Blues m. Ray Henderson Dont Wake Me Up, Let Me Dream w. L. Wolfe Gilbert m, mabel Wayne Down by the Winegar Works w. m. Don Bestor, Roger Lewis & Walter Donovan Drifting and Dreaming w. Haven Gillespie, egbert Van Alstyne, Erwin R. Schmidt & Loyal Curtis DYe Love Me. w. Otto Harbach & Oscar Hammerstein II m. Jerome Kern. Introduced by Marilyn Miller in the musical Sunny Five Foot Two Eyes of Blue w. Sam M. Lewis & Joe Young m, fred Rose & Paul Whiteman Footloose w. Hal Cochran m. Carl Rupp Freshie w. Harold Berg m. Jesse Greer Grandpas Spells m, jelly Roll Morton Headin for Louisville w. B. G. De Sylva m. Joseph Meyer Here in My Arms w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers The Hills of Home w. Floride Calhoun m. Oscar J. Fox I Found a New Baby w. m, Jack Palmer & Spencer Williams I Lost My Heart in Heidelberg w. Fritz Löhner-Beda & Ernst Neubach m. Fred Raymond I Love My Baby w. Bud Green m. Harry Warren I Might Have Known Lucas I Miss My Swiss w. L. Wolfe Gilbert m
4.
Alexander's Ragtime Band (film)
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The story spans more than two decades from the 1911 release of its name-sake song to some point in time after the 1933 release of Heat Wave, presumably 1938. It stars Tyrone Power, Alice Faye, Don Ameche, Ethel Merman, Jack Haley, there are no mentions of the primary importance of blacks in creating and playing jazz anywhere in the film. The story was written by Berlin himself, with Kathryn Scola, Richard Sherman and it was directed by Henry King. Alexanders Ragtime Band features several hit songs by Irving Berlin including Heat Wave, Some Sunny Day, Blue Skies, Easter Parade, A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody, previously released songs were re-arranged and used in conjunction with new songs written by Berlin for the film. The film had its New York premiere at the Roxy Theatre on August 5,1938, contemporary reviews from critics were positive. Variety wrote, Superlative in conception, execution and showmanship, it provides a theatrical and emotional experience. Film Daily declared it solid entertainment that should play to big returns, harrisons Reports called it Excellent entertainment, capably directed and acted. Alfred Newman won an Academy Award for Best Music, Scoring, the adaptation starred Faye and Robert Preston. Alexanders Ragtime Band at AllMovie Alexanders Ragtime Band at the TCM Movie Database Alexanders Ragtime Band at the Internet Movie Database
5.
Alice Faye
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Alice Faye was an American actress and singer, described by the The New York Times as one of the few movie stars to walk away from stardom at the peak of her career. She is often associated with the Academy Award–winning standard Youll Never Know, born Alice Jeane Leppert in New York City, she was the daughter of a New York police officer of German descent, Charles Leppert, and his Irish-American wife, Alice Leppert. Fayes entertainment career began in vaudeville as a girl before she moved to Broadway. By this time, she had adopted her name and first reached a radio audience on Rudy Vallées The Fleischmanns Yeast Hour. Faye got her first major break in 1934, when Lilian Harvey abandoned the lead role in a film version of George Whites 1935 Scandals. Hired first to perform a number with Vallee, Faye ended up as the female lead. She became a hit with audiences of the 1930s, particularly when Fox production head Darryl F. Zanuck made her his protégée. He softened Faye from a show girl to a youthful, yet somewhat motherly, figure. Faye also received a makeover, going from a version of Jean Harlow to a wholesome appearance, in which her platinum hair. In 1938, Faye was cast as the lead in In Old Chicago. Zanuck initially resisted casting Faye, as the role had been written for Jean Harlow. The film was memorable for its twenty-minute ending, a recreation of the Great Chicago Fire. Her co-stars in that film were Tyrone Power and Don Ameche, Faye, Power, and Ameche were reunited for the 1938 release Alexanders Ragtime Band, which was designed to showcase more than twenty Irving Berlin songs, Faye again received strong reviews. One of the most expensive films of its time, it became one of the most successful musicals of the 1930s. By 1939, Faye was named one of the top ten box office draws in Hollywood and that year, she made Rose of Washington Square with Tyrone Power. Although a big hit, the film was based on the real life of comedian Fanny Brice and Brice sued Fox for stealing her story. Because of her status, Fox occasionally placed Faye in films that were put together more for the sake of making money than showcasing Fayes talents. Films like Tail Spin and Barricade were more dramatic in nature than regular Faye films, but, due to her immense popularity, none of the films that she made in the 1930s and 1940s lost money
6.
