The War on Music

Name: The War on Music
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SKU: 9780300233704
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Reclaiming the Twentieth Century

By John Mauceri

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Summary

The War on Music by John Mauceri examines how twentieth-century classical music was profoundly influenced by the three major wars of the century: World War I, World War II, and the Cold War. Mauceri explores how aesthetic judgments often veiled political objectives, with governments shaping musical trends and the careers of composers. The book reveals how experimental music was silenced in certain countries, displaced composers sought refuge in America, and how the so-called 'institutional avant-garde' dominated Western classical music during the Cold War.
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Format: Hardback

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The War on Music

$59⁹⁹

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This compelling reassessment will appeal to readers interested in classical music, history, and cultural politics, particularly those keen on understanding the intersection of warfare and artistic expression in the twentieth century.

A fascinating journey into global politics that made classical music a proxy for power, inadvertently creating the “sound of Hollywood,” and excluding hundreds of composers

Description

The War on Music by John Mauceri is a thought-provoking exploration by a prominent conductor that uncovers how aesthetic criteria were often employed to mask the political goals of countries during the three great wars of the past century.

This book presents a significant reassessment of classical music in the twentieth century. Mauceri argues that the history of music during this period was profoundly shaped by three major wars: 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, developed voices that were both unique and versatile, albeit superficially simpler. He contends that the fate of composers during World War II was closely tied to the political objectives of their respective governments. This resulted in the silencing of experimental music in Germany, Italy, and Russia; the exodus of composers to America; and the sudden resurgence of experimental music—what he refers to as “the institutional avant-garde”—as the lingua franca of classical music in the West during the Cold War.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Praised for its fluent and cogent analysis, The War on Music is recognised for addressing the troubling developments in twentieth-century music, especially post-1945. Critics highlight Mauceri's insightful charting of music’s politicisation, from Nazi to Stalinist influences, and his call for reassessing overlooked refugee composers whose works have faded from prominence. The book is described as illuminating and provocative, shedding light on gaps in contemporary musical knowledge and history.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780300233704

Publisher: Yale University Press

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 14 June 2022

Country: United States

Imprint: Yale University Press

Illustration: 8 color illus.

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 156.0mm

Height: 235.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 248

Collections

Arts & Culture Global History History & Archaeology History & Military John Mauceri Non-Fiction

About the Author

John Mauceri is a world-renowned conductor and musical scholar. He has conducted most of the world’s greatest orchestras and opera companies and served on the Yale University faculty for fifteen years, and is the former chancellor of the UNC School of the Arts.