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According to the historian of music Larry Birnbaum, minstrel music primarily originated from English, Scottish, and Irish folk music. [121] Musicologist Dale Cockrell argues that early minstrel music mixed both African and European traditions and that distinguishing black and white urban music during the 1830s is impossible. [ 122 ]
A minstrel was an entertainer, initially in medieval Europe. The term originally described any type of entertainer such as a musician, juggler, acrobat, singer or fool; later, from the sixteenth century, it came to mean a specialist entertainer who sang songs and played musical instruments. [1] [2]
Minstrel, between the 12th and 17th centuries, a professional entertainer of any kind, including jugglers, acrobats, and storytellers; more specifically, a secular musician, usually an instrumentalist. In some contexts, ‘minstrel’ more particularly denoted a player of wind instruments.
Minstrel show, an American theatrical form, popular from the early 19th century to the early 20th century, that was founded on the comic enactment of racial stereotypes. The tradition reached its zenith between 1850 and 1870. Learn more about minstrel shows, including their format and history.
Minstrel. While the term Minstrel dates back to medieval times, it is most commonly -- and infamously -- associated with white musicians of the late 19th and early 20th century who performed African-American songs, jokes, and impersonations in blackface makeup for racially-segregated audiences; among the more well-known minstrel performers were ...
Sep 28, 2023 · A minstrel’s day job included composing and performing songs about love, war, and everything in between. They were also storytellers, spinning tales of dashing knights and damsel rescues that would make a Hollywood scriptwriter green with envy.
May 3, 2023 · Learn about the origins, role, and life of medieval minstrels, who were versatile performers of music, storytelling, and poetry. Discover how they differed from other entertainers of their time, such as troubadours, jesters, and jongleurs.
