| Music comes in many forms; most countries have a style of their own. --1-- the turn of the century when jazz was born, America had no prominent --2-- ofits own. No one knows exactly when jazz was --3--, or by whom. But it began to be --4-- in the early 1900s. Jazz is Americas contribution to --5-- music. In contrast to classical music, which --6-- formal European traditions, jazz is spontaneous and free form. It bubbles with energy, --7-- the moods, interests, and emotions of the people. In the 1920s jazz --8-- like America, and --9-- it does today. The --10-- of this music are as interesting as the music --11-- . American Negroes, or blacks, as they are called today, were the jazz --12--. They were brought to Southern States --13-- slaves. They were sold to plantation owners and forced to work long --14--. When a Negro died his friend and relatives --15-- a procession to carry the body to the cemetery. In New Orleans, a band often accompanied the --16--. On the way to the cemetery the band played slow, solemn music suited to the occasion. --17-- on the way home the mood changed. Spirits lifted. Death had removed one of their --18--, but the living were glad to bealive.The band played --19-- music, improvising(即兴表演) on both the harmony andthe melody of the tunes --20-- at the funeral. This music made everyone want to dance. It was an early form of jazz. |
