Date of Award
7-1-1936
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Abstract
Excerpt: "The writing of this handbook was motivated by the realization of the fact that the numerous contributions which the Negro has made to the music of this country have not been recognized sufficiently by the American people, both whites and Negroes. The writer felt that by making material concerning the various phases of Negro music available in the form of a handbook, teachers of music appreciation in the typical Negro secondary schools of America might use it as reference or supplementary material to the regular textbook. In this manner a more widespread appreciation for Negro music in its various aspects may be instilled in the pupils who attend these schools. In order to secure the ideas incorporated in this manual, books, pamphlets, and periodicals from several of the best libraries in the country were investigated. The material was selected on the basis of its significance in this particular field. The most significant points about Negro folk-songs and folk-dances have been included. The artists and composers treated in this handbook are those who occupy or have occupied the most prominent positions in the music world of the Negroes. Negro music is considered under four general topics,--folk-songs, folk-dances, artists, and composers. The second chapter considers Negro folk-songs in three main divisions: religious songs, work songs, and social songs. Included in the chapter pertaining to Negro folk-dances is a description of the musical instruments which are used to accompany the folk-dances, and also a discussion of the folk-dances themselves. The most significant points about the lives of the outstanding Negro artists are enumerated in the fourth chapter. The final section of this handbook considers accounts of the lives of nine eminent Negro composers. Some of the well-known compositions of these musicians are listed also. At the close of this aggregation of facts there is a summary chapter in which the contents of this manual are related in an abbreviated form."
Recommended Citation
Fowler, Ona Arlene, "Contributions the Negro has made to American music" (1936). Electronic Theses & Dissertations. 442.
https://digitalcommons.pittstate.edu/etd/442
Comments
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