# Metaphors in music. . .



## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

Often in the history of classical music, composers have made their point not directly but by using a metaphor. Often, this has been to get around censors related to oppressive political situations or regimes.

Its very common in opera, but also appears in other genres, including instrumental music.

An obvious example from the world of opera is Verdi's connection with the move towards Italian unification and independence (the _Risorgimento_ movement). So when the Hebrew Slaves in_ Nabucco _sing about freedom or the slave girl _Aida_ in that opera sings of her homeland, its not really about the Israelites or Ethiopians and their quests with their oppressors but the Italians struggle for freedom and national unity.

In the 20th century there where several totalitarian regimes which made life hell for most of their subjects, including composers. I put the examples of Kodaly and Hindemith, how they tried to get around bans, on this related thread. Shostakovich is the best example, he did this in many ways, for example using Jewish tunes in some pieces, which some say is kind of comparing the plight of the Jews under the Nazis to the similar plight of his fellow Soviet citizens under Stalin. & also to express solidarity with Jewish people (Stalin was just as anti-Semitic as Hitler).

But in terms of modern opera, Poulenc's _Dialogues of the Carmelites _was said by one writer I read to be a veiled comment on what happened in France during World War II, to do with issues like the French Resistance to Nazi occupation, and atrocities committed during that time. I have not heard this opera (or not within recent memory), so if anyone knows about this, your thoughts would be welcome.

Even democracies like America where not immune to this, as the example in that thread of Copland's_ Lincoln Portrait _being banned in the McCarthy era shows. Sometimes voices from the past can be just as a devastating critique of oppressive political situations as those of living critics. Same with old stories being 'dressed up' to comment on events of the present.

So this is aimed to be an open discussion of a topic I often come across when listening to music. It really interests me, as does history generally. So do share your thoughts on this and give examples in music which you like. Or you can ask questions as I have done.


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## Kopachris (May 31, 2010)

Examples of this in instrumental music? I'd love to study some, if you can help me find some.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

Kopachris said:


> Examples of this in instrumental music? I'd love to study some, if you can help me find some.


In the http://www.talkclassical.com/17881-music-banned.html thread I put a link to in my opening post above, the Kodaly and Hindemith examples are good ones. Other ones are works by K.A. Hartmann, he also put Jewish themes in his music (like Shostakovich, as I said) and in his _Concerto Funebre _there is a Czech hymn tune which shows his solidarity with that country, which was invaded by the Nazis (well, given to them on a platter thanks to the Munich Agreement). The other one is the _Piano Sonata '27 April 1945' _which has allusions to many things - esp. the funeral march movement and one of the two finales quoting Russian and American songs, sung by soldiers liberating Europe - but it comes across to me as maybe more cryptic overall.

Shostakovich's _Sym.#11 'The Year 1905'_ is said by some to be less a tribute to the people who died in that year, but more to those who had died in the years since. The uprising going on in Hungary in 1956 was also on Shostakovich's mind when he composed this work. Some see it as a veiled comment on how tyranny of any kind is doomed as a failure by the judgement of history, of subsequent generations - even if people who protest against it are killed.

Its no surprise how Shostakovich's _Sym.#13 'Babi Yar' _which directly deals with a more recent event, the Holocaust on Soviet soil, was much more controversial than the_ Sym.#11 _(which was actually awarded a major prize). The wikipedia entry on _Sym.#13 _goes into the Jewish element in Shostakovich's music:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._13_(Shostakovich)


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