Kathryn Grayson
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Kathryn Grayson was an American actress and soprano. From the age of twelve, Grayson trained as an opera singer and she was under contract to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer by the early 1940s, soon establishing a career principally through her work in musicals. After several supporting roles, she was a performer in such films as Thousands Cheer, Anchors Aweigh with Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly. When film musical production declined, she worked in theatre, appearing in Camelot, later in the decade she performed in several operas, including La bohème, Madama Butterfly, Orpheus in the Underworld and La traviata. She was born Zelma Kathryn Elisabeth Hedrick in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Lillian was of Russian-Mongolian, Native American and English descent, and Charles was of German, Russian-Mongolian and Sicilian descent. Graysons sister, Frances Raeburn was also an actress and singer and she also had two brothers, Clarence Bud E. Hedrick, and Harold. In 1940, an MGM talent scout saw Grayson performing at a music festival, metro hoped to find a replacement for Deanna Durbin, who left the studio for Universal Pictures. For the next 18 months, Grayson went through voice lessons, drama coaching, diction, diets, within a year, Grayson had her first screen test. In the film, she takes part in three musical numbers, ann Sothern was also slated to appear, however, this fell through as well. The film eventually was made in 1944 as Broadway Rhythm and she appeared in three films in 1942, The Vanishing Virginian, Rio Rita and Seven Sweethearts. In the first, Grayson plays the daughter, Rebecca, of the eccentric Yancey family from Lynchburg. Set in 1913, the film was based on Rebecca Yancey Williamss own family, Grayson co-starred in Rio Rita with Abbott and Costello. Grayson portrayed the character, Rita Winslow. In 1943, Grayson appeared in the film Thousands Cheer, along with Gene Kelly, Mickey Rooney, Eleanor Powell, June Allyson, the film was intended as a morale booster for American troops and their families. Grayson starred as the daughter of an Army commander. It was announced in 1942 that Grayson would appear in An American Symphony with Judy Garland, Garland was replaced by June Allyson, and the film was retitled as Two Sisters from Boston and released in 1946. Grayson did not appear in any films for two years, but instead worked at entertaining troops during the war and performing on radio programs. Notably, it is reported that she would perform under the condition that the audience was integrated
7.
