Who are some famous composers who lead a big band?
Composers often form their own big bands to write for and lead: some important bandleader-composers working today include Maria Schneider, Darcy James Argue, and Carla Bley. Other bandleaders are continuing the tradition of swing and dance with their big bands, such as pianist/singer Harry Connick, Jr. and singer Michael Bublé.
Who is the best big band leader of all time?
List of American big band bandleaders 1 Charlie Barnet (1913-1991) 2 Count Basie (1904–1984) ( Count Basie Orchestra, 1934–1984) 3 Louie Bellson (1924-2009) 4 Bunny Berigan (1908-1942) 5 Carla Bley (born 1936) 6 Will Bradley (1912-1989) 7 Les Brown (1912-2001) (Les Brown and His Band of Renown) (1938–2001)
Who are some of the most important people in band history?
Here are just a few of the important names in band history. John Philip Sousa is, for many, the primary encounter with concert bands in the wild. He has been called the March King because he contributed more than 100 marches to the band literature.
Who are the 10 band composers you should know?
10 band composers you should know -- besides Sousa 1 Percy Grainger (1882-1961) 2 Alex Shapiro (1962- ) 3 Karel Husa (1921-2016) 4 Joseph Schwantner (1943- ) 5 Julius Fucik (1872-1916) 6 David Maslanka (1943-2017) 7 Vincent Persichetti (1915-1987) 8 Julie Giroux (1961- ) 9 Gustav Holst (1874-1934) 10 Frank Ticheli (1958- ) More items...
Who is the most famous big band leader?
Virtuoso clarinettist Benny Goodman was nicknamed “the King of Swing”, and was one of the most popular bandleaders during this period.
Who is considered the greatest composer of the big band era?
Duke Ellington was the greatest jazz composer and bandleader of his time. One of the originators of big-band jazz, he led his band for more than 50 years and composed thousands of scores.
Who was the most successful big band composer leader in America?
Alton Glenn Miller (March 1, 1904 – disappeared December 15, 1944) was an American big band trombonist, arranger, composer, and bandleader in the Swing era. He was the best-selling recording artist from 1939 to 1942, leading one of the best-known big bands....Glenn MillerAwardsBronze Star (posthumously; 1945)19 more rows
Who were some of the most important names in the big band era?
Duke Ellington, Ben Pollack, Don Redman, and Fletcher Henderson were some of the more popular early big bands. These groups nurtured young stars and future bandleaders like Coleman Hawkins, Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Red Allen, Roy Eldridge, Benny Carter, and John Kirby.
Who started big band music?
American wind music …the principal era of the big bands, the best known being those led by Duke Ellington and Count Basie. During the 1930s and '40s, the wind sections of such groups grew from 6 (three reeds, two trumpets, and a trombone) to a standard of 13 (five reeds, four trumpets, and…
When was big band popular?
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with playing jazz music which became popular during the Swing Era from the early 1930s until the late 1940s. Big Bands evolved with the times and continue to this day.
Who was the first important big band leader?
1930s: As the United States reeled from the Great Depression, big band music became increasingly popular. Led by bandleaders like Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, and Chick Webb, the big band era thrived throughout the 1930s, inspiring new popular swing dances like the jitterbug and the jive.
Who led a successful big band during the era of cool jazz?
One of jazz music's all-time greats, bandleader/pianist Count Basie was a primary shaper of the big-band sound that characterized mid-20th century popular music.
Who is Duke in big mouth?
Jordan Peele as the Ghost of Duke Ellington (1899–1974), the jazz musician whose spirit now lives in Nick's attic and sometimes offers him advice.
What are the 5 major big bands?
Well, for starters, any list of big band artists has to include the names Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Tommy Dorsey and Frank Sinatra.
What was the first big band?
Big bands originated during the early 1910s and dominated jazz in the early 1940s when swing was most popular....Big bandDerivative formsSwing progressive jazz Kansas City jazz easy listening space age pop lounge3 more rows
What killed the big band era?
Several factors led to the demise of the swing era: the 1942–44 musicians' strike from August 1942 to November 1944 (The union that most jazz musicians belong to told its members not to record until the record companies agreed to pay them each time their music was played on the radio), the earlier ban of ASCAP songs ...
Who is the composer of North and South?
Giroux is an incredibly well-rounded powerhouse composer. Her first work was published when she was only 9, and she hasn't stopped since. An established band composer even in college, she moved to Los Angeles and within three hours was hired by Bill Conti to orchestra his score for the TV miniseries North and South. When she won her first of three Emmys, she was the first woman and youngest person to win the award. She has more than 100 film, video game and TV credits. But for the concert hall, she has composed more works for band than any other instrumentation. She is a highly sought-after guest clinician and advocate for school bands.
Who composed the B flat music for the band?
Finally, an honorable mention goes to Paul Hindemith. He composed two cornerstone pieces of the band repertoire were composed by Hindemith: his Symphony in B-flat and his Symphonic Metamorphosis, which was an arrangement of his orchestral work based on the music of Carl Maria von Weber.
