THE BELLE ÉPOQUE (1880-1914) — The Belle Époque, meaning "beautiful era", is the name given to the period from the last decades of the nineteenth century to the outbreak of the First World War. These were years of peace, great inventions (electricity, the car, cinema, the phonograph, the telephone) and confidence in progress. Paris was its capital: the World's Fairs, the Eiffel Tower (1889), café-concerts, the Moulin Rouge and major theatres made the city the cultural centre of Europe. MUSIC IN ENTERTAINMENT VENUES — The middle classes went to ballrooms (where the Viennese WALTZ of Johann Strauss jr. was hugely popular), cabarets and cafés-chantants, where Offenbach's CAN-CAN, operetta and light popular songs emerged. The first African American rhythms also reached these venues: the cakewalk and ragtime, which fascinated even Debussy. IN FRANCE — Claude Debussy created MUSICAL IMPRESSIONISM: just as the painters Monet and Renoir painted light, he built music using timbres, tone colours and subtly shaded atmospheres (whole-tone scales and chords that do not 'resolve'). Maurice Ravel combined refined tone colours with dance rhythms. Erik Satie instead chose simplicity and humour (the Gymnopédies). IN ITALY — Opera flourished with Giacomo Puccini (La Bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly) and the VERISMO of Mascagni and Leoncavallo: stories about ordinary people, powerful emotions and passionate melodies. NEAPOLITAN SONGS ('O sole mio, Torna a Surriento) also flourished, along with the first popular songs spread through sheet music and gramophones. NEW TECHNOLOGY — Edison's phonograph and later the gramophone made it possible for the first time to RECORD music and LISTEN TO IT AGAIN: the age of recorded music began, changing the way people listened forever.

TWENTIETH-CENTURY AVANT-GARDE MOVEMENTS — With the new century and the tragedy of the two world wars, many musicians felt the need to BREAK with the rules of the past. Avant-garde movements emerged: movements that experimented with new sounds, new scales, new instruments and even new ways of writing music. IMPRESSIONISM (Debussy, Ravel) — Music no longer tells a story: it evokes images and sensations through new timbres and harmonies. EXPRESSIONISM AND TWELVE-TONE MUSIC (Schönberg, Berg, Webern) — Art must express inner anguish. Schönberg abandoned tonality (ATONALITY) and invented TWELVE-TONE MUSIC: the twelve notes of the chromatic scale all have equal importance and are arranged in a 'tone row'. In Pierrot Lunaire he used Sprechgesang, halfway between speaking and singing. PRIMITIVISM AND RHYTHM (Stravinsky, Bartók) — La Sagra della primavera (1913) caused a scandal in Paris: fierce, irregular rhythms, dissonances and references to ancient rituals. Bartók studied Hungarian folk music and transformed it into classical music. FUTURISM (Russolo, Marinetti) — In Italy, the Futurists celebrated machines and speed: the INTONARUMORI produced the noises of the modern city. Noise officially became part of music. MUSIQUE CONCRÈTE AND ELECTRONIC MUSIC — After 1948, Pierre Schaeffer in Paris recorded real-world sounds on tape and manipulated them (MUSIQUE CONCRÈTE); in Cologne, Stockhausen generated artificial sounds using oscillators (ELECTRONIC MUSIC); in Milan, the RAI Studio di Fonologia was founded with Berio and Maderna. These were the roots of all today's digital music: sampling, synthesizers and computers. CHANCE AND EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC (Cage) — John Cage introduced CHANCE into composition, and with 4'33" he made silence 'play': music became the act of listening to the surrounding environment. Others, such as Penderecki and Ligeti, worked with masses of sound and tone clusters.

JAZZ STANDARDS — A STANDARD is a famous, well-loved piece that all jazz musicians know and continue to play and reinterpret: its melody and chords become a shared language, on which each musician improvises a fresh version every time. Many standards come from MUSICAL THEATRE and CINEMA (Gershwin, Weill, Porter), while others come from popular songs; «Caravan» by Ellington and Tizol is one of these. Great female singers have made interpreting them their art: Ella Fitzgerald («Summertime», «Mack the Knife»), Billie Holiday («Strange Fruit», «God Bless the Child»), Sarah Vaughan («Misty», «Lullaby of Birdland»), Peggy Lee («Fever»), Nina Simone («Feeling Good»), Etta James («At Last»), Dinah Washington («What a Diff'rence a Day Makes»).

