 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (March 2010) |
| Parlour music | |
|---|---|
| Stylistic origins | opera, chamber music, art song, blackface minstrelsy, folk song |
| Cultural origins | 19th-century Europe, North America |
| Derivative forms | Much 20th century popular music |
Parlour music (or parlor music) is a type of popular music which, as the name suggests, is intended to be performed in the parlours of houses, usually by amateur singers and pianists. Disseminated as sheet music, its heyday came in the 19th century, as a result of a steady increase in the number of households with enough resources to purchase musical instruments and instruction in music, and with the leisure time and cultural motivation to engage in recreational music-making. Its popularity faded in the 20th century as the phonograph record and radio replaced sheet music as the most common means for the spread of popular music.