What was Husa's most famous work?
3. But his most famous work was for concert band . Music for Prague 1968 was written after the Czech-born composer listened to a BBC Radio broadcast as the Soviet Union crushed the Prague Spring movement. Husa had since emigrated to the United States, but as he listened to the report of the event, he was deeply moved. Much of his work was influenced by other modern Czech composers, and Prague was only his second work for band, so he decided he would write it the same way he would compose for an orchestra. That decision was revolutionary, and the composer's embrace of the band as an ensemble that could achieve great professional musicality was as important in the 1960s as it is today.
What is the music of Maslanka?
His love of Bach contributed to a sound that is distinctly his own, with massive brass power chords and wild woodwind flurries, as well as simply mournful, poignant solo lines showing up in nearly all of his work.
Why is Ticheli so influential?
His works are influential to young musicians because he treats the young band like a serious musical force. His music pushes students to work on blend, intonation and phrasing in a way that many composers disregard as impossible. His arrangements of American folk songs in concert settings are especially popular in schools. His notable works include Shenandoah, Blue Shades, Cajun Folk Songs,, Vesuvius and Angels in the Architecture.
What is concert band?
The concert band is a familiar part of many Americans' educational experience. Whether you played in the band, had friends who played, or simply knew of all the kids who headed to the far corner of the school at 10th period, you have probably heard of band and maybe some of its instruments. But while you might know famous composers' names ...
Why is John Sousa called the March King?
He has been called the March King because he contributed more than 100 marches to the band literature.
Who is the saviour of classical music?
American minimalist, expert crafter of clean lines and propulsive melodies. Stewart Copeland says: Steve Reichcould be regarded as the saviour of modern classical music. Somewhere in the middle of the 20th century, the idea took hold among even the best composers that music sophistication equals pain.
Why is Schubert considered a great composer?
There are many reasons we might consider a composer great: innovation and originality, or the sheer consistency that results in many masterpieces. But for me, Schubert’sunique stature, alongside those traits, is his ability to speak to the human heart in all its fragility and vulnerability.
What struck me most about Bach's music?
What strikes me most in Bach ’s work is how thoroughly his music is structured in terms of mathematic precision. The beauty of its inner architecture reveals a kind of cosmologic order, a touch of the divine.
Was Verdi a rationalist?
They were, in short, utterly individual. Verdi’s age coincided with the height of Austro-Germanic rationalist dominance in philosophy, literature, and music, but he did without such glorious guiding principles. He had no philosopher friends, but was a common man, a farmer who retired to the countryside.
What hampered the popularity of the big band?
World War II hampered the popularity of the big band for a while, as musicians and performing opportunities were in shorter supply; however, by the 1950s, big bands were stronger than ever.
What was the first big band?
Many of these early bandleaders were classically trained: Paul Whiteman, one of the most important early bandleaders, was a classical violinist. Much of this early music was written out, and featured very little to no improvisation. In fact, some of the period's most notable music for big band was written by classical composers, such as Rhapsody in Blue (1924) by George Gershwin, written for the Paul Whiteman Orchestra (actually a big band!). The Paul Whiteman Orchestra also recorded songs meant for performance in dance halls, such as Happy Feet (1930), which was also featured in the film King of Jazz.
What was the swing style of big band?
By the 1930s, improvisation had become a larger part of the big band tradition, and the ensemble had become closely associated with swing: an uptempo dance style that featured a trademark shuffling 'swing' rhythm. Thanks to radio airplay and widespread interest in dance, big bands and swings became a popular craze. Many bandleaders, including clarinetist Benny Goodman and trumpeter Harry James, were best known for their swing numbers, such as Sing, Sing, Sing (1936), written by Louis Prima and made famous by Benny Goodman. Some, such as pianist/composer Duke Ellington, favored a more eclectic mix of music; Ellington wrote much of the music for his band, including Sophisticated Lady (1933) and In a Sentimental Mood (1935).
How many people are in a big band?
A big band is a 17-person ensemble which generally consists of five saxophones (two altos, two tenors, and a baritone), four trombones (the lowest of which is often a bass trombone), four trumpets, and a rhythm section consisting of a drum set, a bass, a piano, and a guitar. This is a flexible grouping; many big bands will include five trumpets, and sometimes either the piano or guitar may be omitted.
What is Chuck Berry's biggest influence?
When a reporter asked rock-'n'-roll legend Chuck Berry what he considered his biggest influence, the answer he gave might surprise you . 'The Big Band Era is my era,' said Berry. 'People say, where did you get your style from? I did the Big Band Era on guitar.' This rocker wasn't the only one to fall in love with the big band; for much of the 20th century, big bands had millions of fans and sold thousands of records. Even today, though the spotlight has faded, many creative composers and band members are still moving the big band forward with new music and ideas. In this lesson, we'll look at the big band, its tradition, and the leaders who have enchanted audiences and listeners for almost a century.
