By 1899 many classical "big-hitters" had passed away, slowly bringing the Romantic Period to an end. As the Modern Classical era began, contemporary composers were lucky enough to see/hear their work appear on records for the first time, giving many people the opportunity to experience modern music soon after release, whilst the work of many deceased composers was now available for public consumption (sometimes hundreds of years after being written) as never before.
Phonograph CylinderAlthough Country, Blues, Gospel and Folk all existed in one way or another, they were not common/typically 'mainstream' in the 1800's, but more regionalised with other forms of traditional music. Whilst Hymns sound unchanged (well they do to me), 'Spirituals' are seen as the precursor to not only Gospel music, but also to the Blues.
Brass Bands are popular in Britain, with many still active today. In 1881 over in't Calderdale, in't West Riding The Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band form, which is regarded by many as the best and most consistent ‘public subscription band’ in the world.
Tin Pan Alley1885 sees the formation of Tin Pan Alley in NYC, which becomes the dominant American music force through to the 1930's. (For more info on Tin Pan Alley and alot more fantastic information on the history of New York City, check this out)
In 1890, George W. Johnson (the first African-American recording star) is invited to record songs for 2 phonograph distributors. "The Laughing Song" became the most popular recording of 1891, and by 1895 sales of his wax cylinders exceeded 25,000.
Burlesque and Vaudeville gave way to the Broadway musicals. Cakewalks develop from slavery 'prize walks' in deep south USA into a popular music form, eventually maturing into Ragtime.
Current music trends lean towards the patriotic. Military Marches are regarded with great favour, with songs such as "Stars And Stripes Forever" by John Philip Sousa.
The mid to late 1890's sees the earliest publications by Scott Joplin, Whilst John Philip Sousa's band makes phonograph recordings of Cakewalks and early Ragtime.
During this period it seemed more frequent for the song to have fame than the recording artist, therefore it wouldnt be surprising to find the same song on the "charts" by 4 or 5 different artists.
Popular songs include "My Old New Hampshire Home", "A Hot Time in the Old Town", "I'd Leave My Happy Home for You" and "Oh My Darling, Clementine".
Popular acts include U.S. Marine Band, Vess L. Ossman, Dan Quinn, Sousa's Band and George J. Gaskin. Gaskin achieves over 25 "hits" in the 1890's alone.
RYM lists Arthur Collins "Hello, Ma Baby" as #1 for the 1890's. Coon Songs, however popular they may have been late 1800s/early 1900s, just do not sit well today, despite often showcasing interesting/talented musicianship. The titles and lyrics just seem pointlessly racist, and make one wonder why/if this was ever really acceptable.
Notable Pre-1900 Births
1899 - Duke Ellington; Al Bowlly; Thomas A. Dorsey; Hoagy Carmichael
1898 - George Gershwin; Paul Robeson; Big Bill Broonzy; Dock Boggs; Jimmy Yancey;
Zutty Singleton; Warren "Baby" Dodds; Sippie Wallace; Clarence Williams; Lotte Lenya
1897 - Marian Anderson; Sidney Bechet; Jimmie Rodgers; Erich Wolfgang Korngold;
Memphis Minnie; Fletcher Henderson
1896 - Ida Cox
1895 - Carl Orff; Oscar Hammerstein II; Alberta Hunter
1894 - Dmitri Tiomkin; Bessie Smith
1893 - Mississippi John Hurt; "Blind" Lemon Jefferson; Willie "The Lion" Smith
1892 - Bo Carter
1891 - Sergei Prokofiev; Cole Porter; Charlie Patton
1890 - Paul Whiteman
1888 - Lead Belly; Irving Berlin; Max Steiner
1887 - Heitor Villa-Lobos
1886 - Ma Rainey
1885 - Joe "King" Oliver; Jelly Roll Morton
1883 - Edgard Varèse; Mamie Smith
1882 - Igor Stravinsky
1881 - Béla Bartók
1875 - Maurice Ravel
1874 - Gustav Holst
1873 - Sergei Rachmaninoff
1867 - Scott Joplin
1866 - Erik Satie
1865 - Paul Dukas; Jean Sibelius
1864 - Richard Strauss
1862 - Claude Debussy
1860 - Gustav Mahler
1858 - Giacomo Puccini
1857 - Edward Elgar
Notable Pre-1900 Deaths
1899 - Johann Strauss II
1897 - Johannes Brahms
1895 - Franz von Suppé
1894 - Anton Rubinstein
1893 - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
1891 - Léo Delibes
1886 - Franz Liszt
1884 - Bedřich Smetana
1883 - Richard Wagner
1881 - Modest Mussorgsky
1880 - Jacques Offenbach
1875 - Georges Bizet
1868 - Gioachino Rossini
Also, on a Popular Culture side note, many modern day spectator sports were introduced during the late 19th/early 20th century.
1800s: Romantic Period, Tin Pan Alley, Marches. Many classical composers die, but plenty of births (Elgar to Ellington) bit.ly/rD02LL
— Through the darkness (@120Yrs120Months) November 11, 2011
1800s classical music births: Elgar, Puccini, Mahler, Debussy, Sibelius, Satie, Rachmaninoff, Holst, Ravel, Bartok, Stravinsky, Prokofiev...
— Through the darkness (@120Yrs120Months) November 11, 2011
...& the not-so-classical likes of Joplin, Morton, Rainey, Leadbelly, Porter, Patton, Bechet, Gershwin, Robeson, Broonzy, Bowlly, Carmichael
— Through the darkness (@120Yrs120Months) November 11, 2011
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