1. The concept of pop music

Pop music refers to a form of music that is different from classical and orthodox music. It can be accepted by most listeners in the city and is easy to master. , music that can interest the general public. This type of music has clear melody, moderate range, and very simple accompaniment and harmony techniques.

Characteristics: Entertainment, generally acceptable to listeners who do not have deep musical theory and technical knowledge or even no music knowledge; life-oriented, it directly vents people's emotions and feelings; popular, most of the lyrics It is close to vernacular, and the content expressed is very close to life.

Pop music originated in Europe mainly to satisfy the amateur life of urban people. With the advancement of transportation and the development of the printing industry, pop music became popular and became widely popular. When it spread to the United States, it blended music from various ethnic groups, resulting in new changes and developments in performance styles and techniques. After World War II, the United States became the center of international popular music. In the 1960s, it spread to countries around the world and attracted more and more listeners, becoming a unique form of music.

1. Popular music forms and characteristics in the 19th century

Pop music in the 19th century was mainly instrumental music. At that time, many excellent waltzes, marches and overtures appeared and other instrumental works.

1. Waltz - originated from German folk dance

In the mid-19th century, a waltz dance originated from German folk entered urban dance halls. It was completely different from the palace dance style. Dance music is in the form of slow three beats or fast three beats. The beats are clearly strong and weak, highlighting the emphasis of the first beat. The rhythm is clear and expresses passionate emotions. The popularity of waltz has made people's demand for dance music more and more intense, and more novel and beautiful music works are needed to meet their requirements. Many composers turned to writing dance music. The founding writer of the waltz, Joseph Lanner, and the "King of the Waltz" Johann Strauss are outstanding dance music writers. Their world-famous songs such as "The Blue Danube" and "Danube Waves" are still loved by the masses.

2. Polka - originated from the folk dance of Bohemia

Around 1840, polka, which originated from Bohemia, became popular in the city at a rapid speed. It is different from the waltz. It mostly uses a faster two-beat form, with a lively rhythm and a sense of jumping.

3. Tango dance - originated from Argentine folk dance

Around 1900, tango dance, which originated from Argentine folk music and dance form, began to be introduced to Europe. Although it was opposed by some nobles, Hostility, but failed to prevent the popularity and development of tango dance, on the contrary played a role in rapid promotion.

Tango dance is a two-beat or four-beat duet dance. Influenced by African American music, tango uses syncopated rhythm in the accompaniment to give people a sense of frustration.

2. The forms and characteristics of popular music before the 1940s

1. Blues

Created by African Americans and popular in American society in the early 19th century pop music. "Blues" means "sad, melancholy" and adopts a slow 4/4 beat. The lyrics are mostly sad and sad, with b3 and b7 sounds and portamento effects on the tune. Blues is a vocal music that is mainly spread in black society. It entered white society in the United States in the 1920s and became the mainstream of popular music in white society. "I am extremely poor".

2. Jazz music

Jazz is the most influential and important music form in the field of popular music. As a popular music in the United States, it has a wide and deep influence on the world. The duration is unmatched by any other pop music and folk music.

“Jazz” was originally the name of a black musician in the Mississippi River Basin of the United States. Jazz originated from black Americans.

Jazz retains the style of blues music, and its performance largely imitates the blues singing style. Its characteristics: a. It is a noisy instrumental music that emphasizes rhythm. The syncopation effect is used in the rhythm to create a sense of ease that makes people want to leave the ground and jump; b. It is a form of improvisation, and the band appears in the form of a small band.

The development of jazz has gone through "hot" jazz in the 1920s, swing jazz in the 1930s, and "cold" jazz in the late 1940s.

3. The forms and characteristics of popular music since the 1950s

1. Rock music in the 1950s

Rock music was created by a singer named Presley , the word rock comes from a black song. It is a musical form that is a synthesis of rhythm and blues popular among black people. The playing is loud, rhythm-heavy, and provocative. Representative rock bands include The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, etc.