In the 1950s in the USA, Black rhythm & blues meets white country music, and ROCK 'N' ROLL is born: a driving rhythm, electric guitar, bass, drums and vocals. Elvis Presley becomes 'the King', while Chuck Berry and Little Richard establish its musical language. In the 1960s, British BEAT music takes off (Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Who), and rock becomes more experimental: psychedelia (Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd), socially conscious folk (Bob Dylan), soul (James Brown, Aretha Franklin). In the 1970s, many subgenres emerge: HARD ROCK and HEAVY METAL (Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath), PROGRESSIVE ROCK (Pink Floyd, Genesis, Yes), GLAM ROCK (David Bowie, Queen), PUNK (Sex Pistols, Ramones), DISCO music (Bee Gees, Donna Summer). In the 1980s, global POP (Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince), NEW WAVE / synth pop (Depeche Mode, The Cure) and METAL (Metallica, Iron Maiden) dominate, and HIP HOP / RAP emerges. In the 1990s, GRUNGE (Nirvana, Pearl Jam) and Britpop (Oasis, Blur) emerge, rap becomes mainstream (Tupac, Notorious B.I.G.), and ELECTRONIC club music is born (techno, house). Today: digital pop (streaming, social media), TRAP and hip hop, K-POP, indie, contemporary R&B, EDM. In Italy: singer-songwriters (De André, Battisti, Dalla, Vasco, Ligabue), pop and rap (Mengoni, Mahmood, Måneskin).

POP AND SONG — The word POP comes from 'popular music': music designed to appeal to a very wide audience, spread through radio, records, television, music videos and, today, streaming and social media. Its basic unit is the SONG: a piece lasting 3–4 minutes, built around a simple, recognizable structure — introduction, verse, chorus (refrain), bridge, ending — with a chorus that is easy to remember (the 'hook'). HOW A HIT IS MADE — Lyrics and melody are just the beginning: the arrangement, studio PRODUCTION, mixing, music video and promotion all matter. From the 1980s onward, the music video (MTV) becomes an essential part of the song; today, streaming platforms and social media play this role, and just a few seconds can launch a song. THE VOICES OF POP — In the 1980s, Michael Jackson and Madonna invent global pop as a complete spectacle (music, dance, image). Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey bring the vocal virtuosity of gospel into pop; Prince combines funk, rock and soul. From the 2000s onward come Beyoncé, Adele, Ed Sheeran, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, and the global K-POP phenomena (BTS, Blackpink). TECHNOLOGY — Synthesizers, drum machines, samplers and Auto-Tune have changed the sound of pop. Today, many songs are created on a computer with few real instruments: anyone can produce music, even at home. LISTEN CLOSELY — Recognizing the structure (verse/chorus), the basic rhythm, the electronic instruments and the singing style helps us understand why a song 'works'.

ITALIAN SONG — Italian song grew out of the great melodic tradition of opera and Neapolitan song. The turning point came in 1958, when Domenico Modugno won Sanremo with 'Nel blu dipinto di blu': poetic lyrics, free-flowing gestures and a modern melody. THE 1960s: SHOUTERS AND SINGER-SONGWRITERS — Alongside the 'shouters' (Celentano, Mina, and later Bertè) and the stars of melodic song, SINGER-SONGWRITERS emerged: artists who write their own lyrics and music. The Genoese school (Gino Paoli, Luigi Tenco, Bruno Lauzi, Fabrizio De André) brought poetry, real love and people on the margins of society into song. THE 1970s: SOCIAL COMMITMENT — Lucio Battisti and Mogol renewed the language of song; Francesco Guccini, Francesco De Gregori, Lucio Dalla, Antonello Venditti, Edoardo Bennato and Pino Daniele (with his Neapolitan blues) explored society, politics and feelings. Festivals and large concerts emerged. THE 1980s–1990s — Vasco Rossi and Ligabue brought singer-songwriter rock; Zucchero brought blues; Eros Ramazzotti, Laura Pausini and Andrea Bocelli conquered the international market; Jovanotti paved the way for Italian rap; Paolo Conte and Ivano Fossati developed sophisticated, jazz-influenced songs. TODAY — Singer-songwriter pop (Elisa, Marco Mengoni, Cesare Cremonini, Tiziano Ferro, Carmen Consoli, Niccolò Fabi, Max Gazzé), rap and trap (Ghali, Lazza, Marracash), new singer-songwriters (Angelina Mango, Irama) and Måneskin's rock exist side by side. Sanremo remains the main showcase for Italian song. WHAT IS A SINGER-SONGWRITER? — Someone who both writes and performs: the words matter as much as the music. This is why many Italian songs are studied as poems set to music.

