英语本科毕业论文爵士乐—二十世纪美国社会文化的一面镜子.doc

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1、本科毕业论文 爵士乐二十世纪美国社会文化 的一面镜子学生姓名： 学生学号： 院（系）： 外国语学院 年级专业： 2003级英语本科5班 指导教师： 二七年五月Jazza Mirror of American Society and Culture in the 20th CenturyJiang LiUnder the Supervision ofYuan BinSchool of Foreign Languages and CulturesPanzhihua UniversityMay 2007ContentsAbstractIKey WordsI摘要II关键词IIIntroduction1

2、I. Jazz- a Mirror of American Society and Culture in the 20th Century3 A. Jazz in the 1920s3 B. Jazz in the 1960s-1970s5 C. Jazz in the 1980s-1990s7II. Jazz, Another Melting-Pot?8Conclusion10Acknowledgements11Bibliography12AbstractJazz originates from New Orleans of southern America at the end of 19

3、th century, and is characterized by a strong but flexible rhythmic understructure with solo and ensemble improvisations on basic tunes and chord patterns and, more recently, a highly sophisticated harmonic idiom. In the 1920s-1990s, Jazz develops very fast, and in different periods Jazz has differen

4、t characteristics. As a musical form of America, Jazz reflects the situation of American society and culture. In the 1920s, Jazz gets its first-step development and brings together elements from Africa and Europe. Jazz is a kind of pure American black music because in this period the United States m

5、onopolizes this art. In the 1960s-1970s, Jazz gets new development; some fresh elements are introduced into Jazz, which reveals that America artists do not monopolize the scene and Jazz is spread to the world quietly. Jazzs sad and strong rhythm and disappointing lyrics reveals a confusing American

6、society and Americans contradictory feelings after the Second World War. In the 1980s-1990s, it seems that each European country has its own style in Jazz for different cultural backgrounds. The melting-pot social and cultural environment brings about Jazzs multi-elemental development. In turn, the

7、multi-elemental development of Jazz demonstrates the coexistence and co-development of different cultures and ideas in America. Key WordsAmerica society; jazz; culture; reflection摘要爵士乐是19世纪末起源于南美新奥尔良的一种音乐形式。它以强劲而灵活的旋律为构架，在节奏与和音形式的基础上配合个人和集体的一种即兴表演。越到后来，爵士乐的风格越复杂，谐和。20世纪20年代到90年代，爵士乐发展得很快，并且在不同的时期有着不

8、同的特点。作为美国的一种音乐形式，爵士乐反映了美国社会文化不同时期的情况。20世纪20年代时，爵士乐得到了初步的发展。爵士乐将非洲与欧洲的元素相结合，并融合成为新的文化，显示出了美国特有的音乐表现特色。爵士乐是一种纯的美国黑人音乐，因为在这个时期美国独占了这项艺术。在20世纪60，70年代，爵士乐有了新的发展，一些新的音乐元素融入到了爵士乐。这些融合是美国社会发展的结果，它显示了此时的美国已不在独占爵士乐这个舞台，爵士乐正在悄悄的走向世界。在这二十年里，爵士乐时而忧伤时而强劲的旋律以及令人绝望的歌词揭露了二战后动荡的美国社会和美国人矛盾的心情。到20世纪80，90年代时，几乎每个欧洲国家因为文

9、化的差异都有了各自的爵士乐风格。美国社会与文化的多元发展带来了爵士乐的多元化，爵士乐的多元发展则展现了不同的文化与思想在美国的共存与发展。 关键词美国社会；爵士乐；文化；反映IntroductionJazz is a treasure of American culture which originated from New Orleans of southern America at the end of 19th century. Compared to other music forms, it is a unique music form characterized by improv

10、isational performance and changeable rhythm. In terms of the way of performance, Jazz isnt only performed by solo but also by a group of people. And there is a great variety of musical instruments involved in the performance, like clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, and trombone and so on. In playing Jazz

11、, the percussion instruments are also an important part, such as drum, double bass, and the piano. The entire musical instruments work together as if there is a party of sounds. Then the player makes an improvisational dealing with the timbre, cadence of the musical instruments. However, this is not

12、 enough; Jazz emphasizes more on players distinctive performance than Jazz itself. As a special music form, it also requests players to put their own musical mind and emotions into the performance. Only the sound from heart can make Jazz fantastic. Especially, its changeable rhythm always brings lis

