Though each musical era has its distinctively unique and wonderfully beautiful music, it is possible to discern the art pieces that appeal to a specific listener the most. For me, the post-WWII compositions, with their active experimentation that pushed the set boundaries of harmony and melody seem to be the most exciting and inspiring period. Though the specified epoch was characterized by major challenges, with most countries being in ruin due to the destructive effects of the war, the feeling of nascent hope was evident within the global community. In turn, the specified attitudes have been reflected in music, which led to the emergence of magnificent and inspiring musical pieces.
Among the post-WWII composers, I would like to single out Miles Davis as the one whose music holds particular importance for me. As emphasized above, with the world being in shambles after the WWII bloodshed, humankind needed an emotional retreat, which Miles Davis provided with his incredible compositions. Specifically, the sound in Davis’ compositions was particularly rich, fluctuating, and meandering in the forefront, whereas the consistent rhythm provided a solid background and a foundation for the development of melody. In turn, the latter represented a complex structure, with the cool jazz elements intermingling with hard bop components (Etinde-Crompton and Crompton 38). As a result, the harmony that Miles Davis incorporated into his pieces constituted the foundation for his experiments, particularly, his incredible solos (Gioia 438). The specified approach toward composing music cemented Davis’ image as an innovator in the post-WWII musical realm. The described intention to combine the elements of the era soon to become bygone, namely, bop and cool jazz, and revive them by introducing a unique and original sound, makes Miles Davis’ compositions particularly alluring and charming to me.
Works Cited
Etinde-Crompton, Charlotte, and Samuel Willard Crompton. Miles Davis: Jazz Musician and Composer. Enslow Publishing, LLC, 2019.
Gioia, Ted. Music: A subversive history. Hachette UK, 2019.