African and American Music Styles: A Concise Overview
African Music Styles
Africa
- Main Styles:
- Songs of work: Cacons
- Various activities related to daily/private life: Music interpreted in small groups, family areas, smoother sound, dominated by instruments.
- Music publishing: Music interpreted in tribal celebrations, involving a large group, often emphasizing percussion.
- Purpose: African music is conceived as an integral part of life. Social music is a collective manifestation.
- Texture: Polyphony and monodic songs. Question and response between soloist and
Standard Ballroom Dances: Waltz and Tango
Standard and Latin Ballroom Dances
There are two main styles of ballroom dances: Standard and Latin. This article focuses on the Standard dances.
Standardization of Ballroom Dances
In 1924, the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) took the initiative to standardize ballroom dances. The Dance Sport Committee, a team within the ISTD, was responsible for this challenging task. Key members included Josephine Bradley, Lisle Humphreys, Eve Tymegate-Smith, and Victor Sylvester, all outstanding
Read MoreFarnese Palace and Gesu Church: Architecture & History
Farnese Palace
The facade, designed by Antonio da Sangallo, projects the grandeur of the palace, which was later completed by Michelangelo. The window cornice, supported on a bracket, gradually replaces the traditional capitals.
Medici Tomb in San Lorenzo
The pediment is also supported on cantilevers, a feature along with stipe, that slowly introduces elements typical of Mannerism.
Chiesa del Sacro Nome di Gesù, Rome
Church of the Gesù (Jesuits)
This church significantly influenced many churches of
Read MoreMozart vs. Beethoven: A Comparative Analysis
Mozart vs. Beethoven: A Comparison
Differences
Mozart: Sociable, cheerful, and a squanderer. He was a quick composer who rarely made rough drafts. He was married and died young. Although he suffered illnesses, his music never reflects this. His music is always perfectly balanced and harmonious. It seems to be understood by all people, as if he had managed to express something universal. Thanks to the perfect balance between expressivity and technique, he makes us feel what pure beauty is.
Beethoven:
Read MoreBaroque Music Forms: Basso Continuo, Suite, Sonata & Concerto
Basso Continuo
The Basso Continuo (BC) is a support system characteristic of the Baroque period. Composers wrote numbers on the bass line notes, indicating to the interpreters the line to be improvised. BC is not an instrument, but an accompanying musical technique that can be developed with any of the polyphonic instruments of the time. The most frequent were the harpsichord, organ, lute, and harp. The BC is present in chamber works (a sonata for flute and BC, for example) as well as orchestral
Read More16th-Century Renaissance: Literature, Context, and Genres
Renaissance Literature (16th Century)
Sociocultural Background
The Renaissance, a cultural, social, and artistic movement, emerged in Italy in the 15th century and spread throughout Europe in the 16th century. It marked a revival of Greco-Roman culture and significant social change compared to the Middle Ages.
Key aspects of the sociocultural context:
- A new social class arose: the bourgeoisie, composed of businessmen and artisans.
- The political system was absolutism.
- The economic system was expansionist