Who was the singer who worked with Billie Holiday?
It also became common during this period for popular singers to work alongside big bands; Frank Sinatra began working with a big band led by Tommy Dorsey, and bandleader Count Basie worked closely with Billie Holiday. Many singers, such as Cab Calloway, opted to lead their own bands.
Do big bands have conductors?
Although many big bands work without conductors, they have traditionally been led by a bandleader, whose job includes conducting the band as well as communicating with the audience. Sometimes this bandleader is a member of the 17-member ensemble, and sometimes not -- singers in the 1930s and 40s who worked with big bands often doubled as the bandleader for their ensembles.
Who are the most famous classical composers?
Best classical composers of all time: Hildegard von Bingen, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Edward Elgar. Picture: PA / Getty. Introducing you to the most famous classical composers in music history, who have brought us the very best classical tunes ever written.
What is Handel's most famous Christmas song?
Most music lovers have encountered Handel through Christmas -time renditions of the Messiah ’s ‘Hallelujah’ Chorus, or his enduringly popular Music for the Royal Fireworks.
How many operas did Mendelssohn have?
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) By the time he was 12, German composer Mendelssohn already had four operas, 12 string symphonies and a large quantity of chamber and piano music under his belt. He was prodigiously talented, and he continued to produce stunning music as his career progressed.
How many symphonies did Mozart write?
Composing in, and defining, the Classical era, Mozart wrote 41 symphonies, numerous concertos, revolutionary Italian operas including The Marriage of Figaro and Cosí fan tutte, and chamber works that are loved as much by audiences today as when they were composed.
What was Schumann's music?
Schumann ’s piano music, chamber music and symphonies were all revolutionary and, picking up the baton from Beethoven, set the tone for the Romantic era in music.
What was Ralph Vaughan Williams' influence on the 20th century?
The English composer drew on the influences of English folk song and Tudor polyphony, and he was at the centre of reviving British orchestral music over a career that spanned more than six decades.
How many West Side Story concerts did Candide perform?
West Side Story and Candide electrified the stage, and his work in TV, bringing classical music to the masses through 53 televised Young People’s Concerts, introduced an entire generation to classical music.
Who was the most famous composer of the swing era?
Duke Ellington. Courtesy of Columbia Records. Considered one of the most important composers in American music, Duke Ellington rose to fame during the swing era by performing weekly at New York’s Cotton Club. He led his band through decades of recording and performing, and his compositions and arrangements, which was written with his loyal band ...
Who was the first keyboardist in the swing era?
A prodigious talent, pianist Art Tatum was ahead of his time. Although not associated with any of the great swing bands, Tatum was the premiere keyboardist during the swing era. He could play stride piano in the style of James P. Johnson and Fats Waller but took his music beyond the conventions of jazz at the time.
What was the name of the jazz recording that Hawkins recorded in 1939?
Later, he toured the world as a soloist. His 1939 recording of “Body and Soul” is considered one of the landmark improvisations in jazz history. Hawkins’ influence lasted throughout the advent of bebop and later styles, as instrumentalists attempted to reach for his level of harmonic sophistication and virtuosity.
Who was the first tenor saxophonist to play in the swing era?
With his unique, raspy tone combined with his command of harmonically detailed improvisation, Coleman Hawkins became the preeminent tenor saxophonist during the swing era. He developed his style while a member of Fletcher Henderson’s big band. Later, he toured the world as a soloist. His 1939 recording of “Body and Soul” is considered one of the landmark improvisations in jazz history. Hawkins’ influence lasted throughout the advent of bebop and later styles, as instrumentalists attempted to reach for his level of harmonic sophistication and virtuosity.
Who was Lester Young?
Lester Young was a tenor saxophonist who spent his childhood touring with his family’s band. In 1933, he moved to Kansas City where he eventually joined Count Basie’s big band. Young's warm tone and relaxed, melodic approach on the tenor sax was not often well-received by audiences used to the harsh, aggressive sound of Coleman Hawkins. However, his style became very influential on Charlie Parker’s playing and consequentially on bebop in general. Young was also known for his eccentric personal style that manifested itself in his playing, clothes, and manner of speech. His nickname, “Prez,” was given to him by Billie Holiday .
Who was the arranger for Louis Armstrong?
With an ear for talent, Henderson was responsible for hiring Louis Armstrong and bringing him to the Big Apple from Chicago in 1924. Benny Goodman jump-started his popular big band with a handful of Henderson ’s arrangements, and in the '40s Henderson joined the group to become Goodman’s full-time arranger.
Who was the first jazz pianist to play in Kansas City?
Count Basie. Pianist William “Count” Basie began to garner attention when he moved to Kansas City—a hotbed of jazz—to play with Bennie Moten’s big band in 1929. Basie then formed his own group in 1935, which became one of the most popular bands in the country, performing in Kansas City, Chicago, and New York.