SONGS AND MESSAGES — Music is not just for entertainment: it has always been a way to SAY something too. A song can speak out against injustice, call for peace, describe the hardships of work, defend the environment or support those who are suffering. Its power lies in the way it stays in everyone's memory. SONGS FOR PEACE AND AGAINST WAR — 'Imagine' by John Lennon, 'Blowin' in the Wind' by Bob Dylan, 'La guerra di Piero' and 'Girotondo' by De André, 'Il mio nome è mai più' by Ligabue-Jovanotti-Pelù: simple words for big ideas. PROTEST SONGS AND CIVIL RIGHTS — In the United States, spirituals, followed by the folk music of Dylan and Joan Baez, the soul of Sam Cooke ('A Change Is Gonna Come'), the reggae of Bob Marley ('Get Up, Stand Up') and rap from disadvantaged urban neighbourhoods. In Italy, songs of work and struggle ('Bella ciao', 'Contessa'). MUSIC AND SOLIDARITY — Major charity events: Live Aid (1985), 'We Are the World', 'Do They Know It's Christmas?', concerts for the Amazon or for earthquake victims. Music raises funds and awareness. THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE FUTURE — 'Earth Song' by Michael Jackson, 'Big Yellow Taxi' by Joni Mitchell, and many recent songs about climate change. HOW TO ANALYSE A SONG WITH A MESSAGE — Look at the LYRICS (who is speaking? to whom? what are they asking for?), the historical CONTEXT, the MUSIC (a marching rhythm, a gentle melody or a shout changes the meaning) and the effect on the audience.

MUSIC AND GENDER EQUALITY — For centuries, it was difficult for women to make music their profession: they could sing or play at home, but rarely study composition, conduct an orchestra or publish their own works. Yet history is full of extraordinary women musicians, often forgotten. FORGOTTEN WOMEN COMPOSERS — Hildegard von Bingen (12th century), a nun, poet and composer; Francesca Caccini and Barbara Strozzi in the 17th century; Fanny Mendelssohn, Felix's sister, forced to publish under her brother's name; Clara Schumann, a great pianist and composer; in the 20th century, Lili Boulanger and Nadia Boulanger, who taught generations of musicians. WOMEN PIONEERS OF POPULAR MUSIC — Bessie Smith and Billie Holiday in jazz and blues; Ella Fitzgerald, the queen of scat; Aretha Franklin, a voice of soul and civil rights; Miriam Makeba, who opposed apartheid; in Italy, Mina, Milva, Loredana Bertè, Carmen Consoli and Elisa. STEREOTYPES TO OVERCOME — Even today, there are few women conductors, producers and sound engineers, and some song lyrics repeat offensive or violent portrayals of women. Analysing lyrics critically is a way to practise responsible citizenship. MUSIC AS A TOOL FOR EQUALITY — Many songs are about self-esteem, freedom and respect ('Respect', 'You Don't Own Me', 'Run the World'). Music can change the way we see others: this is why it is important to make thoughtful choices about what we listen to.

ARTISTS BEYOND BARRIERS — Music is a language that no barrier can truly stop. Many great artists have made their disability or difficulties a starting point, not a limitation. LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN — He began to lose his hearing in his early twenties and became completely deaf: yet he wrote his masterpieces by 'listening' in his mind, right up to the Inno alla gioia from the Nona Sinfonia, now the European anthem. ARTISTS WHO CANNOT SEE — Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder, blind since childhood, revolutionised soul and funk; Andrea Bocelli is known around the world; the French organist Louis Vierne played at Notre-Dame with almost no sight. ARTISTS WHO CANNOT HEAR — Scottish percussionist Evelyn Glennie has been deaf since the age of twelve: she performs barefoot to feel vibrations through her body and shows that listening does not happen only through the ears. ARTISTS WHO OVERCOME AN ACCIDENT OR ILLNESS — Django Reinhardt, whose left hand was burned, invented a new technique using just two fingers and became the father of jazz manouche; Itzhak Perlman, who had polio, is one of the greatest violinists; Ezio Bosso continued to play and conduct during his illness; Rick Allen of Def Leppard plays the drums with only one arm. MUSIC AND INCLUSION — Today there are inclusive orchestras, adapted instruments and software that allows people to play using their gaze or just one finger, while music therapy helps people who cannot speak to communicate. Making music together is one of the most inclusive experiences there is.

