As American composers threw off the traditions of Europe—where many of the early practitioners trained—they started to draw on the indigenous and folk music that already existed. Soon after, a distinctly “American” language developed alongside the many other popular forms of music, such as jazz, on the huge continent. The wide-open spaces and distant horizons found their way into compositions, while a tighter language started to evolve in the cities. Nowadays, the cultural melting pot that is America continues to give us works that astonish and reward thanks to their seemingly infinite variety.