# Humanitarians in classical music...



## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

I often think about composer's lives, and I see them as just people like us, with all their virtues but flaws as well. The purpose of this thread is to discuss issues related to the virtues, but my aim is not to paint these people as saints. Its just to say I admire them, I respect them for things outside of strictly just their musical work.

World War II severely tested all people in Nazi Germany and the countries occupied by the Germans. The Hungarian composer* Zoltan Kodaly *is an exceptional example of a person who put others before himself in times of great adversity. He was active in underground resistance networks which helped to hide Jews and others from being sent to the death camps. For his efforts, the Gestapo wanted him dead, and in the last months of the war Kodaly had to go into hiding himself to escape death, with his family. After the war Kodaly also took part in the Hungarian Uprising of 1956, he was on the side of the revolutionaries fighting to get the Russians out of the country and restore democracy. Kodaly was a man who always stood up for what he believed in, he had the respect of his people, even including the more moderate Communists who took power after 1956. He was critical of the oppression of his people all throughout his life, against both left and right extremes of politics. Under the Horthy dictatorship in the interwar period, his music was banned and he had to fight to get his job back at the academy in Budapest after being sacked on political grounds.

Another musician of the time was French chanson singer/composer *Edith Piaf*. She sang to many people during the war to boost morale, including French and German soldiers. However, she also performed in holding camps in France, to inmates waiting to be sent to the death camps. Across many visits there, she managed to smuggle out a few people bit by bit, after each performance extra people would leave and blend in with her entourage of accompanying musicians. In this way she saved 175 people from certain death, but once the Nazis found out what she was doing, they stopped her performances in the camps quick smart!

There are other examples like the cellist *Pablo Casals *who was awarded the Peace Medal by the United Nations for his opposition to the Franco dictatorship in his native Spain. Ironically he died just before the end of the regime, so he could not visit Spain for all of his life from the 1930's to the 1970's. He vowed never to go there until the end of the dictatorship. Another irony is that many countries recognised Franco's regime as the legitimate government of Spain, but Casals vowed not to perform in these countries. He made an exception by performing once in the USA for President Kennedy in 1961.

*People can talk about anything within reason that this thread brings to mind. You can give examples of musicians who in your eyes are like this, humanitarians making impacts on their country or the world in things beyond music. Do these musicians' courage and humanitarianism inspire you as they do me? *(The focus is on classical music, or as with Piaf, something related - French composers of her time acknowledged her greatness).

I did this thread to kind of balance or present the other side of issues I initiated with this thread a while back: http://www.talkclassical.com/21360-composers-weaknesses-yuck-factor.html

[Sources: for Kodaly and Piaf - my own reading ; for Casals: wikipedia article on him].


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## BurningDesire (Jul 15, 2012)

Frank Zappa worked really hard to fight government censorship of art and expression, and to try and encourage more people to vote and take an interest in how politics would affect them and the people they care about.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Stravinksy.....nah just kidding he was an *******.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Bernstein did a lot in the way of music education, especially for the youth.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

In Beethoven's day, benefit concerts were sometimes given for specific charities. One big concert with Wellington's Victory, and maybe the 7th, was a benefit for soldiers wounded fighting Napoleon. Other concerts were for the benefit of the composer, so perhaps Beethoven gave up his share of the take in this case (and maybe others) for charity. There are a few specific examples of his more specific charitable actions, but not many I've seen.

In general, it's often hard for a composer to be generous:
Q: What's the difference between and extra-large pizza and a composer?
A: An extra-large pizza can feed a family of four.


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## BurningDesire (Jul 15, 2012)

In kinda a small way, Antonio Salieri. He was fortunate enough in his youth to be taught by Gluck for free because he couldn't afford to pay, and because of this kind act of charity he never charged for any music lessons he gave, and he taught many many later musicians, including Ludwig van Beethoven and Franz Liszt :3


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

Re benefit concerts, which KenOC reminded me of, this was common before as it is now. Chopin towards the end of his life when he was very ill did some (possibly in London?) to raise money for veterans of the 1848 revolution in Poland. This was a big sacrifice on his part, not only because he was very ill, but also because he hated concert halls (he preferred salons). But to rake in the cash, he had to do it in concert halls. Liszt also did a series of them in Vienna to raise money after there was a devastating flood in Hungary in the mid 19th century.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

BurningDesire said:


> In kinda a small way, Antonio Salieri.


A great example, and not IMO in a "small way"!


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## Arsakes (Feb 20, 2012)

violadude said:


> Stravinksy.....nah just kidding he was an *******.


boo..........


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Arsakes said:


> boo..........


Sorry man, I like his music, but he could be a (expletive deleted).


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## Chi_townPhilly (Apr 21, 2007)

I think *Sid*'s looking more for people who would merit inclusion in the thread, rather than bringing up names of people who don't.

