John Lars Zwerenz Photo / May, 2012 / New York

On Rock Music

     Rock music, or what used to be referred to as "Rock And Roll", to the extent that it expresses the beautiful, the delicate, the bold, and what is most alive and mystical is a true art form;  The higher incidence of melodic repetition found in most rock music compared to the classical genre does not preclude musical prowess and a positive melodic effect, rather it bestows to rock a "punch" that classical music does not possess.

     Classical music is the branch, and rock is the bloom, so to speak, for the true roots of the latter are found primarily in classical music, more so than "the blues" or "folk";  The downward chord progressions that so often exemplify rock songs have sprung from the classical genre, for there are no such progressions in blues nor in folk music prior to 1950.  One can compare, for instance, The Left Banke's "Walk Away Renee" (1966) to The Canon in D major, where the downward chord progressions are almost identical.

     I am only referring here in this article to rock's golden age (circa 1954-1973), and not to the sounds of the present day.

                                                                                                               John Zwerenz
                                                                                                               New York
                                                                                                               2012