13、teners into another world, and sometimes it is so wild like a strong howling, sometimes it is very soft as a weak patient. In addition, Jazz is also a free music form in which there is no certain rule, rhythm, or way of performance. Because of the characters mentioned above, it develops very fast in

14、 America and later sweeps the whole world.Jazz brings together elements from Africa and Europe, and then made them an expression of music unique to America. And in the 20th century, it develops very fast and followed the development of American society. However, in different periods, Jazz has differ

15、ent characteristics, especially in the 1920s, 1960s, 197os, 1980s and 1990s. In these periods, Jazz replaces some popular music forms to be Americas mainstream popular music. To some extent, Jazzs development witnesses the progress of American society and culture. In other words, its development may

16、 reflect the development of American society and culture. In this paper, three periods are taken as a clue to demonstrate the reflection function of Jazz. In the 1920s, Jazz gets its first-step development in America; it differs from other music and injects new blood for American music. Jazz is a ki

17、nd of pure American music because in this period the United States monopolizes this art. Its popularity is not contingent, and the wild rhythm and improvisational ways of playing are its advantages. These advantages bring many listeners for it in which people can throw away all social conventions, r

18、ules and indulge themselves completely. Through it, disappointment and resistance are brought to players. The mood reflects peoples attitude towards life after the First World War. And, Louis Armstrong, the king of Jazz, expresses the depressive mood in his songs like Lonesome Road, On the Sunny Sid

19、e of the Street, Hotter than That, Snake Rag. Then in the following few years, jazz gets some new developments, and Swing, Bebop, Cool Jazz and free Jazz appears one after another. And in the 1960s-1970s some fresh elements and new techniques are introduced into Jazz, making Jazz more powerful and a

20、dvanced. Compared with Jazz in the 1920s, the requirement for players is improved. It changes the past playing ways of following certain rhythm, tone and accompany. Improvisation and personality is the main feature in this period. Its wild or soft rhythm impresses the audience greatly. After World W

21、ar, Americans lived a idle and scared life. Material spending becomes their only way of living, especially the young men have no ambition and passion as the war has exhausted their energy and vigor. Accordingly, Jazz in this period is filled with decadence and indulgence. The musician Miles Davis ex

22、presses the mood best in his music In a Silent Way. Meanwhile, the sentimental rhythm in Jazz, wild and strong, can also be the best demonstration. In the 1980s-1990s, with the development of American society, American musicians do not monopolize Jazz. It seems that each European country has its own

23、 style in Jazz for different cultural backgrounds. Jazz of this period is not a pure American music but a multi-elemental music of the whole world. In fact, this big change is just the result of the influence of pluralism in the society, and Jazzs multi-elemental development is just the reflection o

24、f the multicultural development of American society and culture.I. Jazz a Mirror of American Society and Culture in the 20th CenturyJazz has different characteristics in different periods, especially in the 20th century, and always serves as a mirror of American society and culture. In order to demo

25、nstrate the reflecting feature of Jazz, three big periods of 20th century are taken as a clue.A. Jazz in the 1920s In the 1920s, Jazz gets its first-step development, and brings elements from Africa and Europe, which are fused, together with Jazz, into a new music, an expression unique to America In

26、 this period, Jazz is a kind of pure American black music and the United States monopolizes this art. Jazzs wild rhythms, corrupted lyrics expose the decadence and dark life of Americans, and truly reflect American society and culture.Jazz has a connection to the essence of America in a much more fu

27、ndamental way. It is an expression of the African roots of American culture, the treasure of American culture, a musical medium that exemplifies the culture of the Africans whose culture came to dominate much of what is American. Actually, in many aspects Americas roots are in Africa. In fact, this

28、is a factor for Jazzs first transmission to America. Ralph Ellison perceptively describes the transformation of separate African and European cultures are at the hand of the slaves:“the dancing of those slaves who, looking through the windows of a plantation manor house from the yard, imitated the s

29、teps so gravely performed by the masters within and then added to them their own special flair, burlesquing the white folks and then going on to force the steps into choreography uniquely their own. The whites, looking out at the activity in the yard, thought that they were being flattered by imitat

30、ion and were amused by the incongruity of tattered blacks dancing courtly steps, while missing completely the fact that before their eyes a European cultural form was becoming Americanized, undergoing a metamorphosis through the mocking activity of a people partially sprung from America.” (Townsend

31、78) Out of this fusion of African elements comes an idea that Americans believe central to their identity, namely tolerance. Both cultures come to realize each others value. In the heart of Americans, diversity is their strength. Americans learn every day that other cultures and peoples may make val

