Musical Metropolis Los Angeles and the Creation of a Music Culture, 1880-1940

by Marcus, Kenneth

• ISBN13: 9781403964199
• ISBN10: 140396419X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-12-17
• Publisher: Palgrave MacMillan

Summary

This fascinating cultural history of music in Los Angeles focuses on orchestral performance from the late nineteenth century through World War II. Decentralization defined Los Angeles's growth since the late nineteenth century, and because the central city did not dominate the city's music culture as was the case in cities of the East and Midwest, a greater diversification of music emerged. Performers and audiences included Latinos, Euro-Americans, Asian Americans, and African Americans, but the notion of diversity in the late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century city went well beyond ethnicity--it also included a "media diversity," as the city's musical output was presented through a variety of channels including recordings, radio, and film. These media strongly influenced the musical culture of Los Angeles, which in turn influenced the musical culture of America at large as the city grew into the nation's epicenter of entertainment. The book features a CD providing examples of much of the music examined.In addition, there are further support materials on the author's website: http://faculty.ulv.edu/~marcusk

Author Biography

Kenneth Marcus is Associate Professor of History and Director of the International Studies Institute, University of La Verne, California.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations	vi
List of Tables	viii
List of Recordings	ix
Acknowledgments	x
Introduction	1	(10)
1. Theater Music During the Boom Years	11	(26)
2. "Making Friends with Music": Music Education in the Classroom and Concert Hall	37	(28)
3. "Symphonies Under the Stars": The Romance of the Hollywood Bowl	65	(22)
4. The Art of Pageants, Plays, and Dance	87	(32)
5. Leaving a Legacy: Early Recordings of Indigenous, Classical, and Popular Music	119	(24)
6. "An Invisible Empire in the Air": Broadcasting the Classics during the Golden Age	143	(22)
7. Music on Film: Hollywood and the Conversion to Sound	165	(26)
Epilogue	191	(8)
Notes	199	(46)
Bibliography	245	(16)
Appendix	261	(2)
Abbreviations	263	(2)
Index	265