A TIMELINE OF WESTERN MUSIC

PAGE 6

1900 CE (cont)

1950 CE

- Franz Waxman wins an Oscar for his subtle yet dramatic score to Sunset Boulevard.

- Oliver Wallace and Paul J. Smith write the memorable and romantic score to Disney's Cinderella.

- Zoltan Kodaly, composer of pedagogic music, tries to bridge widening gulf between composer and listener.

1951 CE

- John Cage writes Music of Changes, uses indeterminacy, aleatoric, influenced by Eastern philosophy, extended techniques for instrumental performance, also known for 4'33" of silence.

-Alex North writes the sultry, jazz influenced score for the film A Streetcar Named Desire.

- Hank Williams records "Cold, Cold Heart." The father of contemporary country music, he is a prolific songwriter, singer, guitar player with memorable melodies, simple and direct lyrics.

- Disc Jockey Alan Freed coins term "Rock 'n' Roll," important in bringing R&B to wider audience.

1952 CE

- Stan Kenton Band records New Concepts in Artistry and Rhythm, brassy extroverted sound, Afro-Cuban infuence, play in ballrooms across U. S., employ at various times Art Pepper (sax) and Gerry Mulligan (sax).

1953 CE

- Massey Hall Concert in Toronto hailed as the "Greatest Jazz Concert Ever," features bebop icons Gillespie, Powell, Roach, Parker and Charlie Mingus (bass).

1954 CE

- Modern Jazz Quartet records "Django," known for their fluidity in playing together like a string quartet, John Lewis (piano), Milt Jackson (vibes).

1955 CE

- Leonard Rosenman writes a dramatic and introspective score for East of Eden.

- Les Paul introduces multi-track recording.

- High-Fidelity becomes standard.

- Chuck Berry, songwriter, singer, guitar player often credited with the birth of rock n' roll, records "Maybelline." He creates the standard for rock n' roll guitar solos, rhythms and lyrics.

- Bill Haley and The Comets release "Rock Around the Clock, " sax heavy, rhythm guitar, slap bass, first rock n' roll band, began recording the 1940's, started "twist" craze.

1956 CE

- Johnny Cash records " I Walk the Line." He is a country singer/songwriter with rock n' roll/blues influence, percussive, sparse guitar, resonant baritone vocals.

- Little Richard records "Long, Tall Sally." He is a flamboyant performer, gospel and R&B roots, vocals bursting with energy, furious piano playing, accompanied by sax-driven rhythm section.

- Elvis Presley records "Heartbreak Hotel." The singer that popularized Rock 'n' Roll music, his rockabilly style is a fusion of blues and country, establishes basic conventions of Rock 'n' Roll performer.

- Newport Jazz Festival, Ellington Band plays Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue to overwhelmingly positive audience response, giving wind to Ellington's career and winning him the position of respect in the jazz world that he has long deserved.

- Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane play together on "Tenor Madness" sessions; Rollins, traditional player with classic mainstream sound, meets Coltrane, progressive player with fiery technical prowess and penchant for experimentation.

- Francis Poulenc writes Dialogues of the Carmelites, French serious opera, characterized by satire, wit, grace, fluidity.

- Karlheinz Stockhausen writes Gesang der Junglinge, very specific notation, use of amplification, indeterminacy - leaving aspects to be determined in performance.

1957 CE

- Thelonius Monk records Brilliant Corners, modern jazz, sinewy melodies, assertive rhythms, fast tempos, textured chords, very difficult music to play, Monk (piano) with Pettiford, Roach and Rollins.

- Buddy Holly releases "That'll Be the Day." His band changes recording protocol by recording on their own terms, experiment with dynamics, write original songs, fuller sound with lead and rhythm guitars, double tracked vocals.

- West Side Story premiers on Broadway with energetic and memorable jazz-influenced music by Leonard Berstein.

1958 CE

- Stereophonic records introduced.

- Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers record Moanin', epitomizes hard bop idiom, featuring Benny Golson on sax. Band at various times includes Horace Silver, Kenny Durham, Hank Mobley, Lee Morgan, Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard, Cedar Walton, Curtis Fuller, Wynton and Branford Marsalis.

- Jimmy Smith records "The Sermon," popularizes use of Hammond B3 organ as jazz instrument, soul jazz style.

1959 CE

- Miklos Rozsa writes the powerful and epic score to Ben Hur.