I had this brief moment of thinking that (much as I love listening to her), what's Piaf doing in a Classical-Music oriented thread? Then, the reading comprehension kicked in, and I saw...


Sid James said:


> (The focus is on classical music, or as with Piaf, something related - French composers of her time acknowledged her greatness).


Of course, when I saw this topic, I have to believe that there have to have been others for whom the first name that sprung to mind unbidden was professional-caliber virtuoso organist _Albert Schweitzer_ (who, clearly, did a few other things in life).


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## BurningDesire (Jul 15, 2012)

KenOC said:


> A great example, and not IMO in a "small way"!


Well I just mean these are just personal acts of kindness to a relatively small number of people, whereas humanitarian is usual charity and kindness for entire populations of people lol



Arsakes said:


> boo..........


I love Stravinsky and his music, but he said plenty of stupid and just plain mean things, and he was a rather selfish man too.


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## Ramako (Apr 28, 2012)

Well, I'm thinking of Handel, and that the Messiah was premiered in a charity concert.

Also, Furtwangler, I believe, not only used his influence to try and protect Jews under the Nazis, but also actively helped them escape German and German-occupied lands.


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## xuantu (Jul 23, 2009)

imo, no list of humanitarians in classical music could do without the mentioning of *Yehudi Menuhin*. His political ideal might be naïve, unrealistic, and his deeds controversial, but he was a truly noble person with boundless warmth, compassion and love. He put his own career at risk to support Furtwangler, and was the first foreign soloist to collaborate with the Berlin Philharmonic after the war. He challenged Soviet authorities to help Rostropovich obtained permission for coming to the west to perform. He urged Israeli leaders to reconsider their decision on the resettlement of the Arabs (though to no avail). As the president of the International Music Council (IMC), he also proposed a Middle Eastern 'Federation of Cultures', for the purpose of bringing "comfort and hope to humanity at large"; this ideal was only to be realized in the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra founded by *Daniel Barenboim*.

Menuhin saw music as a means to relieve suffering, to heal and to bring joy to our hearts. Glenn Gould wrote of him shortly after his own television collaboration with Menuhin in 1965, saying: "For many of us, Yehudi Menuhin, artist extraordinaire, human being nonpareil, seems one of those rare individuals who could in time succeed to that unique place in the affections of mankind left vacant by the death of *Albert Schweitzer*."


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Can't have a list of humanitarian musicians without mentioning Glazunov. 

When Glazunov became Director of the St. Petersburg Conservatory in 1905 he rejected getting a salary, after all, he was already very rich. The establishment didn't like that though, so Glazunov instead took his salary and made it into a scholarship for students that he gave out for almost his entire tenure, to 1928.

For a while, there was a ban on Jews from living in St. Petersburg, but Glazunov wasn't at all anti-semitic, because he knew better just how much of a contribution Jewish musicians made to Russia. He let travelling Jewish musicians hide in his house if they wanted to perform there or audition for Conservatory. There was a quota that only allowed so many Jews into the Conservatory as well, but Glazunov let it slide quite a bit. When the Czarist government got suspicious and asked for a real head count of Jews, Glazunov replied by letter, "We don't keep count here." End of case.

A funny story goes that when WWI began, Glazunov started lobbying to keep his students from being drafted. But among those he couldn't save, he began training up the string musicians to play wind instruments instead, so they could join the Army Bands and not really have to fight. One incident occurred where a violinist showed up at the Bassoon professor's door asking for a lesson, and the baffled professor refused. Glazunov found out, and personally threatened to turn this professor in as a spy, likely leading to imprisonment and death.  Problem solved: the bassoon professor subsequently began to teach this student.  And not only that, this player grew up to be one of the best bassoonists of his generation, remembered more for that than being a violinist.

When the Revolution hit, he continued giving his money away to students as scholarships. He lobbied with the Ministry of Culture for his students too, including Shostakovich, to get them special treatment/rations, and it's very likely that if he didn't do anything, Shostakovich could have died in his teens from malnutrition and illness. After many years, the USSR decided to give Glazunov a reward for being a part of the Intelligentsia, and were going to give him a better place to live. He publicly refused them, saying he only wanted to be treated like everyone else (quite the sarcastic response), so the USSR officials offered to do anything for him, trying to save face. So Glazunov requested for more firewood to heat the Conservatory, and it was granted.

All of this created an enormous impression on the Conservatory and its students. Few from that generation could say that owed some debt of gratitude to Glazunov, and forever after he was considered a legend.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

I have long had the idea that Dvorak was both a very good person and a very inspired composer.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Brahms could be a jerk, but he was generous when he saw people in need.


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## Ondine (Aug 24, 2012)

John 'the train' Coltrane... and his struggle against racism.


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## Ondine (Aug 24, 2012)

Patty Smith and her 'differences without hierarchies'

A sample of her creed:






sorry if this is not about classical music but seeing Piaf in the list I thought these ones could be here.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

Thanks to all your contributions.