There's No Business Like Show Business (film)
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Irving Berlins Theres No Business Like Show Business is a 1954 20th Century-Fox musical-comedy-drama, directed by Walter Lang. It stars an ensemble cast, consisting of Ethel Merman, Dan Dailey, Donald OConnor, Mitzi Gaynor, Marilyn Monroe, Johnnie Ray, the title is borrowed from the famous song in the stage musical Annie Get Your Gun. The screenplay was written by Phoebe Ephron and Henry Ephron, based on a story by Lamar Trotti, Donald OConnor later called the film the best picture he ever made. In 1919, Terence and Molly Donahue, a vaudeville team known as the Donahues. The kids Steve, Katy, and Tim join the act one by one, the family is a success and soon hit the top. One night after a show, a worried Molly and Terry return home alone while Katy goes out on a date, Steve takes a walk, Katy and Tim both wind up at a nightclub where Tim teases Victoria Hoffman. Vicky forgets Tims wisecracks, however, when Eddie, her agent, with the help of her co-workers, Vicky gets onstage and impresses Lew and Tim with her singing. Backstage, Vicky learns that Tim is one of the well known Donahues, back at the Donahue home, Steve informs his family that he wants to become a priest. Terry is distraught over his sons decision, but their discussion is interrupted by the appearance of Tim, after Steve leaves for seminary school, the rechristened Four Donahues accept an engagement in Miami. After falling in complete lust with Vickys performance at rehearsal, Tim gives his approval for her to perform the number without checking with the family beforehand, Katy begins dating Charlie Gibbs the shows tall and spare lyricist, and Tim continues dating Vicky. After a misunderstanding over a dinner date with Vicky, Tim goes out drinking with a chorus girl. Molly and Terry learn of the accident just hours before opening night of the show for which Vicky and Katy have been rehearsing, Tim rebuffs the advice, whereupon Terry slaps him across the face and storms out. The next day, Terry and Molly go back to the hospital to pick up Tim but discover that he has vanished, Molly and Terry are both heartbroken but decide to take action. Molly convinces Harris that, while shed have to fake the dancing, Steve has been called up into the Army as a chaplain and been sent to Europe where his whereabouts are also unknown. Weeks later, the show is a success, but Terry is still despondent over the loss of Tim. Highly incensed at the idea, she demands to know why and Katy calmly tells her that what happened to Tim. Seeing the truth about her youngest son, Molly relents and has a talk with Vicky, who assures her that she never did play around on Tim. They make up and Vicky takes her place backstage, Steve comes in unexpectedly, they share a hug, and Molly admits that she was pretty hardheaded too and never gave Vicky the proper chance she deserved
8.
Ethel Merman
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Ethel Merman was an American actress and singer. Known primarily for her voice and roles in theatre, she has been called the undisputed First Lady of the musical comedy stage. The Irving Berlin song Theres No Business Like Show Business, written for the musical Annie Get Your Gun, became Mermans signature song. Merman was born in her grandmothers house located at 359 4th Avenue in Astoria, Queens, in New York City in 1908. Her father, Edward Zimmermann, was an accountant with James H. Dunham & Company, a Manhattan wholesale dry-goods company, Edward Zimmermann had been raised in the Dutch Reformed Church and his wife was Presbyterian. Shortly after they married, they joined the Episcopal congregation at Church of the Redeemer and her family was of German and Scottish ancestry. 4 and William Cullen Bryant High School, where she pursued a course that offered secretarial training. At home she tried to emulate their singing styles, but her own voice was difficult to disguise. After graduating from Bryant High School in 1924, – Merman was hired as a stenographer by the Boyce-Ite Company, during this period, Merman also began appearing in nightclubs, first hired by Jimmy Durantes partner Lou Clayton. At this time, she decided the name Ethel Zimmermann was too long for a theater marquee and she considered combining Ethel with Gardner or Hunter, which was her grandmothers maiden name. These considerations got her fathers German ire worked up, finally, she abbreviated Zimmermann to Merman to appease her father. He offered her an exclusive contract, starting at $125 per week. She finally urged Irwin to try to cancel her agreement with Mayo, instead, Merman was hired as a torch singer at Les Ambassadeurs, where the headliner was Jimmy Durante, and the two became lifelong friends. She caught the attention of such as Walter Winchell and Mark Hellinger. Soon after, Merman underwent a tonsillectomy she feared might damage her voice, while performing on the prestigious Keith Circuit, Merman was signed to replace Ruth Etting in the Paramount film Follow the Leader, starring Ed Wynn and Ginger Rogers. Following a successful run at the Brooklyn Paramount, she was signed to perform at the Palace for $500 per week. Upon hearing her sing I Got Rhythm, the Gershwins immediately cast her, Girl Crazy opened on October 14,1930, at the Alvin Theatre, where it ran for 272 performances. The New York Times noted Merman sang with dash, authority, good voice, Merman was fairly blasé about her notices, prompting George Gershwin to ask her mother, Have you ever seen a person so unconcerned as Ethel
