What are the origins and development of American vocal music genres?
Answer This sounds like a homework question–I hope it isn’t. “Vocal music genres” is a very broad expression. If you mean things like the Broadway musical, the answer is generally the Viennese operetta, beginning with the light operas of Offenbach and Lehar, and continuing with Gilbert and Sullivan. Sigmund Romberg, Jerome Kern, George Gershwin are early 20th century composers, moving into Rogers and Hammerstein, etc.and finally people like Bernstein and Kander. For solo vocals, like the blues, some of this probably came through vaudeville in the 1800’s and ragtime of the early 1900’s. Pop music is not my field. There are books on the subject of American music. See Gilbert Chase. Hope this is what you need.