THE MUSICAL — A musical (or musical comedy) is a stage show in which acting, singing and dancing come together to tell a story. It began in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, bringing together European operetta, vaudeville, minstrel shows and jazz; its main home is BROADWAY in New York, along with London's West End. HOW IT WORKS — There are SONGS, DANCE numbers, spoken dialogue and a live orchestra. Each character often has a song that reveals their feelings; the grand finale brings everyone together on stage. Unlike opera, musicals use a 'chest voice' amplified by a microphone, and their musical language is that of popular music (jazz, pop, rock). THE MILESTONES — Show Boat (1927) is considered the first modern musical; it was followed by the golden age, with Oklahoma!, Bernstein's West Side Story (1957, Romeo e Giulietta in New York), My Fair Lady and The Sound of Music. The 1970s–1980s brought rock operas (Jesus Christ Superstar, Hair) and Andrew Lloyd Webber's spectacular productions (Cats, The Phantom of the Opera, Evita). Then came Les Misérables, Rent, Il Re Leone, Mamma Mia!, Wicked, and today Hamilton, which tells American history through rap and hip hop. IN ITALY — The Italian version of Notre-Dame de Paris, with music by Riccardo Cocciante, launched the genre; there is also Aggiungi un posto a tavola by Garinei and Giovannini and many recent productions. AT THE CINEMA — From classic film musicals (Cantando sotto la pioggia, Grease, Mary Poppins) to La La Land and Disney animated films, the musical is one of audiences' favourite genres.

'Ethnic music' or 'world music' refers to the musical traditions of the world's peoples, each with its own instruments, scales, rhythms and purposes (rituals, celebrations, storytelling). AFRICA: vocal polyphony and polyrhythm (several overlapping rhythms), responsorial singing (call & response), instruments such as the djembe, kora (harp-lute), balafon (xylophone) and talking drum. INDIA: classical music based on raga (scales or modes associated with times of day, seasons and feelings) and tala (fixed rhythmic cycles). Instruments: sitar (Ravi Shankar), tabla, tampura, sarod, bansuri. LATIN AMERICA: samba and bossa nova (Brazil), tango (Argentina), salsa, rumba, son (Cuba), mariachi (Mexico), Andean music (Peru, Bolivia) with the quena and charango. THE ARAB WORLD: maqam modal scales with quarter tones, instruments such as the oud (lute), qanun (zither), ney (flute) and darbuka (goblet drum). THE FAR EAST: China (erhu, pipa, pentatonic scale), Japan (koto, shakuhachi, gagaku court music), Indonesia (gamelan: an orchestra of metallophones and gongs from Bali and Java). EUROPEAN FOLK MUSIC: Celtic music (Ireland, Scotland: bagpipes, fiddle), flamenco (Spain: guitar, voice, palmas), klezmer (Eastern Europe), pizzica and tarantella (Southern Italy).

WORLD MUSIC — Since the 1980s, world music has meant the meeting of people's musical traditions with modern musical styles (pop, rock, jazz, electronic music). So it is not 'pure' traditional music, but its dialogue with the global world: traditional instruments alongside drums and electric bass, African or Latin languages in pop songs, and international productions. HOW IT BEGAN — The term was launched in 1987 by several London record labels to give music from across the planet a shared shelf in record shops. Some recordings became symbols of this movement: Paul Simon's 'Graceland' (1986), featuring the South African vocal group Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the work of Peter Gabriel, and the WOMAD festival. THE BEST-KNOWN GENRES — AFROBEAT (Fela Kuti, Nigeria: funk, jazz and Yoruba rhythms); REGGAE, ska and dub from Jamaica (Bob Marley); LATIN FUSION: salsa, cumbia, bossa nova and tango reinterpreted in a modern style (Piazzolla, Buena Vista Social Club); Algerian RAÏ (Khaled); BHANGRA and Indian fusion styles; CELTIC FUSION; K-POP and J-pop as global phenomena from Asia. IN ITALY — The 'taranta' of Salento and southern Italian folk music have been revived through the Notte della Taranta; artists such as Eugenio Bennato, i Tarantolati, Vinicio Capossela and Manu Chao (in Europe) mix tradition with singer-songwriter music. WHY IT MATTERS — World music teaches us that there is no single 'right' kind of music: every culture has its own scales, rhythms and instruments, and their meeting creates new things. It also teaches respect, as long as it does not turn into the exploitation of other people's cultures.

