African American Folksong and American Cultural Politics: The Lawrence Gellert Story (American Folk Music and Musicians Series) Book PDF, ePub eBook

Join our eBook service for unlimited books & audiobooks. Get a free 7 day subscription! ↓↓↓↓↓


Book Descriptions:
In African American Folksong and American Cultural Politics: The Lawrence Gellert Story, scholar and musician Bruce Conforth tells the story of one of the most unusual collections of African American folk music ever amassed—and the remarkable story of the man who produced it: Lawrence Gellert. Compiled between the World Wars, Gellert's recordings were immediately adopted by the American Left as the voice of the true American proletariat, with the songs—largely variants of traditional work songs or blues—dubbed by the Left as "songs of protest." As both the songs and Gellert’s standing itself turned into propaganda weapons of left-wing agitators, Gellert experienced a meteoric rise within the circles of left-wing organizations and the American Communist party. But such success proved ephemeral, with Gellert contributing to his own neglect by steadfastly refusing to release information about where and from whom he had collected his recordings. Later scholars, as a result, would skip over his closely held, largely inaccessible research, with some asserting Gellert’s work had been doctored for political purposes. And to a certain extent they were correct. Conforth reveals how Gellert at least "assisted" in the creation of some of his more political material. But hidden behind the few protest songs that Gellert allowed to become public was a vast body of legitimate African America folksongs—enough to rival the work of any of his contemporary collectors.

Had Gellert granted access to all his material, scholars would have quickly seen that it comprised an incredibly complete and diverse collection of all African American song genres: work songs, blues, chants, spirituals, as well as the largest body of African American folktales about Irish Americans (what were referred to as "One Time I'shman" tales). It also included vast swaths of African American oral literature collected by Gellert as part of the Federal Writers' Project.

In African American Folksong and American Cultural Politics, Conforth brings to light for the first time the entire body of work collected by Lawrence Gellert, establishing his place, and the place for the material he collected, within the pages of American folk song scholarship. In addition to shedding new light on the concept of "protest music" within African American folk music, Conforth discusses the unique relationship of the American Left to this music and how personal psychology and the demands of the American Communist party would come to ruin Gellert’s life.

African American Folksong and American Cultural Politics will appeal to students and scholars in the fields of American social and political history, African American studies, the history of American folk music, and ethnomusicology.

African American Folksong and American Cultural Politics: The Lawrence Gellert Story (American Folk Music and Musicians Series) by Bruce M. Conforth

From reader reviews:

Alice Smith:

Book is usually written, printed, or outlined for everything. You can understand everything you want by a e-book. Book has a different type. As we know that book is important issue to bring us around the world. Alongside that you can your reading skill was fluently. A book African American Folksong and American Cultural Politics: The Lawrence Gellert Story (American Folk Music and Musicians Series) will make you to end up being smarter. You can feel a lot more confidence if you can know about every thing. But some of you think that will open or reading some sort of book make you bored. It is far from make you fun. Why they might be thought like that? Have you in search of best book or acceptable book with you?

Randy Scott:

The book African American Folksong and American Cultural Politics: The Lawrence Gellert Story (American Folk Music and Musicians Series) will bring one to the new experience of reading some sort of book. The author style to elucidate the idea is very unique. When you try to find new book to see, this book very suitable to you. The book African American Folksong and American Cultural Politics: The Lawrence Gellert Story (American Folk Music and Musicians Series) is much recommended to you to read. You can also get the e-book in the official web site, so you can quicker to read the book.

Maureen Bonds:

The reason? Because this African American Folksong and American Cultural Politics: The Lawrence Gellert Story (American Folk Music and Musicians Series) is an unordinary book that the inside of the book waiting for you to snap the item but latter it will distress you with the secret it inside. Reading this book adjacent to it was fantastic author who write the book in such awesome way makes the content on the inside easier to understand, entertaining method but still convey the meaning thoroughly. So , it is good for you because of not hesitating having this ever again or you going to regret it. This unique book will give you a lot of gains than the other book have got such as help improving your skill and your critical thinking approach. So , still want to postpone having that book? If I were you I will go to the guide store hurriedly.

Carl Johnson:

Does one one of the book lovers? If yes, do you ever feeling doubt while you are in the book store? Try and pick one book that you just dont know the inside because don't ascertain book by its handle may doesn't work here is difficult job because you are scared that the inside maybe not as fantastic as in the outside appearance likes. Maybe you answer could be African American Folksong and American Cultural Politics: The Lawrence Gellert Story (American Folk Music and Musicians Series) why because the great cover that make you consider regarding the content will not disappoint anyone. The inside or content will be fantastic as the outside or maybe cover. Your reading sixth sense will directly show you to pick up this book.