2. Swing music in the 1960s

The background of swing music was to oppose the war of aggression against Vietnam, racial oppression and racial discrimination. It initially had no obvious musical characteristics. It drew on blues, jazz and other sounds, and reflected different styles in its performance. Its characteristics: a. The music material mainly comes from country music and blues, and the effect produced by the amplifier is fully utilized during the performance, resulting in distorted sound; b. The rhythm part is mainly drums, playing a strong heavy beat; c . Most of the content of the songs involves opposing war of aggression and racial discrimination; d. Making full use of lighting technology on the stage to create a very lively atmosphere.

3. Disco in the 1970s

Disco originally meant record nightclub. It is a kind of dance music with a strong and single rhythm. There is no alternating heavy beat of strong and weak, and it has a kind of brisk jumping. feeling. Disco has a fixed 125 beats per minute.

Disco music has entered its heyday since 1974, attracting thousands of young people and dance fans; it was first popular in the United Kingdom and the United States, and later spread throughout the world.

Section 3 The influence of popular music on the cultural life of our people

In the 1930s and 1940s, American blues and jazz became popular in some concessions in our country. But it has only been in the past 10 years that pop music has truly become popular in China. The speed from its inception to its popularity and development is astonishing.

In the 1980s, popular songs from Hong Kong and Taiwan were introduced to the mainland, and American swing music was also introduced to our country. Later, Chinese music workers successively created our own popular songs. The popularity of "Northwest Wind" in the late 1980s marked the beginning of the maturity of Chinese pop music.

Two situations often occur in the development of popular music: First, when new music is born, it is often opposed by orthodox ideas and conservative forces in society. However, due to its popularity with the broad audience, various This prejudice will naturally disappear and be recognized by society. Secondly, due to the increasing commercialization trend of pop music in its development, some publishers and singers publish, produce and perform some low-style programs for the purpose of profit, causing pop music to be mixed with pornographic music. Therefore, we must have a certain ability of discrimination when appreciating popular music.

Section 4 Appreciation of Modern Popular Music

Popular music refers to music that is less detailed, profound, rigorous and elegant than classical music, but more rigorous and standardized than pop music .

1. "Cuckoo Waltz" by Jonathan Johnson

Jonasson is a Swedish composer, and "Cuckoo Waltz" is his representative work.

The music is written in three-beat dance music. The first theme imitates the cry of the cuckoo, making the music appear lively and lively. The second theme follows with a coherent and smooth melody that has singing characteristics, showing a cheerful and lively dance scene. Finally, the music reproduces the first theme, ending the whole song in a relaxed and happy atmosphere.

2. Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue"

Gershwin, a famous American composer, became famous for his 1919 popular song "Swaney" in cabaret music. . "Rhapsody in Blue" was composed in 1924 at the invitation of the famous American jazz conductor Paul Whiteman. Orchestral music is played in the form of piano and orchestra, so it is also called "piano and orchestra". At the first performance, the work excited the audience with its unique style and became a sensation in the American music industry.

The music begins with the clarinet blowing a low vibrato from the lowest range, and then suddenly glides upward, two octaves, to the high range. Then all kinds of topics rushed out, which seemed very lively. Then a very rhythmic theme appears, both humorous and somewhat melancholy. In the second half of the work, the violin plays a soft and sad theme melody. Finally, after repeating the theme that appeared before, it ends successfully.

3. "Saber Dance" by Khachaturian

Khachaturian was a former Soviet composer. His creations have the characteristics of Armenian national music and are also influenced by French Impressionism.

"Saber Dance" was composed in 1942 and is an orchestral piece. Selected from the ballet "Gayane" (plot omitted).

The music is written in a trilogy. The timpani, snare drum and string instruments began to play a very fast and strong rhythm. Then a theme with strong rhythm and fast and unrestrained melody appears. After the theme changes repeatedly, a contrasting middle part appears, which has the characteristics of dance. The third part reproduces the theme, and the ending music is light and ends with an ascending pentatonic tone.