FILM MUSIC — Cinema began without recorded dialogue, but not without sound: as early as 1895, a pianist or orchestra would accompany the images live. With the arrival of sound films (1927, 'Il cantante di jazz'), the soundtrack became part of the film. WHAT MUSIC DOES IN A FILM — 1) creates the ATMOSPHERE (fear, joy, mystery); 2) highlights the characters' EMOTIONS; 3) uses the LEITMOTIF, a theme that returns whenever a character or idea appears (a technique inherited from Wagner); 4) links scenes and gives the editing a rhythm; 5) places the story in a particular time or place. DIEGETIC AND NON-DIEGETIC MUSIC — DIEGETIC music belongs to the scene: the characters can hear it (a radio, an orchestra in a room). NON-DIEGETIC music is heard only by the audience: it provides musical commentary. THE GREAT COMPOSERS — Ennio Morricone (Westerns, C'era una volta il West, Nuovo Cinema Paradiso), Nino Rota (Fellini, Il Padrino), John Williams (Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter, Schindler's List), Hans Zimmer (Il Gladiatore, Interstellar), Howard Shore (Il Signore degli Anelli), Nicola Piovani (La vita è bella), Bernard Herrmann (Hitchcock, Psycho). BEYOND CINEMA — Music for TV series, music videos and VIDEO GAMES, where sound is 'adaptive': it changes according to what the player does. Today, this is one of the most creative and fastest-growing fields.

MUSIC IN ADVERTISING — Advertising uses music because sound enters our memory much faster than words. Just a few notes can remind us of a brand, even years later. THE JINGLE — This is a short, catchy, repetitive sung tune, often with the product's name in the lyrics. In Italy, the great testing ground was CAROSELLO (1957-1977): short stories with original music, watched by the whole family. THE SOUND LOGO — Today, many brands have a 2-3-second sound signature: Netflix's 'ta-dum', a computer's startup sound, Intel's five notes, or McDonald's whistle. It is the sound equivalent of a visual logo. THE BORROWED SONG — Many adverts use well-known songs that already exist: the song carries emotions and memories that are transferred to the product. Sometimes the opposite happens: an advert revives an old song, putting it back in the charts. ORIGINAL MUSIC BY NOTED COMPOSERS — Great composers have written for advertising: Ennio Morricone (Barilla), Riz Ortolani, and many pop musicians. HOW IT WORKS — Advertising music carefully chooses its TEMPO (fast = energy, slow = elegance), TIMBRE (strings = sophistication, electric guitar = attitude, electronic sounds = technology) and MODE (major = happiness, minor = nostalgia). Recognising these techniques makes us more aware listeners — and consumers.

ELECTRONIC MUSIC — This is music produced, transformed or reproduced using electrical and electronic devices: oscillators, synthesizers, recorders and computers. It began when technology first made it possible to PRESERVE sound (Edison's phonograph) and GENERATE IT artificially. THE ORIGINS (early 1900s) — Luigi Russolo's Futurism developed the theory of the ART OF NOISES and built the intonarumori, or noise-making instruments: even the noise of the city could become music. In 1920, Lev Theremin invented the THEREMIN, an instrument played without touching it, by moving the hands between two antennas. The ondes Martenot also appeared, as did radio as a new means of broadcasting. THE TWO SCHOOLS (1950s) — In PARIS, Pierre Schaeffer pioneered MUSIQUE CONCRÈTE: real sounds (trains, voices, objects) are recorded and manipulated by cutting and splicing magnetic tape. In COLOGNE, Karlheinz Stockhausen pioneered pure ELECTRONIC MUSIC: sounds are generated by oscillators, in other words, created from scratch. In Italy, the RAI's Studio di Fonologia in Milan hosted Berio and Maderna. THE MOOG ERA — In the 1960s, Robert Moog built compact synthesizers that could be played as instruments: they reached the charts through Wendy Carlos, Pink Floyd and Kraftwerk, whose robotic rhythms paved the way for all the dance music that followed. MIDI AND COMPUTERS — In 1983, the MIDI protocol allowed keyboards, drum machines and computers to speak the same language: computer music emerged, and anyone could compose at home using a sequencer. HOUSE, TECHNO AND TODAY — From the clubs of Chicago (house) and Detroit (techno), electronic music conquered the world: the DJ became a musician who builds a track live. Today, sampling, loops and software form the basis of pop, rap and soundtracks.

