Music of the United States - MUH 3633 (Spring 2020) - Warfield

Review Sheet # 6 - Chapter 6, "The Ethiopian Business": Minstrelsy and Popular Song through the Civil War

Any of the following concepts and terms (as well as any not specifically listed, but indicated in these review questions) may be included on the first test in MUH 3633. Know these concepts and terms, including their (1) spelling, (2) pronunciation, and (3) definition (if appropriate).

In addition to your notes and the daily PowerPoint slides, remember that there are links on the course home page that provide explanations and even audio and video demonstrations of many of the terms and concepts listed below.

    Chapter 6

    Black, Whites, and the Minstrel Stage

  1. What, by definition was minstrelsy? Roughly when and where did this form of entertainment arise, and who were its chief practitioners and audiences?
  2. Who invented the character Zip Coon, what was this character like, and what music was associated with him?
  3. Who invented the character Jim Crow, what was this character like, and what music was associated with him?
  4. Who were the Virginia Minstrels, and why are they important in the history of minstrelsy?
  5. What was a typical minstrel show like, what were some of its important acts, and how were blacks portrayed?
  6. What were the primary musical instruments used in minstrelsy?

    7. Songs of the Early Minstrel Shows

  7. What were some of the ways in which minstrel songs portrayed blacks?
  8. Know the music example "De Boatmen's Dance" (LG 6.1). What are its primary sounding traits? How do the lyrics reflect Southern dialect? What instruments are used in this recording?
  9. Who was Stephen Foster, where and when was he born, and what did he do for a living?
  10. What types of songs did Foster compose (and be able to name a few examples)?
  11. What song by Foster is especially connected with Florida?

    12. The Sheet Music Industry and Parlor Songs

  12. How did the Sheet Music Business work in the years just before the Civil War? How was "product" created and sold, and who earned money in this business (and how much)?
  13. What was a parlor, and why was it a center for domestic music making? How and why was the piano an important part of this culture?
  14. What were some of the different types of subject matter included in parlor songs? What were "Sentimental Songs"?
  15. Know the music example "Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair" (LG 6.2). What are its primary sounding traits? What is its musical form, and how does that particular form reflect the textual contents?

    16. Songs of Social Reform and War

  16. Who were the Hutchinson Family, and what sorts of songs did they sing?
  17. Know the music example "Get Off the Track" (LG 6.3). What are its primary sounding traits? How is this example typical of a "Hutchinson Family" song?
  18. What were some of the more important examples of Civil War Songs? (Know several titles.)
  19. Know the music example "The Battle Cry of Freedom" (LG 6.4). What are its primary sounding traits? What traits give this song a militaristic feel?

To supplement your textbook reading, make sure that you read the following primary documents in To Stretch Our Ears:

(updated 19 February 2020)