# Music & political, historical events



## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

I've just been listening to Lutoslawski's _Symphony No. 3_, premiered in the early 1980's at the time that the Solidarity movement was being crushed in Poland. The composer denied some critics reading of the work as a response to these historical events, but he said he could understand where they were coming from.

This made me think of some of the other works in the classical repertoire that have been responses to either political or historical events, or both. Many of these works reveal the political leanings of the composer. Others are just statements of humanity, like any other work. These are some I can think of off the top of my head, but doubtless there are others (and more contemporary ones as well?)...

Beethoven - _Symphony No. 3 "Eroica"_ - charting the rise (and eventual fall) of Napoleon Bonaparte

K.A. Hartmann - _Piano Sonata No. 2 "27. April 1945"_ - a work written after the composer witnessed a marching column of concentration camp inmates being lead to their inevitable deaths during the last days of the war

J. Haydn - _Nelson Mass_ - I don't know much of this work, and heard it long ago, but (obviously) it commemorates a historical figure of the time

Henze & Nono - composers who were unabashed Communists, writing works that were responding to events during the Cold War

Hindemith - _Mathis der maler_ symphony/opera - a work apparently about the peasant's revolt in the 1500's, but taken by the Nazis as a direct challenge to their rule (inciting revolution against oppression?)

Janacek - _Piano Sonata I.X.1905 "From the Street"_ - written by the composer after he witnessed an anti-Austrian protest in his home town of Brno, during which a worker was killed

Penderecki - _Threnody for the victims of Hiroshima; Dies Irae_ (_"Auschwitz Oratorio"_) - no explanations necessary (but here the composer was responding to events that had occured a while back, as these were composed in the 1960's)

Prokofiev & Shostakovich - various symphonies & other works either commemorating historical events, or written after significant events (like Shostakovich's 10th symphony, written following the death of Stalin)

Sibelius - _Symphony No. 5 _- some critics commented that the triumphant atmosphere of this work suggests the fact that Finland became independent at the time it was being composed

R. Strauss - _Metamorphosen_ - written after WW2, some say as a response by the composer after seeing the great Munich opera house in ruins, but I think it was a much wider and more general response to the destruction and futility of war


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## hocket (Feb 21, 2010)

William Byrd's three Masses and the whole of both volumes of the Gradualia were written in response to the suppression of Catholicism in England and with the specific purpose of being performed in secret ceremonies by recusants.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

But I thought that the actual/alleged purpose of those (Catholic) masses, in Latin, was still shrouded in mystery. I mean, I know that Queen Elizabeth I had huge respect for composers like Byrd. I don't think he was supressed. I think there are more questions than answers about that...


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## hocket (Feb 21, 2010)

*Andre wrote:*



> I mean, I know that Queen Elizabeth I had huge respect for composers like Byrd. I don't think he was supressed.


That's absolutely right. Byrd was not suppressed, nor were his publications banned. Elizabethan England was by far the most tolerant place in Europe at the time even after the Pope had put his fatwa on the queen and the regime became more paranoid as there were several attempts on her life. Then of course there was the Gunpowder Plot too.

That doesn't change the fact that Byrd felt strongly about the suppression of Catholicism (indeed one of his consort songs, 'Why do I use my Paper, Ink and Pen?' is specifically about the notorious circumstances of the death of Edmund Campion) and that the Masses and the Gradualia were intended for use by recusants. The fact that Byrd wasn't strongly persecuted (he was briefly banished from court for being in with the 'wrong crowd' at one time and he and his wife were repeatedly fined for failing to attend Anglican services), and that religious dissenters were better treated in England than elsewhere, doesn't change the fact that they were politically motivated compositions. I don't believe that there's any mystery about the Masses or the Gradualia -they are quite clearly Catholic services and specifically intended for use by the small forces you'd expect in a hidden chapel. Catholic services were illegal -not the music for them.

The man undertook the immense task of providing music for the entire Catholic liturgical year! I don't think it can really be doubted that he had a bit of a bee in his bonnet.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

You mentioned Lutosławski at the beginning of your post - what about his cello concerto which is considered to portrait conflict between individual and communist autorities? 

Also:

Verdi - I Vespri Siciliani, Un ballo in maschera and few other operas are considered to have something to do with political movement in XIXth century Italy, Verdi himself was involved in it. 

Verdi - Aida - opening of the Suez Canal. 

Chopin - Revolutionary Etude op. 10 nr 12 - fall of the November Uprising

Liszt - Hungarian Coronation Mass, the title says everything. 

Beethoven - Wellington's Victory 

There are also a lot of works that were written for anniversaries (Berlioz Grande et Triumphale, Mendelssohn 5th) but it would make the list too long.


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## Fsharpmajor (Dec 14, 2008)

Here's an interesting one. Balada's *Guernica* is a musical depiction of the Picasso painting. The painting depicts the bombardment of Guernica by fascist forces during the Spanish Civil War. Balada composed his piece many years later, though.

Coincidentally I bought the Balada CD yesterday, and then up pops this thread.


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## Guest (Jun 30, 2010)

Actually, if I recall correctly, Haydn's "Nelson Mass," while potentially written with an historic context (Napoleon's increasing stranglehold on Europe, including Austria-Hungary), it wasn't written for Lord Nelson. The actual title is Missa in Angustiis (Mass in Troubled Times), and as the story goes, coincidentally was finished at the same time that Nelson handed Napoleon a defeat at the battle of the Nile. Some time after, Nelson may have traveled to the Esterhazy Palace and heard the piece performed.


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## SuperTonic (Jun 3, 2010)

Possibly the most famous of them all - Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

> Possibly the most famous of them all - Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture


I think thread author's intention was to make topic about works inspired by political/historical issues contemporary to the composers who have written those works while these issues were still actuall. Tchaikovsky was born 28 years after 1812 battles.


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## HarpsichordConcerto (Jan 1, 2010)

Andre said:


> J. Haydn - _Nelson Mass_ - I don't know much of this work, and heard it long ago, but (obviously) it commemorates a historical figure of the time


He wrote another mass two years before in 1796, _Missa in tempore belli _; autograph title by Haydn himself (Mass in time of war), sometimes known as _Paukenmesse_ (Kettledrum mass). Catalogued as _Mass no.10 in C major_ H.XXII:9.

Haydn was a very religious man, though he was unhappily married, which perhaps led him to have a mistress later in life. Regardless, it was his genius above all that flowed through his quill for all posterity to enjoy.


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## Grosse Fugue (Mar 3, 2010)

Wgat about opera's by Verdi and others relating to the Risorgimento. Va Pensiero especially.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

I think that all of the compositions listed above can be listened to as pure music, but they can also stand on their own feet. But for me, knowing a bit about the political events or historical characters that they were inspired by just adds another dimension to my appreciation of the music. & it reveals much about the composer's commitment to a particular cause. 

Like the composers Aramis mentioned, Chopin & Verdi. Both were committed heavily to the independence of their countries from foreign oppression. I know that Chopin didn't only pay lipservice to this, he actually gave a series of arduous benefit concerts to raise funds for Polish veterans of the revolution late in his life. This was despite the fact that he hated playing in concert halls and was gravely ill at the time. So too with Verdi, who became a member of parliament following independence. During the days of Austrian oppression of Italy's north, it was forbidden to say "Viva Verdi" on the streets, because of the obvious acronym "Victor Emmanuel Re D'Italia" - Victor Emmanuel, king of Italy.

Thanks guys for the info on the Haydn, I'd really like to listen to some of his choral works, because I haven't heard any in a long time...


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