The war on music [Elektronische Ressource] reclaiming the twentieth century

A prominent conductor explores how aesthetic criteria masked the political goals of countries during the three great wars of the past century “[Mauceri’s] writing is more exhilarating than any helicopter ride we have been on.”—Air Mail “Fluently written & often cogent.”—Barton Swaim,Wall Street Journal This book offers a major reassessment of classical music in the twentieth century. John Mauceri argues that the history of music during this span was shaped by three major wars of that century: World War I, World War II, & the Cold War. Probing why so few works have been added to the canon since 1930, Mauceri examines the trajectories of great composers who, following World War I, created voices that were unique & versatile, but superficially simpler. He contends that the fate of composers during World War II is inextricably linked to the political goals of their respective governments, resulting in the silencing of experimental music in Germany, Italy, & Russia; the exodus of composers to America; & the sudden return of experimental music—what he calls “the institutional avant-garde”—as the lingua franca of classical music in the West during the Cold War.John Mauceri is a world-renowned conductor & musical scholar. He has conducted most of the world’s greatest orchestras & opera companies & served on the Yale University faculty for fifteen years, & is the former chancellor of the UNC School of the Arts. A prominent conductor explores how aesthetic criteria masked the political goals of countries during the three great wars of the past century John Mauceri offers a lively and passionate reassessment of classical music in the twentieth century, in which he argues that the history of music during the last century was shaped by its three major World War I, World War II, and the Cold War. The War on Music unlocks the mystery of why classical music seemingly produced so few eternal works after 1950, whereas other artspopular music, Broadway, literature, painting, architecture, theater, cinemahave given the world myriad beloved and highly regarded masterpieces; why the composers considered the future of classical music in the 1920s disappeared from being performed after World War II; why the most heard symphonic scores of the centurymusic for Hollywood filmsbecame the subject of brutal denigration and dismissal; why the avant-garde of the pre-World War I became the new lingua franca of the Cold War period in the West, and any music that veered from its requirements removed from being performed. Mauceri follows the data to demonstrate how the politics of global wars used an artform that many might consider unimportantclassical musicas a potent and effective symbol, target, and weapon. Based on more than a half-century of music making and discovery, The War on Music is a plea to return the suppressed repertorybeautiful and unique expressions of humanityto our concert halls and opera houses, much as the artwork stolen by the Nazis continues to be returned to its rightful owners. A prominent conductor explores how aesthetic criteria masked the political goals of countries during the three great wars of the past century “[Mauceri’s] writing is more exhilarating than any helicopter ride we have been on.”— Air Mail “Fluently written and often cogent.”—Barton Swaim, Wall Street Journal This book offers a major reassessment of classical music in the twentieth century. John Mauceri argues that the history of music during this span was shaped by three major wars of that century: World War I, World War II, and the Cold War. Probing why so few works have been added to the canon since 1930, Mauceri examines the trajectories of great composers who, following World War I, created voices that were unique and versatile, but superficially simpler. He contends that the fate of composers during World War II is inextricably linked to the political goals of their respective governments, resulting in the silencing of experimental music in Germany, Italy, and Russia; the exodus of composers to America; and the sudden return of experimental music—what he calls “the institutional avant-garde”—as the lingua franca of classical music in the West during the Cold War. A prominent conductor explores how aesthetic criteria masked the political goals of countries during the three great wars of the past century

This book offers a major reassessment of classical music in the twentieth century. John Mauceri argues that the history of music during this span was shaped by three major wars of that century: World War I, World War II, and the Cold War.

Probing why so few works have been added to the canon since 1930, Mauceri examines the trajectories of great composers who, following World War I, created voices that were unique and versatile, but superficially simpler. He contends that the fate of composers during World War II is inextricably linked to the political goals of their respective governments, resulting in the silencing of experimental music in Germany, Italy, and Russia; the exodus of composers to America; and the sudden return of experimental music—what he calls “the institutional avant-garde”—as the lingua franca of classical music in the West during the Cold War. "This book offers a major reassessment of classical music in the twentieth century. John Mauceri argues that the history of music during this span was shaped by three major wars of that century: World War I, World War II, and the Cold War. Probing why so few works have been added to the canon since 1930, Mauceri examines the trajectories of great composers who, following World War I, created voices that were unique and versatile, but superficially simpler. He contends that the fate of composers during World War II is inextricably linked to the political goals of their respective governments, resulting in the silencing of experimental music in Germany, Italy, and Russia; the exodus of composers to America; and the sudden return of experimental music-what he calls "the institutional avant-garde"-as the lingua franca of classical music in the West during the Cold War." -- Publisher's Description This book offers a major reassessment of classical music in the twentieth century. John Mauceri argues that the history of music during this span was shaped by three major wars of that century: World War I, World War II, and the Cold War.0Probing why so few works have been added to the canon since 1930, Mauceri examines the trajectories of great composers who, following World War I, created voices that were unique and versatile, but superficially simpler. He contends that the fate of composers during World War II is inextricably linked to the political goals of their respective governments, resulting in the silencing of experimental music in Germany, Italy, and Russia; the exodus of composers to America; and the sudden return of experimental music-what he calls "the institutional avant-garde"-as the lingua franca of classical music in the West during the Cold War