32、uable contributions to their way of life. This great fusion makes Jazz a distinctly American music. Jazz reflects two contradictory facets of American life. On the one hand the band features a soloist who is an individual at the extreme. On the other hand it is a team effort, where every musician is

33、 completely immersed in what these groups does together, listening to each of other players and building on their contributions to create the music whole. In the same sense, American life is also a combination of teamwork and individualism, a combination of individual brilliance with the ability to

34、work with others. In a word, Jazz, as an important part of American culture, is based on real peoples and things, and is the music from life. Through it, something more about America is known to the world.In the 1920s, Jazz gets its primary development, and this distinctly American music quickly fin

35、ds its way to the whole America. Its wild rhythm, improvisational performing and changeable tone give listeners a fresh feeling, and it abandons traditional music forms and outdated performing ways to separate itself with other music. In this period, Ragtime, Dixieland as a branch of New Orleans imp

36、resses every American and the young man indulge them in it completely. Jazzs every note makes them crazy, and then the word “JAZZMAD” comes into being in America. Its rhythm sometimes sounds like howling for escaping the tightened rope and sometimes is so grave like a weak patient. The changeable rh

37、ythm seems to expose the contradictory sides of their inner heart. Louis Armstrong, the king of Jazz, expresses the sad mood in his songs, like Lonesome Road, On the Sunny Side of the Street, Hotter than That, Snake Rag and etc. For example, in the song of Hotter than that, Louis repeats the word ho

38、tter hotter, hotter, hotter; hotter than hell, hotter than hell, when the sun goes down, cold day in hell”and points the peoples life is as evil as the hell and their inner hearts are contradictory under the war. And, another song On the Sunny Side of the Street is filled with beautiful things, and

39、Louis repeats the sentence on the sunny side of the street to express the yearning for a happy and peaceful life. As for the band feature, it is solo, and it requests players to put their own heart and find their playing styles in jazz. Improvisation and particularity are the main characters. As the

40、 saying goes, art is from life; as a music form, Jazz connects with the real social life of Americans. In this period, America has experienced the First World War, and the domestic situation is unstable. The whole society is under the shadow of fear and disappointment. The war, especially for those

41、who has witnessed it firsthand, is brutal and represents a profound failure of western civilization. The young people try to do everything to escape responsibilities, because after the First World War, there is a general prosperity in America, and they are tired of politics, economics, restrictions

42、and international responsibilities. They are angry with the consequences of the war and likened it to what the poet Ezra pound called “an old bitch had gone in the teeth.a botched civilization” ( Townsend 68). In 1920, F. Scott Fitzgerald, in his novel this Side of Paradise, describes the wild, rebe

43、llious young men and women after the First World War, and he makes a true portrait of the very young people with their new ways of dressing, their disregard of manners and propriety. And in his another novel All the Sad Young Men, he makes a beautiful metaphor of the country which seems to be blind

44、and deaf to everything. And the very man for this sentence is Gatsby, the hero of novel The Great Gatsby; he isnt only a representative character of materialism but also a devout follower of American Dream. In this novel, F. Scott Fitzgerald reveals the corruption that wealth causes and the unworthi

45、ness of Gatsbys goal, much in the way the writer sees the American dream crumbling in the 1920s, as Americas powerful optimism vitality and individualism become subordinated to the moral pursuit of wealth. Then in Ernest Hemingways full-length novel The Sun also rises, he also dramatizes the sense o

46、f lost direction for this generation after the war. The young mens energies are exhausted by the war and destroyed by the war. It is this life style that gives the decade of the 1920s such nickname as “The Jazz Age”. So, Jazz of this period is just the embodiment of corruption, fear, and disappointm

47、ent of Americans and demonstrates the real face of American society in the 1920s.B. Jazz in the 1960s-1970sJazz in this two decades are merged with some fresh elements and gradually develops to a multi-elemental music. Jazzs new development witnesses the development of American society and culture.

48、In the two decades, America develops very fast and becomes the strongest country of the world. Because of immigration, new cultures, new ideas are brought to America, which brings about multiculturalism of America. In the 1960s-1970s, Jazz continues to explore its way to every corner of America and

49、even the whole world. Since 1920s, different forms of Jazz, such as Swing, Bebop, and Cool Jazz appear one after another. In the 1960s, free Jazz appears and begins to be popular. The great musician Coleman changes the past ways of composing music according to certain rhythm, accompany and harmony. Jaz