美國人的音樂愛好大綱

Music

美國人的音樂愛好

James Fenimore Cooper, an early American writer, once said, "The Americans are almost ignorant of the art of music." If that was once true, you would never know it today. Most Americans--even those without a musical bone in their bodies--have a favorite style of music. Many people enjoy classical and folk music from around the world. But other popular music styles in America were "made in the U.S.A."

一位美國早期的作家柯柏（James Fenimore Cooper）曾說：「美國人對音樂藝術幾乎可以說是相當的無知。」如果這話曾經是事實，今日你絕不會這麼認爲了。大部份的美國人，甚至包括那些沒有音樂細胞的人，都有自己喜愛的音樂型態。許多人喜歡世界各國的古典音樂和民俗音樂，然而美國其它的流行音樂則是「在美國製造」的。

Country and western music lies close to the heart of many Americans. This style originated among country folks in the southern and western United States. Country music tells down-to-earth stories about love and life's hardships. Guitars, banjos and violins--also known as fiddles--give country music its characteristic sound. The home of country music is Nashville, Tennessee--Music City U.S.A. Country music even has its own theme park called "Opryland" where you can enjoy music shows and fun rides. "The Grand Ole Opry," the oldest radio show in the United States, broadcasts country music live from Opryland every weekend.

鄉村和西部音樂深得很多美國人的人心，這種型態的音樂起源於美國南部和西部的鄉村小民們。鄉村音樂傳述着真實不加渲染的愛情故事和生活中的艱難。吉他、五絃琴和小提琴（violin又名fiddle）可彈奏出鄉村音樂的特殊音色。鄉村音樂的發源地是田納西州的納許維爾市--美國的音樂城市。而鄉村音樂甚至還有它自己的主題樂園--Opryland呢！在那兒你可以享受音樂表演以及好玩的遊樂設施。美國最老牌的廣播節目「The Grand Ole Opry」每個週末都實況播放Opryland的音樂。

Jazz music, developed by African-Americans in the late 1800s, allows performers to freely express their emotions and musical skill. Instead of just playing the melody, jazz musicians improvise different tunes using the same chords. The peak of jazz music came in the 1920s, known as "The Jazz Era." This period produced musicians like Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman and Duke Ellington. These musicians later created the "big band" sounds of the 1930s. Different styles of jazz developed in different cities, such as New Orleans, Chicago, New York and Kansas City. Composer George Gershwin brought jazz into the world of classical music with pieces like "Rhapsody in Blue."

爵士樂是十九世紀末期由非裔的美國人發展出來的。它讓表演者自由地表現他們的情感和音樂技巧。不僅演奏旋律，爵士音樂大師用同樣的和絃即興演奏出不同的曲調。爵士樂的高峯期出現於二○年代，該時期被稱爲「爵士年代」。這個時期創造出來的樂手有阿姆斯特朗（Louise Armstrong），古德曼（Benny goodman）和埃林頓（Duke Ellington）。這些樂手稍後都創造了三○年代的「大樂團」之音。在不同的城市也孕育出不同的爵士風格，像是紐奧爾良、芝加哥、紐約和坎薩斯市。作曲家蓋希文（George Gershwin）更以像「藍色狂想曲」這樣的作品，將爵士樂帶入古典音樂的世界裏。

The 1950s saw the development of an explosive new music style: rock 'n' roll. Performers like Elvis Presley and songs like Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock" made rock music widely popular. This powerful music style addresses issues like love, sex, drugs, politics and death. Often it rebels against the accepted values of society. Rock concerts, featuring loud music and sometimes weird stage acts, have become a major part of American youth culture. Music videos on television have spread the message of rock to the far corners of the globe.

五○年代見證了一種爆炸性新樂風的開展：搖滾樂。像貓王這樣的歌手以及像哈利（Bill Haley）的Rock Around the Clock這樣的歌，使搖滾音樂普遍地受到歡迎。這種具震撼力的音樂型態探討了愛情、性、吸毒、政治及死亡等的主題。它常常叛離社會所接受的價值標準。標榜大聲的音樂、甚至怪異的舞臺表演的搖滾音樂會，已成爲美國年輕人文化主要的一部份。而MTV已將這股搖滾的風潮傳到世界最遠的角落了。

And the beat goes on. Pop music represents popular styles--like the music of Karen Carpenter--that have wide appeal. "Golden oldies" from the past bring back pleasant memories for many. Rap music, which burst onto the music scene in the 1970s, is actually more like a rhyming chant. Rappers give a strong--sometimes vulgar--message about life in the streets.

音樂的節奏繼續延伸下去。通俗樂代表了受大衆喜愛的音樂風格，像木匠兄妹的音樂即吸引廣大的羣衆。這些過去歲月中的遺留下來的「黃金老歌」，爲許多人帶來愉快的回憶。饒舌音樂在七○年代快速躍上音樂的舞臺，它事實上很像是具節奏性的唱話。饒舌歌手傳達出強烈、有時是低俗的街頭生活信息。

Americans have always been a religious people, and music has long been a part of their religious experience, as well. From colonial days, hymns and praise songs have enhanced worship. Negro spirituals, such as "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen," reflect hope in God in the midst of suffering. Today's Christian styles fit all musical tastes--from country to jazz to pop to rock to rap.

美國人一向是相當宗教性的民族，而音樂長期以來也是他們宗教經驗中的一部份。自殖民時期開始，詩歌和讚美詩都提升了敬拜的層次。像「無人知道我的困難」這樣的黑人靈歌，反映出苦難中對上帝的盼望。今天的基督教音樂包含了各式的樂風--從鄉村、到爵士、到通俗、到搖滾、再到饒舌歌。

In America, music is a shared experience. People grow up with piano lessons, chorus classes and marching band practices. They can talk about their tastes in music when there isn't anything else to talk about. If James Fenimore Cooper were here today, he would surely have to change his tune.

在美國，音樂是一種大家共有的經驗。人們在鋼琴課、合唱課程和參與遊行樂隊的演練經驗中成長。當無話可談的時候，他們就可以談談自己對音樂的喜好。如果今天柯柏還在世的話，他就得改變他的論調了。