Music through history (Part 2)

We begin Part 2 with the modern era. Remember that in Part 1 we reached the Romantic period; you can visit the blog (Updated) if you missed it. BudgetPixel Music through history (Part 1) The history of music in pictures and short stories budgetpixel.com 9. GLOBAL EXPANSION — WHEN THE WORLD STARTS TO SOUND DIFFERENT (1890s–1940s) EUROPE — MUSIC BECOMES ATMOSPHERE Europe stopped describing the world… and began to suggest it. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, European music began to move away from the emotional intensity of Romanticism. It was no longer all about unrestrained passion: a more subtle quest emerged. Impressionism, driven by figures like Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel, proposed music based on color, atmosphere, and ambiguity. It wasn't about telling a story… but about making the listener feel something indefinable. At the same time, composers like Igor Stravinsky broke with everything that came before: irregular rhythms, dissonances, new structures. Music entered a stage of total exploration. 👉 Europe ceased to be tradition… and became a laboratory. 👤 KEY ARTISTS Antonín Dvořák (Czech Republic 1841 - 1904) Edvard Grieg (Norway 1843 - 1907) Gabriel Fauré (France, 1845–1924) Giacomo Puccini (Italy 1858 - 1924) Edward Elgar (England 1857 - 1934) Hugo Wolf (Austria 1860 - 1903) Gustav Mahler (Czech Republic 1860 - 1911) Isaac Albéniz (Spain 1860 - 1909) Edward Mac Dowell (USA 1860-1908) Claude Debussy (France, 1862–1918) the first impressionist composer Richard Strauss (Germany 1864 - 1949) Jean Sibelius (Finland 1865 - 1957) Erik Satie (France, 1866–1925) The simplicity of originality Ralph Williams (England 1872 - 1958) Arnold Schoenberg (Austria 1874–1951) — a complete break with tonality Maurice Ravel (France, 1875–1937) Manuel de Falla (Spain 1876 - 1946) Béla Bartók (Humgary 1881 - 1945) — a fusion with folk music Ígor Stravinski (Russia 1882 - 1971) Heitor Villa-Lobos (Brazil 1887 - 1959) Kurt Atterberg (Sweden 1887 - 1974) Serguéi Prokófiev (Ukraine 1891 - 1953) Silvestre Revueltas (Mexico 1899 - 1940) Aaron Copland (USA 1900- 1990) Joaquín Rodrigo (Spain 1901 - 1999) Samuel Barber (USA 1910 - 1981) Edward Britten (England 1913 - 1976) Alberto Ginastera (Argentina 1916 - 1983) EUROPE Debussy, Ravel, Satie, Fauré and Stravinsky in an imaginary meeting Now music begins to expand, across continents, and in its rhythms. We will begin to break down the most relevant ones. RAGTIME → THE FIRST MODERN HEARTBEAT (1890s–1910s) Ragtime (ragged-time), sometimes shortened to "rag," is an American musical genre that became popular in the late 19th century. Derived from the march, it is characterized by a syncopated melody and a rhythm accented on the odd beats (first, second, and third). Its roots include elements of march music in the style of John Philip Sousa and rhythms from African music. It is one of the earliest truly African American musical forms and a key influence on the development of jazz. Ragtime breaks with European rigidity. It introduces syncopation. It makes the piano stop marching… and start dancing. Ragtime is order and rebellion at the same time. It is a score… but with hidden swing. 👉 It is the first sign that something new is about to be born. 👤 KEY ARTISTS Scott Joplin (USA 1868 – 1917) - Its great architect Tom Turpin (USA 1871 - 1922) James Scott (USA 1885 - 1938) 🎷 JAZZ (ACT I) — BIRTH IN NEW ORLEANS (1900s–1920s) Music is liberated, it stops repeating itself… and it starts happening. Now it's improvised… it's conversed. Jazz is born a hybrid. And that's why… it conquers. Jazz was born in New Orleans as a fusion of blues, ragtime, and African traditions. Its essence is improvisation: each performance is unique. 👉 You never play it the same way twice… just like life. 👤 KEY ARTISTS "Buddy" Bolden (USA 1877 – 1931) - Founder of Jazz Jelly Roll Morton (USA 1890 – 1941) Louis Armstrong (USA 1901 – 1971) - One of the most influential figures in jazz Billie Holiday (USA 1915 – 1959) - a new way of manipulating phrasing and tempo Ella Fitzgerald (USA 1917 – 1996) - Known as "The First Lady of Song" Thelonious Monk (USA 1917 – 1982) Charlie Parker (USA 1920 – 1955) - Fast, virtuosic technique, advanced harmonies Sarah Vaughan (USA 1924 - 1990) - One of the most important voices in history Miles Davis (USA 1926 – 1991) - The most influential and acclaimed figureS John Coltrane (USA 1926 – 1967) "Chet" Baker Jr. (USA 1929 – 1988) 1920s New Orleans jazz club 1920s New Orleans jazz Street 🌎 SOUTH AMERICA — ROOTS, SOUL AND IDENTITY (1890s–1930s) 🎻 TANGO — THE SOUND OF LONGING (1890s–1920s) Born in the ports. Raised in the shadows. Danced like a secret… then like a confession. The Tango is not just music — it’s tension. It’s distance that wants to disappear. A fusion of European immigrants, African rhythms, and criollo culture, it emerged in the outskirts of Buenos Aires and Montevideo. 