Black Music and Musicians in the Nineteenth Century‪.‬

Introduction Black Americans can be proud of the many reputable artists and cultural innovators in the African American community during the nine-teenth century that composed and performed a variety of popular musical styles. These styles included but were not limited to ragtime, dance music, salon pieces, plantation songs, spirituals, minstrel tunes, band music, blues, instrumental and choral arrangements, light classics and other incidental music. However, during this period, America generally ignored its own musicians, white as well as black, preferring to import its musical culture from Europe. Black musicians were further handicapped by racial prejudice, especially when they attempted to perform anything other than spirituals, minstrel songs or dance music. Although European music dominated most concert programs, one could listen to indigenous, black musical styles performed by syncopated jazz bands in theatres and other houses of entertainment. In addition, one could listen to traditional African-American choral music in the black churches and concert halls. It is interesting to note that during this period, concert promoters utilized dance music to encourage community patronage of classical concerts. There were appeals made at the beginning of a concert program for greater participation at classical concerts, during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.