1600 to Now—Europe to Here (Music)
S06
Kitty Brazelton
Baroque chamber ensembles were jam-bands, exploding into brand-new frontiers of mind, spirit, flesh, and fun. The drive of this lively era propelled European music to its imperial peak: the Viennese classical style, an empire whose not-so-distant echoes still govern our ears and thoughts. Weakened by the excesses of 19th-century romanticism, the European musical empire was further undone by the inventive fixes of the early 20th century. And as the old world fell, the new one rose. If you listen to American pop music, jazz, or go to the movies, this story is buried in your cultural genetic code. Learn it or be remote-controlled.