- The Sound of Music premiers with music by Richard Rogers, composer of 55 musicals, worked closely with lyricists Oscar Hammerstein II and Lorenz Hart, versatile style, charming melodies, dramatic arrangements.

- The Isley Brothers record "Shout," instrumental in changing R&B to soul, and later to funk (backed Jimi Hendrix). (Ronald, Rudolph and O'Kelly Isley).

- Dave Brubeck Quartet records Time Out, featuring hit song "Take Five" by Paul Desmond.

- Miles Davis releases Kind of Blue, an album of Davis compositions, defines cool style of playing and modal jazz, champions simplicity, master of tone, especially with mutes. Band features Davis (trumpet), Bill Evans (piano), Coltrane (tenor), Cannonball Adderly (alto), Paul Chambers (bass) and Philly Joe Jones (drums).

- John Coltrane releases Giant Steps, an album of original compositions by Coltrane, difficult chord progressions, haunting ballads, featuring Coltrane, Chambers, Tommy Flanagan (piano), Art Taylor (drums).

- Country star Dolly Parton debuts at age 13 on the Grand Ole Opry.

1960 CE

- Classic country singer/songwriter Loretta Lynn debuts with her single "I'm a Honky Tonk Girl," later sings about civil rights for women.

- Kryzystof Penderecki writes Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima, for 52 strings, graphic notation, extended techniques including "play highest note," leaves choices for players, pitch continuum - extended glissando.

- Antibes Jazz Festival, Dolphy plays with Charles Mingus, bassist and composer with distinctly personal style, innovative structures, juxtaposition of different styles, visceral energy, idolizes Ellington.

- Ornette Coleman releases Free Jazz, defies accepted song structure, champions atonality, ignores rhythmic conventions, features two quartets (Coleman (alto), Don Cherry (trumpet), Billy Higgins (drums), Scott LaFaro (bass)) and (Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), Eric Dolphy (alto), Charlie Haden (bass) and Ed Blackwell (drums)).

- Ella Fitzgerald records concert in Berlin, by this time a popular jazz singer, hard bop influenced scat singing, ebullient voice, sings with the Chick Webb Orchestra, Dizzy Gillespie's big band and the Ray Brown Trio.

- Ray Charles records "Georgia on My Mind," written by Hoagy Carmichael. A singer/songwriter and piano player, he blends pop, gospel, jazz and blues to establish soul sound.

- Nino Rota provides impressionistic and eclectic score to perfectly compliment Fellini's La Dolce Vita.

- Bernard Herrman writes the mysterious and menacing score for Hitchcock's Psycho, sets the standard for scoring a pscyhological thriller.

1960-1970 CE

- Postmodernism prevails in classical music, draws on previously established styles (George Rochberg, Lucas Foss, Luciano Berio, David del Tredici).

1961 CE

- Patsy Cline records "Crazy," written by country singer/songwriter Willie Nelson. She is a country singer known for her lyrical voice and control of her craft, crossover popularity.

1962 CE

- Maurice Jarre writes the dramatic , mysterious and Oscar-winning score for Lawrence of Arabia.

- Elmer Bernstein compliments To Kill a Mockingbird with his expressive and introspective score.

- Harry Partch writes Revelation in the Courthouse. An American composer, he creates his own instruments and tuning system, 43 notes per octave, unusual techniques and life.

- Smokey Robinson and the Miracles record "You've Really Got a Hold on Me." A singer and songwriter, he writes with/for Mary Wells, The Temptions, the Marvellettes, and Marvin Gaye.

1964 CE

- Nina Simone records Nina Simone in Concert. She is a Juilliard trained pianist and singer of soul, jazz, gospel and nearly every genre, dark, distinctive vocals, civil rights themes.

- Mississippi soul singer Sam Cooke records "A Change is Gonna Come," civil rights plea, blend of R&B, gospel and pop.

- The Supremes, pop-soul girl band, record "Where Did Our Love Go?" written by prolific Motown writing team Holland-Dozier-Holland. (Diana Ross, Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson).

- Stan Getz Big Band's recording "Girl from Ipanema" places high on popular music charts, popularizes bossa nova style, song by Jobim, Getz on sax, vocals by Joao Gilberto.

- Henry Mancini writes the memorable jazz inflected score to The Pink Panther.

