新托福听写训练 第36期

Listen to a professor give a lecture in a Music History class.

To continue our study of jazz, today we will focus on the blues¹ and listen to some recordings² by Bessie Smith who is considered by many to be the greatest of all jazz singers. The blues developed in the southern United States from the music of black people who were brought from Africa and forced to work as slaves on southern plantations³. The earliest form of the blues were work songs and field howlers that was musical form of communication among slaves. The name blues comes from the loneliness and sorrow typically expressed in the song lyrics⁴. The blues started out as strictly⁵ vocal⁶ but over time musicians began to accompany blues singers. Jazz greats like Louis Armstrong and Francis Andersen accompanied Bessie Smith in her recordings. The example of blues we will hear today is the reissue of some of Bessie Smith's classical recordings. These songs are from the late 1920's when she was at the peak of her career. It's no wonder she was known as the emperor of the blues. She made 160 recordings and was also a sort after live performer in New York, Boston, and Chicago as well as the larger cities in the south. Know her rich powerful contract her voice, in fact, in live performances she refused to use microphone. Bessie Smith's songs typified the earthiness and realism of the blues.

1 blues   

n.抑郁，沮丧；布鲁斯音乐

参考例句：

• She was in the back of a smoky bar singing the blues.她在烟雾弥漫的酒吧深处唱着布鲁斯歌曲。
• He was in the blues on account of his failure in business.他因事业失败而意志消沉。

2 recordings   

n.记录( recording的名词复数 )；录音；录像；唱片

参考例句：

• a boxed set of original recordings 一套盒装原声录音带
• old jazz recordings reissued on CD 以激光唱片重新发行的老爵士乐

3 plantations   

n.种植园，大农场( plantation的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Soon great plantations, supported by slave labor, made some families very wealthy. 不久之后出现了依靠奴隶劳动的大庄园，使一些家庭成了富豪。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• Winterborne's contract was completed, and the plantations were deserted. 维恩特波恩的合同完成后，那片林地变得荒废了。 来自辞典例句

4 lyrics   

n.歌词

参考例句：

• music and lyrics by Rodgers and Hart 由罗杰斯和哈特作词作曲
• The book contains lyrics and guitar tablatures for over 100 songs. 这本书有100多首歌的歌词和吉他奏法谱。

5 strictly   

adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地

参考例句：

• His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
• The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。

6 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。