美国人的音乐爱好

Music

美国人的音乐爱好

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."

一位美国早期的作家柯柏（James Fenimore Cooper）曾说：「美国人对音乐艺术几乎可以说是相当的无知。」如果这话曾经是事实，今日你绝不会这么认为了。大部份的美国人，甚至包括那些没有音乐细胞的人，都有自己喜爱的音乐型态。许多人喜欢世界各国的古典音乐和民俗音乐，然而美国其它的流行音乐则是「在美国制造」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.

乡村和西部音乐深得很多美国人的人心，这种型态的音乐起源于美国南部和西部的乡村小民们。乡村音乐传述着真实不加渲染的爱情故事和生活中的艰难。吉他、五弦琴和小提琴（violin又名fiddle）可弹奏出乡村音乐的特殊音色。乡村音乐的发源地是田纳西州的纳许维尔市--美国的音乐城市。而乡村音乐甚至还有它自己的主题乐园--Opryland呢！在那儿你可以享受音乐表演以及好玩的游乐设施。美国最老牌的广播节目「The Grand Ole Opry」每个周末都实况播放Opryland的音乐。

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."

爵士乐是十九世纪末期由非裔的美国人发展出来的。它让表演者自由地表现他们的情感和音乐技巧。不仅演奏旋律，爵士音乐大师用同样的和弦即兴演奏出不同的曲调。爵士乐的高峰期出现于二○年代，该时期被称为「爵士年代」。这个时期创造出来的乐手有阿姆斯特朗（Louise Armstrong），古德曼（Benny goodman）和埃林顿（Duke Ellington）。这些乐手稍后都创造了三○年代的「大乐团」之音。在不同的城市也孕育出不同的爵士风格，像是纽奥尔良、芝加哥、纽约和坎萨斯市。作曲家盖希文（George Gershwin）更以像「蓝色狂想曲」这样的作品，将爵士乐带入古典音乐的世界里。

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○年代见证了一种爆炸性新乐风的开展：摇滚乐。像猫王这样的歌手以及像哈利（Bill Haley）的Rock Around the Clock这样的歌，使摇滚音乐普遍地受到欢迎。这种具震撼力的音乐型态探讨了爱情、性、吸毒、政治及死亡等的主题。它常常叛离社会所接受的价值标准。标榜大声的音乐、甚至怪异的舞台表演的摇滚音乐会，已成为美国年轻人文化主要的一部份。而MTV已将这股摇滚的风潮传到世界最远的角落了。

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.

音乐的节奏继续延伸下去。通俗乐代表了受大众喜爱的音乐风格，像木匠兄妹的音乐即吸引广大的群众。这些过去岁月中的遗留下来的「黄金老歌」，为许多人带来愉快的回忆。饶舌音乐在七○年代快速跃上音乐的舞台，它事实上很像是具节奏性的唱话。饶舌歌手传达出强烈、有时是低俗的街头生活信息。

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.

美国人一向是相当宗教性的民族，而音乐长期以来也是他们宗教经验中的一部份。自殖民时期开始，诗歌和赞美诗都提升了敬拜的层次。像「无人知道我的困难」这样的黑人灵歌，反映出苦难中对上帝的盼望。今天的基督教音乐包含了各式的乐风--从乡村、到爵士、到通俗、到摇滚、再到饶舌歌。

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.

在美国，音乐是一种大家共有的经验。人们在钢琴课、合唱课程和参与游行乐队的演练经验中成长。当无话可谈的时候，他们就可以谈谈自己对音乐的喜好。如果今天柯柏还在世的话，他就得改变他的论调了。