The Political Orchestra
The Vienna and Berlin Philharmonics during the Third Reich
Translated by Kenneth Kronenberg
344 pages
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9 halftones, 17 line drawings,
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6 x 9
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© 2016
- Contents
- Review Quotes
- Awards
Table of Contents
Contents
Two Cities, Two Orchestras: An Introduction
1 “Innovation” versus “Tradition”: The Berlin and Vienna Philharmonics at the End of the Long Nineteenth Century
2 Differing Responses to Increased State Influence: The Orchestras during the Republics (1918–1933)
3 Continuous Radicalization under Austrofascism and National Socialism
4 Dependence and Protection under National Socialism
5 The Orchestras’ Multifaceted Media Presence
6 Repertoire and Politicization: National Socialism and the Politics of Programming
Summary and Conclusion: “A Rivalry Like That between the Berliners and the Viennese Will Always Exist”
Acknowledgments
Appendix: Repertoire—Graphs and Commentary
Notes
Bibliography
Index
1 “Innovation” versus “Tradition”: The Berlin and Vienna Philharmonics at the End of the Long Nineteenth Century
2 Differing Responses to Increased State Influence: The Orchestras during the Republics (1918–1933)
3 Continuous Radicalization under Austrofascism and National Socialism
4 Dependence and Protection under National Socialism
5 The Orchestras’ Multifaceted Media Presence
6 Repertoire and Politicization: National Socialism and the Politics of Programming
Summary and Conclusion: “A Rivalry Like That between the Berliners and the Viennese Will Always Exist”
Acknowledgments
Appendix: Repertoire—Graphs and Commentary
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Review Quotes
Gundula Kreuzer | Times Literary Supplement
“The power of economic and institutional pressures over lives and ideas . . . is richly documented by Fritz Trümpi . . . . It took Trümpi and other scholars years of public lobbying to gain access to the orchestra’s archives. The results are mesmerizing.”
Washington Times
"Not just an enlightening look at the subtleties of past history, but a cautionary tale for our present—and our future."
Spectrum Culture
"Given the heavy and heady nature of the subject matter, The Political Orchestra is far from an easy read, but those willing to invest the requisite time and consideration will find that Trümpi has masterfully shed light on this previously overlooked time in the world of European classical music."
Classical Voice America
"The Political Orchestra is a product of extensive new research into the hitherto suppressed history of orchestral life in Germany and Austria during the Nazi era, and most importantly, the years leading up to it."
Literary Review
"There are lessons here for our own grave times."
Times Higher Education
"This is the best book on orchestral life under Nazism."
CHOICE
“A brilliant survey of the politics that underpin, and differentiate, the Berlin Philharmonic and the Vienna Philharmonic. . . . This extremely valuable and original contribution to the political and musical history of central Europe is must reading. . . . Highly recommended.”
Australian Book Review
"The author has a fascinating and complex tale to tell, and does so brilliantly, combining a sure overview of historical data with a remarkable command of the often separate, often intersecting narrative strands."
Berthold Hoeckner, University of Chicago
“This is a groundbreaking study. Trümpi takes on two of the most iconic musical institutions in Germany and Austria, showing how closely they were integrated into the cultural politics of the Third Reich after the 1938 annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany. His comparative approach and dual focus present a double case study that brilliantly demonstrates how the relationship between music and politics in a totalitarian regime was shaped by specific local circumstances that both favored and resisted total manipulation.”
Georgina Prodhan, former Vienna correspondent, Reuters
“The Political Orchestra takes an important look at the different ways the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonics were politicized before and during the Third Reich. Trümpi, who puts their musical styles and mythologies firmly into historical perspective, has unearthed and published for the first time much archival material, which this welcome English translation now makes available for a wider audience.”
Commentary Magazine
"The tale that it tells is both compelling and disturbing, especially to anyone who clings to the belief that high art is ennobling to the spirit."
Choice Magazine: CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title Awards
Won
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History: European History
Music: General Music
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