- The Kinks release "You Really Got Me," close to British invasion band roots, skiffle and British music hall influences, fuzz toned power chords (Ray and Dave Davies, Peter Quaife, Mick Avory).

- Richard and Robert Sherman provide a whimsical and charming score to Mary Poppins.

1965 CE

- Elliott Carter writes Piano Concerto, experimental form and rhythm, invents metric modulation.

- James Brown records "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag." He is a soul singer, indispensable in soul's evolution into funk, songwriter, arranger, band leader, experimental use of rhythm, charismatic stage presence.

- The Rolling Stones release single "Satisfaction," gritty, hard driving, blues-based rock. (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman, Brian Jones, Charlie Watts).

- Cassette tape introduced.

- The Zombies release "Tell Her No." A British invasion group, they focus on melody and experiment with rhythm, modes and long instrumental solos, (Colin Blunstone, Chris White, Rod Argent).

- FCC introduces FM radio for original programming.

- The Beach Boys, an American "surf band" with lyrical melodies, smooth arrangements and tight harmonies, release Pet Sounds, (Mike Love, Brian Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Carl Wilson, Al Jardine).

- Gyorgy Ligeti writes Lux Aeterna, voices in static harmony blocks, clusters, emphasis on textures and effect, very careful notation, "harmonic crystallization" - each chord clouds out of the previous one then crystallizes.

- Pianist Cecil Taylor releases Unit Structures, dense percussive sound, free from rhythmic conventions, experiments with polytonality, awarded the Guggenheim, plays with Alvin Ailey.

1967 CE

- Aretha Franklin, soul singer with powerful, gospel voice, records "Respect," written by Otis Redding.

- Steve Reich writes Piano Phase, same music played slightly out of phase. He is composer of the minimalist movement, repetitive structure, simple elements. Also in this style - Terry Riley, La Monte Young, Philipp Glass.

- Alberto Ginastera writes opera Bomarzo. An Argentinian composer, he experiments with twelve tone composition. Other Latin American composers popular at this time - Carlos Chavez, Villa-Lobos, Revueltas.

Otis Redding, soul singer/songwriter with gritty, emotive vocals, records "The Dock of the Bay."

- Jimi Hendrix releases Are You Experienced, psychadelia album, R&B/soul/funk/rock fusion, written by Hendrix, virtuoso guitarist and singer, expsands language of electric guitar, experiments with recording techniques.

- The Doors release self titled album, blues/rock style, influenced by eastern music, with dark and psychadelic lyrics, focus on charismatic lead vocalist (Jim Morrison, John Densmore, Ray Manzarek, Robbie Krieger).

1968 CE

- Anthony Braxton releases For Alto, postmodern sax playing, redefines alto sax as solo instrument.

- John Barry writes a lush and dramatic score for The Lion in Winter.

- Van Morrison releases Astral Weeks, original songs, expressive voice, deeply personal lyrics, mix of folk, blues, R&B and Celtic influence.

1969 CE

- The Beatles release Abbey Road. An innovative and experimental British invasion rock band, they embody the energy of early rock 'n' roll, challenge song structure, instrumentation, arrangement and raise the bar for writing and performing rock music.

- The Velvet Underground release self titled album. An innovative rock band, they experiment with style and social realism in lyrics, most songs penned by frontman Lou Reed, produced by Andy Warhol, (Lou Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison, Maureen Tucker).

- The Who release Tommy, a rock opera. A British mod band, they base rhythm around guitar chords while bass and drums solo wildly over them, incorporated white noise, write extended conceptual pieces (Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, Keith Moon, John Entwistle.).

- Woodstock Music Festival in New York features Jefferson Airplane, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Arlo Guthrie, Joan Baez, Santana, Sly and the Family Stone, Grateful Dead, Credence Clearwater Revival, The Who, Blood, Sweat and Tears and The Band.

- The Grateful Dead play a concert at Fillmore West in San Francisco, the source of their Live/Dead album, psychadelic jam band, extended free form concerts, folk/bluegrass influences, cult following (Jerry Garcia, Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, Phil Lesh, Phil Kreutzmann).

- David Bowie, chameleon of rock genres (glam, mod, dance pop, plastic soul) releases "Space Oddity."

- Miles Davis releases Bitches Brew, featuring Davis and Gil Evans compositions, rock infuenced sound, band includes Davis, Chick Corea (piano), Wayne Shorter (sax), John McLaughlin (guitar) and Joe Zawinul (keyboard).