👉 It’s not danced… it’s negotiated. 👤 KEY ARTISTS Francisco Canaro (Uruguay 1888 – 1964) Carlos Gardel (Argentina 1890 – 1935) — The voice that made Tango eternal Juan D'Arienzo (Argentina 1900 – 1976) Enrique Santos Discépolo (Argentina 1901 - 1951) — The great author Osvaldo Pugliese (Argentina 1905 – 1995) Homero Manzi (Argentina 1907 - 1951) Aníbal Troilo (Argentina 1914 - 1975) — The soul of the bandoneon Homero Expósito (Argentina 1918 - 1987) — Poetry in tango Astor Piazzolla (Argentina 1921 - 1992) — Revolutionized Tango with modern harmony Julio Sosa (Uruguay 1926 – 1964) — El varón del Tango Roberto Goyeneche (Argentina 1926 - 1994) — Saying when singing Susana Rinaldi (Argentina 1935 - ) TANGO DANCE HALL - 1920' Carlos Gardel - 1930' MILONGA — THE ROOT BEFORE THE STORM (Late 19th Century – 1910s) Faster. Lighter. Less drama… but the same essence. The milonga is the bridge between the country guitar and urban melancholy. It is a folk music genre from the Río de la Plata region, typical of Argentina, Uruguay, and Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil). The genre originates from gaucho culture. 👉 If tango is the night… the milonga is the sunset. 👤 KEY ARTISTS Payadores — Improvised rural singers Gabino Ezeiza (Argentina 1858 - 1916) The best payador Carlos Gardel — He also recorded milongas Ángel Villoldo (Argentina, 1861 – 1919) — One of the first composers of tango and milonga José Betinotti (Argentina, 1878 – 1915) Promoter of payada (improvised song) CANDOMBE — THE DRUMS THAT REMEMBER (1800s–Present, roots earlier) Before melody… there was rhythm. Before stages… there was community. Candombe is resistance. A heartbeat carried across the ocean. Born from enslaved African communities in the Río de la Plata, it lives through drums and collective memory. 👉 It doesn’t ask permission… it calls you in. 👤 KEY ARTISTS / GROUPS Rubén Rada (Uruguay 1943 – ) — Brought Candombe to global audiences Hugo Fattoruso (Uruguay 1943 – ) Totem — Fusion of candombe and rock Traditional Comparsas de Candombe — The true keepers of the rhythm SOUTH AMERICAN FOLKLORE — THE LAND SINGS BACK (1900s–1930s) Mountains, rivers, wind… Everything becomes music. Folklore is identity without filter. Stories that don’t need translation. From the Andes to the Pampas, each region builds its own sound: zamba, chacarera, cueca, huayno… 👉 It’s not performed… it’s inherited. 👤 KEY ARTISTS Atahualpa Yupanqui (Argentina 1908 – 1992) — The voice of the land Mercedes Sosa (Argentina 1935 – 2009) — The voice of Latin America Violeta Parra (Chile 1917 – 1967) Víctor Jara (Chile 1932 – 1973) Los Chalchaleros Inti-Illimani 🌍 AFRICA & THE DIASPORA — RHYTHM AS ORIGIN (1890s–1940s) EARLY AFRICAN DIASPORA INFLUENCE - RHYTHM AS ORIGIN Before melody… there was pulse. Before harmony... there was voice. Africa doesn’t “create” music — it is music. Polyrhythms, call and response, collective expression. Music is not a performance… it's a function of life. 👉 Work, rituals, ceremonies, identity — everything has rhythm. And when millions were forcibly displaced… they didn't carry instruments. They carried rhythm. And that rhythm… changed the world. WORK SONGS & SPIRITUALS — VOICES IN CHAINS (1700s–1900s, evolving into 20th century) Pain… turned into sound. Suffering… turned into structure. In the fields, in the dark… voices answered each other. Call. Response. Survival. 👉 Music becomes a tool… to endure. These songs are the direct ancestors of blues, gospel, and everything that follows. 👤 KEY FIGURES (LATER REPRESENTATIVES) Mahalia Jackson (USA 1911 – 1972) — The voice of spiritual power Paul Robeson (USA 1898 – 1976) — Deep, iconic interpretations of spirituals Sister Rosetta Tharpe (USA 1915 – 1973) — Bridge between gospel and early rock AFRICAN INFLUENCE — THE INVISIBLE THREAD (1900s–1940s) It travels quietly. But it’s everywhere. In rhythm patterns. In phrasing. In the way music breathes. 👉 You don’t always hear Africa… but you always feel it. From the Caribbean to the Americas, African roots begin blending with local cultures, setting the stage for: — Jazz — Blues — Samba — Son Cubano — And everything that will come next 👤 KEY FIGURES (TRANSITIONAL INFLUENCE) W. C. Handy (USA 1873 – 1958) — “Father of the Blues” Lead Belly (USA 1888 – 1949) — Raw connection to work songs and blues roots Early 1900s, New Orleans and African influence 🎸 BLUES — THE FIRST CRY (1900s–1920s) A song born from pain… but sung to survive. The Blues is not just music. It’s a wound… that learned how to speak. Born in the Deep South of the United States, from work songs, spirituals, and African roots. Simple structure. 