Introduction to themed section on classical music and nationalism: studies into the political function of art

Abstract

Prior to the Second World War, research on the relationship between classical music and nationalism was rare. Within the realm of classical music, there was a pronounced scepticism towards the notion of 'the national' and it has often been associated with less prestigious genres such as the rhapsody and symphonic poems. Hence, there was a tendency towards considering national schools as a divergence from a universal norm. This changed, however, in the post-war years when American musicologists advanced the view that universal music should in fact be considered a national, and more precisely, a German phenomenon. In this perspective, the national schools that had often been addressed in the context of peripheral nationalisms were seen as national musical expressions seeking to distance themselves from a dominant German musical tradition (Brincker and Brincker 2004). This opened up the possibility for a greater interest in the relationship between classical music and nationalism -at least within the realm of musicologyand several musicologists have carried out significant research into particular individual national cases.Also within the area of nationalism studies one can detect a certain hesitancy towards conducting research into the relationship between classical music and nationalism. This has to do with the tendency to consider music the most aloof and most impenetrable of all the art forms. Hence, there has been a certain reluctance to engage with national music albeit nationalism scholars have of course recognised the significance of national composers and in particular the role of operas in nineteenth-century nationalisms. However, compared with other art forms, music has received little attention.It is the purpose of this themed section to advance studies into the relationship between classical music and nationalism. In order to do so we take on board Carl Dahlhaus' argument that music is not an ahistorical phenomenon that should be addressed and discussed within in its own aesthetic stylistic realm (Dahlhaus 1980). On the contrary, music should be studied in the social and political context from which it arises. This is the point of departure that all contributors to this section take. bs_bs_banner

The symbolic construction of national identity and belonging in Syrian nationalist songs (from 1970 to 2007)

“…Moreover, while a number of studies have analysed the role of nationalist songs and their relevance to nation-building projects (Vaughan Williams, 1963;Brincker, 2014;Bohlman, 2004), I seek to add to this literature by showing how nationalist songs reinforce masculinism in the Syrian culture. In the Syrian context, Wedeen's study (1999) of the symbolic production of political culture analysed auditory, written and visual symbols.…”

The nation in the region: flamenco andcanzone napoletanaas national icons in modern Spain and Italy (1880–1922)

“…Given its central role in the development of nineteenth‐century classical music, nationalism's role in fashioning national imageries has been covered abundantly in musicology (Beard and Gloag : 175–180; Curtis ; White and Murphy ) and ethnomusicology (Bohlman , ), both as case studies and as a general component in the study of music. On the other hand, music has usually been accorded a secondary role in nationalism studies, with a number of recent works trying to fill the gap (Brincker , ; Lajosi and Stynen ; Leerssen ; Riley and Smith ).…”