Folk Music - Research Paper Example

Folk music has existed for hundreds-thousands of years, even though the word only got to be used in the late 19th century. This music was popular especially during the romantic period. Beethoven and Josef Haydn were two popular composers who made arrangements of folk music. Many people also composed dances that would accompany this precious music. Fork music got to its peak in the 1950’s through help from Jimmy Rodgers. This style lasted with popularity until the mid sixties when ‘folk rock’ became popular and the Beatles mania era swept the world.

Folk rock was followed by ‘protest music’ where the singers sang the opposite of ethnicity, which was an essential part of folk music and thus, protest music is the complete contrast of true folk music. Folk music revival had completely died by 1975 and was not rejuvenated until late 1990s though the revival contained lesser extent than the original music. While not in a peak revival today, folk music is still popular. It is not anticipated to disappear anytime soon given the number of years it had survived.

It was transmitted through oral tradition. In the early days (before the twentieth century), factory and farm workers were usually illiterate, so they acquired songs by memorizing them. This was not mediated by books, transmitted media or recorded. The music was usually related to national culture. It was particularly social and from a particular culture or region. Folk songs normally commemorated personal and historical events. Particular songs are used to celebrate important event and days e.g. Christmas, Easter or during weddings and/or funerals (Kip pg 34).

These events brought children and nonprofessional singers together to participate in a public arena thus creating emotional bonding. Another characteristic is that it has been performed by custom over quite a