Class Year
2018
Document Type
Student Research Paper
Date of Creation
Fall 2017
Department 1
History
Abstract
World War II was a watershed event in twentieth century American history. All aspects of life, including music, both found roles to play in the war effort and were forever altered by the conflict. Past work on the subject of American music in World War II tends to focus heavily on the nature and impact of popular music during this time period. While this paper will review and build upon this scholarship, art music during the war will also be considered. Using two distinctly different, yet complementary, autobiographies – those of army band musician Frank Mathias and composer Gunther Schuller – the functions and impacts of both popular and art music on the American war effort will be analyzed and compared. Their stories will then be contextualized within the larger narrative of twentieth century American music, showcasing how World War II – through the increased influence of jazz – shaped the evolution of both popular and art music in the United States during the early 1940s.
Copyright Note
This is the author's version of the work. This publication appears in Gettysburg College's institutional repository by permission of the copyright owner for personal use, not for redistribution.
Recommended Citation
Kowalewski, Douglas A., "Rhapsody in Red, White and Blue: The Co-Evolution of Popular and Art Music in the United States during World War II" (2017). Student Publications. 579.
https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/student_scholarship/579
Included in
Cultural History Commons, Military History Commons, Music Commons, United States History Commons
Comments
Written for HIST 412: The U.S. and World War II.