Re *Glazunov*, that was a great read, Huilu. I had heard of him feeding Shostakovich but not the rest of the stuff you wrote. The fact that most generalist type music books, if they mention Glazunov's role, of course they mention him as a great composer, teacher, mentor of Russian music. However, when they give specifics, they often give the negatives (eg. how his alcoholism affected the premiere of Rachmaninov's _Sym.#1_ very badly, or how he walked out on the premiere of Prokofiev's _Scythian Suite_).

This shows to me that no matter how many good things a person does, if he makes a few mistakes (cos he's human like the rest of us) people latch onto those. Its easy to do.

Re *Albert Schweitzer *- I know little of him at this point, but I have recently bought his autobiography which I plan to read soon. I know he gave organ concerts to raise money for hospitals and other charitable works done in Africa by the missionaries. On the musical front, Schweitzer - like his teacher Widor - was a big figure in the 'back to Bach' movement of the early 20th century. He came from Alsace, a place that straddles the divide between German and French culture, and this region has changed borders between those countries a number of times throughout history.

Re* Yehudi Menuhin*, yes, mentioning him is very apt here. Straight after the liberation of the death camps, Menuhin toured there - accompanied by Benjamin Britten on piano - and played to the inmates. There where many controversies, not only him playing in 1947 with Furtwangler - the concert was apparently attended by former SS henchmen Eppel and Kempe - but also for playing to blacks when he went to South Africa. Given the racist policies of the Apartheid regime, this was forbidden. The managers of his tour there said he broke his contract by doing this and said he'd have to give back the money he earned there, or they'd sue him. Menuhin told them that there was no moral justification for their threats and that he would tell this to the world press, thus making bad public relations for them and the whole Apartheid regime. So after that they backed down and withdrew their bullying threats.

To people interested in stuff like this, I would recommend Menuhin's autobiography _Unfinished Journey_, published in the late 1970's. Its a portrait of his era, and he mentions his work and friendships with many musicians and composers, from Bartok and Kodaly to Toscanini, Shankar, Grapelli, Enescu, David Oistrakh, and so on.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Sid James said:


> Thanks to all your contributions.
> 
> Re *Glazunov*, that was a great read, Huilu. I had heard of him feeding Shostakovich but not the rest of the stuff you wrote. The fact that most generalist type music books, if they mention Glazunov's role, of course they mention him as a great composer, teacher, mentor of Russian music. However, when they give specifics, they often give the negatives (eg. how his alcoholism affected the premiere of Rachmaninov's _Sym.#1_ very badly, or how he walked out on the premiere of Prokofiev's _Scythian Suite_).
> 
> This shows to me that no matter how many good things a person does, if he makes a few mistakes (cos he's human like the rest of us) people latch onto those. Its easy to do.


It took me much time to discover the information I posted, years in fact. It's all hidden away. As for the infamous incidents he was responsible, I read other books with different perspectives of what he did, and in a much different light. Won't go into detail here.

If there was an extraordinary individual worth standing up for, against a long history of derision, he _is _one.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

^^Well, I can understand that (what you describe as the "long history of derision" re Glazunov). Obviously, him going to live in France at the end of his life would not have earnt him brownie points with Soviet officialdom. Going West was considered by hard liners to be voting with your feet, or like turning your back on your country, almost like a traitor. Unfortunately, we've had talk of that kind here in Australia, eg. many of our scientists end up working overseas. & this trend has been criticised by at least one of our politicians. I don't want to go into politics but the fact is that if a country does not offer enough for people, they will indeed vote with their feet, its an entirely logical outcome of the failure of a country to address its citizens (sometimes very basic) needs.

But at least Glazunov was not written out of the history books totally, like Roslavets. He became 'persona non grata' for various reasons, not in the least for his early forays into atonality. It seems there's so many things to get one in the 'bad books' of these types of dictatorial regimes. So maybe its just worth making a stand, particularly when you realise that there's no way in hell you're going to get in their 'good books' without becoming yet another clone.


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## Guest (Nov 26, 2012)

Guitarist David Russell. Here's a quote from his website:


"We have an NGO (Non Governmental Organization), with a Spanish name,
called "ONGD DAVID RUSSELL Y MARÍA JESÚS".

The goals of our NGO are:
- Finance projects of cooperation for the development of water extraction, construction of wells, management of hydraulic infrastructures, groundwork for the hydrological resources and development of the conditions of drinking water in countries in need.
- Finance projects of solidarity with other NGOs, foundations or associations in the world, who promote the access to drinking water in African countries.
- Collaborate financially in projects for the integrated development of the natural resources in under developed countries.
- Obtain funds to finance resources both human and otherwise in projects for pumping water.
- We will also help in specific projects of education in countries in need."


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