The Cambridge History of American Music

A definitive history of music in the United States, written by a team of scholars and first published in 1998.

This 1998 book was the first study of music in the United States to be written by a team of scholars. It surveys music of Native Americans, musical life until 1900, film and stage music, jazz, rock, and regional musics. The volume includes twentieth-century art music, and the experimental and tonal traditions.The Cambridge History of American Music, first published in 1998, celebrates the richness of America's musical life. It was the first study of music in the United States to be written by a team of scholars. American music is an intricate tapestry of many cultures, and the History reveals this wide array of influences from Native, European, African, Asian, and other sources. The History begins with a survey of the music of Native Americans and then explores the social, historical, and cultural events of musical life in the period until 1900. Other contributors examine the growth and influence of popular musics, including film and stage music, jazz, rock, and immigrant, folk, and regional musics. The volume also includes valuable chapters on twentieth-century art music, including the experimental, serial, and tonal traditions.