Warner Bros was the first studio to accept sound as an element in film production. The studio released The jazz singer in 1927, which marked the first commercially successful sound film. Picture of the jazz singer
Silent films were still the majority of features released in both 1927 and 1928. But it the next years the sound cinema become majority. It was a Revolution. We have watched Singing in the rain to understand this revolution. It changed the film technique ( microphones, sound and image synchronized, etc...) and the acting techinques (natural and good voice, diction teachers, etc...). Picture of Singing in the rain
By 1912, major American films companies had set up production near in Los Angeles. Los Angeles became the capital of the film industry. Director David Wark Griffin was the first in Hollywood (17-minute short film in Old California). Griffin is very important for the cinema because he invented the cinematographic language. How can I tell a story with images? Picture of David Griffin: Picture of Hollywood:
Video of the film: The miser's heart:
Charles Chaplin was a famous actor and director in this time. His films typically follow the Charlot's efforts to survive in a hostile world. The character lives in property and is frequently treated badly, but remains kind and upbeat, defying his social position, he strives to be seen as a gentleman. In the music class we have watched The Kid.
Picture of Charles Chaplin:
Film of: The Kid
Another filmmaker in Silent Cinema from Hollywood were Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd. We have watched different films of these directors and they are pretty funny.
Africa-American people need to express themselves through the music. They're a culture very musical. From Africa roots they conserved a powerful rhythm, meanwhile they learned de Western culture the traditional harmony. In music class we're studying different examples of Africa-American music. The work songs were that the Africa-America slaves sing in their jobs. Actually video: This old hammer:
Africa-America people are also a very religious. In their churches they sing spirituals or gospel songs. In these songs express their joy of believe in God.
Video of actually song: "Oh happy day"
Blues is a word that means sadness, nostalgia or melacholy. In Africa-American music, blues is a sad, nostalgic and melancholic song . These songs are profanes, not realigious, and they talk about life and problem of Africa-American people.
Video of: Saint Louis Blues:
Ragtime is a music for piano solo. It is characterized by his particular rhythm (a "rag" rhythm). Ragtime music was played by African-American pianists called "entertainer". They played this music in cafes, bars, restaurants, and also in cinemas, in the movies without sound. Video of: THE ENTERTAINER:
The origins of jazz are the African Americans who have been "cruelly transported" to the United States. Once there the African Americans have been mistreated and forced to work, without charge and without rest and sometimes they died for that. When they worked, they sang different types of music. That music is Jazz and there are 3 concepts that characterize it:
-The swing
-The "blues notes"
-The Improvisation
Once they were free they sang various musics the most famous are: Blue train
In music class, we are studying African-American music. We will listen work songs, spirituals, blues, ragtime and jazz. To understand them we have to know terrible history of Africa-American people. From 1500 to 1800 a lot of African people were kidnapped and forced to be slaves. African slaves were sold in American countries like Cuba, Jamaica, Brazil, and USA. Picture of Triangular Commerce:
Video from AMISTAD part 1:
Video from AMISTAD part 2:
Slaves were obligated to work in the worst jobs, mainly in the cotton and sugar fields. They were treated like animals, how if they were not human beings. African slaves had to forget their names, religions and their culture.
PICTURE OF AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN SLAVES:
During 19th Century, slavery was forbidden in America countries. In USA, Abraham Lincoln was a president that freed the slaves. From them, African-American are free.
picture of Abraham Lincoln:
But they did not have the same rights, and suffered episodes of racism. It was necessary the fight of more people, like Malcolm X or Martin Luther King, to realize the civil equality.