12 bars. But infinite emotion. 👉 You don’t listen to Blues… you confess it. 👤 KEY ARTISTS Robert Johnson (USA 1911 – 1938) — The myth, the crossroads, the soul of Delta Blues Bessie Smith (USA 1894 – 1937) — “Empress of the Blues” W. C. Handy (USA 1873 – 1958) — Helped formalize and spread the Blues Lead Belly (USA 1888 – 1949) — Raw, powerful storytelling Son House (USA 1902 – 1988) Charley Patton (USA 1891 – 1934) — Delta Blues pioneer Blind Lemon Jefferson (USA 1893 – 1929) Ma Rainey (USA 1886 – 1939) — “Mother of the Blues” Early 1900s, Blues begin Singer in a blues bar 🌏 ASIA — TIME AS SOUND (Ancient–1940s) TRADITIONAL ASIAN MUSIC — THE ART OF STILLNESS No rush. No explosion. Just… depth. Asian music doesn’t chase the future — it refines the present. Every note has space. Every silence… meaning. From China to India to Japan, music is philosophy, ritual, and meditation. Melody is subtle. Rhythm is fluid. Expression is internal. Pentatonic scales, microtones, slow evolution. 👉 It doesn’t try to impress you… it waits for you to understand. 👤 KEY ARTISTS / TRADITIONS Ravi Shankar (India 1920 – 2012) — Brought Indian classical music to the world Ustad Alla Rakha (India 1919 – 2000) — Master of rhythm Yatsuhashi Kengyo (Japan 1614 – 1685) — Father of modern koto music Traditions: Indian Raga — emotional time cycles Chinese court music — refinement and balance Japanese Gagaku — ancient imperial sound Japanese garden with musicians playing the koto Indian classical performance 🎷 SWING — WHEN JAZZ LEARNS TO DANCE (1930s–1940s) Jazz steps off the corner… and takes the whole room with it. The rhythm gets sharper. The bands get bigger. The music gets… contagious. Swing is not just heard — it’s inhabited. Born from jazz, but designed for dance, it filled ballrooms, radios, and an entire generation. 👉 If Blues was the pain… Swing is the escape. 👤 KEY ARTISTS Duke Ellington (USA 1899 – 1974) — Elegance, innovation, orchestral jazz at its peak Count Basie (USA 1904 – 1984) — Groove, minimalism, irresistible swing feel Benny Goodman (USA 1909 – 1986) — “The King of Swing” Glenn Miller (USA 1904 – 1944) — The most popular sound of the era Cab Calloway (USA 1907 – 1994) — Energy, charisma, theatricality Artie Shaw (USA 1910 – 2004) Tommy Dorsey (USA 1905 – 1956) Lester Young (USA 1909 – 1959) — A new lyrical phrasing Gene Krupa (USA 1909 – 1973) — Drums take center stage Swing Ballroom 1930' From the drum… to the cry… to the dance. Music has found its voice. Now… it’s ready to change the world. youtube.com - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. youtube.com youtube.com - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. youtube.com youtube.com - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. youtube.com youtube.com - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. youtube.com youtube.com - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. youtube.com youtube.com - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. youtube.com youtube.com - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. youtube.com youtube.com - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. youtube.com youtube.com - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. youtube.com youtube.com - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. youtube.com 🎧 PLAYLIST - END OF THE ERA (1900s to 1940s) A balanced selection: roots, emotion, expansion… and a final explosion. “Maple Leaf Rag” - Scott Joplin (The initial pulse. Everything begins to fall into place.) “West End Blues” – Louis Armstrong (Pure jazz. Total freedom.) “Strange Fruit” - Billie Holiday (Music as an uncomfortable truth.) “Crossroads Blues” – Robert Johnson (The myth. The soul sold… or found.) “The Day You Love Me” – Carlos Gardel (The heart of the South. Eternal nostalgia.) “La Cumparsita” – Gerardo Matos Rodríguez (Tango made an anthem.) “Take the A Train” – Duke Ellington (The city sounds… and moves.) “Sing, Sing, Sing” – Benny Goodman (Pure energy. Swing at its finest.) “In the Mood” – Glenn Miller (The collective dance. Nobody stays still.) “Raga Jog” – Ravi Shankar (The introspective closing. Returning to originating from another location.) If you've made it this far, thank you for reading and thanks for the applause (if you feel like it). Next part: When Music Goes Electrified