MUSIC, THE RISORGIMENTO AND CITIZENSHIP — Let us return to two nineteenth-century pieces studied in the Romanticism unit in Year Two, to compare belonging, remembrance and participation. VA’, PENSIERO — In Giuseppe Verdi's Nabucco (1842), the exiles remember their homeland: the choral singing expresses shared grief and hope. Listen to the broad melody and the shared phrasing, then reflect on dignity, welcoming others and solidarity, making connections with Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution. Listen to Va’, pensiero · Va’, pensiero PDF worksheet. INNO DI MAMELI — Il Canto degli Italiani, written by Goffredo Mameli and set to music by Michele Novaro in 1847, is now the national anthem. Follow the march rhythm and sing the refrain as a group, paying attention to your entries and consonants. Compare the words' call for unity with democratic participation, equality and the rejection of war (Articles 1, 3 and 11 of the Constitution): the language of 1847 should be interpreted in its historical context, not as hostility towards other peoples. Listen to Inno di Mameli · Inno di Mameli PDF worksheet. MUSIC AND CITIZENSHIP WORKSHOP — In two groups, compare the beat, tempo and group singing in the pieces. Then discuss: how can we belong to a community without excluding anyone? Choose an activity that welcomes others or encourages participation to carry out at school. Find both complete activities in Special Features. MUSIC AND CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION — Music is not just entertainment: it is a way to speak out about issues that affect everyone. Many songs have told stories of wars, injustice, denied rights and the environmental crisis, reaching people in ways that speeches cannot. MUSIC AND THE ENVIRONMENT — Since the 1960s, artists have spoken out against overdevelopment and pollution: 'Il ragazzo della via Gluck' by Celentano (1966) tells of green spaces disappearing beneath houses; 'Big Yellow Taxi' by Joni Mitchell (1970) and 'Mercy Mercy Me' by Marvin Gaye (1971) describe the destruction of nature and polluted air; 'Beds Are Burning' by Midnight Oil links the environment with the rights of Indigenous peoples; 'Earth Song' by Michael Jackson (1995) and 'Earth' by Lil Dicky (2019) call on us to care for the planet. RIGHTS AND CITIZENSHIP — Music has accompanied major struggles for civil rights: the songs of enslaved African Americans and spirituals, 'Blowin' in the Wind' by Bob Dylan, 'Get Up, Stand Up' by Bob Marley, 'Respect' by Aretha Franklin, and 'Imagine' by John Lennon. In Italy, there are the songs of the Resistance and De André's songs about the disadvantaged and those pushed to the margins of society. THE RULE OF LAW, PEACE AND REMEMBRANCE — Pieces such as 'La guerra di Piero' and 'Il mio nome è mai più' speak about peace; concerts and choirs are used to remember the victims of mafia organisations and the Holocaust. WHAT WE CAN DO — Listen critically to song lyrics, choose legally available music and respect copyright, join choirs and groups to practise working together, and use music to inform our community and raise awareness. Article 9 of the Constitution protects the landscape, cultural heritage and the environment: music is part of this too.

DANCE MUSIC — This is music designed for dancing: it is born in clubs and thrives on the relationship between the DJ and the dance floor. It is not a single genre, but a meeting of many styles and cultures. THE ORIGINS — In the early seventies, DISCO MUSIC emerged in New York from a blend of funk, soul, R&B and Latin rhythms. The French word discothèque referred to venues where people danced to records instead of an orchestra. David Mancuso's Loft, Studio 54 and Paradise Garage became iconic venues; in Italy, these included Baia degli Angeli, Piper and Capannina. WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE — A 4/4 beat, 120-140 BPM, a strong, repetitive bass line, a steady hi-hat, repeating loops and grooves, synthesizers and samples. The structure is designed for mixing: one track flows into the next without interrupting the dancing. THE TIMELINE — 1970s: disco takes off (Donna Summer, Bee Gees, Chic, Village People), and in 1977 the film 'La febbre del sabato sera' brings it to the world. 1980s: the term DANCE comes into use, and samplers and drum machines arrive (Moog and 'I Feel Love'); the DJ is no longer just a performer, but also a composer. 1990s: HOUSE, TECHNO and EURODANCE emerge, along with remix culture and raves. From 2000 to today: EDM (Electronic Dance Music) brings together trance, dubstep, drum & bass and deep house, and DJs become festival stars. MUSIC AND INCLUSION — Nightclubs also emerged as spaces of freedom where people of different cultures, backgrounds and sexual orientations could meet: dance music is about celebration, sharing and respect. Have fun, but stay safe: say no to drugs, violence and prejudice.