Music and Politics

Music can draw people together and build solidarity. It can evoke a sense of patriotism – or revolution. In this election season in the US. we have seen politicians use music to influence voters – sometimes as part of an election speech event and sometimes without the musician’s permission. Music’s influence on elections has a long history. Here are some examples.

Handel’s “See, the Conquering Hero Comes!” from his oratorio Judas Maccabeus was performed by bands and singers throughout England as political winners were carried on chairs throughout the streets in celebration.

One way to popularize a politician or an issue is to sing about it. In 18^th and 19^th century, ballad singers would take a popular song and write new, political lyrics to it. Then the singers would perform those songs in public places. Sometimes those songs affected the election outcome.

In other cases, composers expressed their political views through their music. Shostakovich exemplifies his changing politics – and reaction by the Soviet government. His second symphony’s finale was a pro-Soviet choral movement, but his politically satirical opera The Nose was attacked by the Russian Association of Proletarian Musicians. Five years later his opera Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk reflected “the correct policy of the Party.” However, Stalin was not impressed so the music critics turned around and denounced it. His fifth symphony was more conservative musically so the Soviet reviews were more popular. His seventh symphony contributed to the country’s war efforts, and was performed in Leningrad while it was under siege as a way to keep the people’s morale up. On the other hand, his 1945 ninth symphony was considered to light and amusing for the times. After the way, his formalist music was denounced as being too Western, and his works were banned. Indeed, all Soviet composers were mandated to write only proletarian music for the masses.

The freedom to express one’s political opinions through music is a vital right – and its use needs to consider the composer’s wishes.

Music and Politics

Music is an expressive window to people’s beliefs and values. Although Tomoko does not dwell on politics, but she is proud to be an American citizen. Her musicianship even helped her gain that status; her immigration interviewer loved music and said, “I am a member of the Marin Symphony,” so it was an easy process.

Usually people associate musicians with modern-day politics in terms of protest songs, folk songs such as Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land,” and the blues such as Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit.”

Certainly classical music included patriotic anthems. However, classical composers also expressed a political voice counter to the establishment. For instance, Beethoven’s third symphony was initially called “Bonaparte,” but when Napoleon crowned himself emperor, the symphony was renamed “Heroic Symphony composed to Celebrate the Memory of a Great Man.” Verdi’s opera “Nabucco” symbolized resistance to domination by other countries. Wagner’s majestic music was co-opted by Hitler. In contrast, Shostakovich was denounced by the Communists because his music did not embrace Stalinist ideology.

One wonders what music will emerge out of the politics of 2020. Let us look for compositions of hope.

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The Public Side of Performance

During this election time, it’s interesting to note the public life of pianists – and other famous people who play the piano.

For instance, U.S. Presidents Harry Truman and Richard Nixon played the piano well, and Nixon even accompanied singer Pearl Bailey during a White House performance. Tomoko recalls that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice played the piano for Queen Elizabeth II. Tomoko also remembers the President of Poland playing the piano. “He played the piano before the Polish Congress started, and that focused and united the gathering into one direction: to save Poland.” Tomoko continues, “His performance led to political connections,” Tomoko generalizes: “People respect you more, politically, if you can play, because people love music.” Tomoko remembers that the Japanese invited foreign pianists to perform in order to how the government’s interest and support of culture.

Tomoko too has experienced the public side of performing throughout her adult life. When Tomoko wanted to go to Europe in the late 1960s, she connected with wealth people through her piano performances; “They helped me with connections and networking,” Tomoko says. Tomoko has also performed at international competitions, and met with several remarkable musicians in these venues.

Elect to hear Tomoko’s piano interpretation of Chopin’s nationalistic compositions on her Chopin II album, available via https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/tomokohagiwara6

Valuing the Arts

Because Veterans Day was recently celebrated and Thanksgiving is coming this week, Tomoko’s recollections about Japan and the arts seems timely. One good outcome of World War II was a renewed appreciation of the importance of the arts. As Tomoko says, “Art is something that remains in one’s culture.” Additionally, art is an international language; “You don’t need to translate music.” After the war, Japan brought foreign artists to its land to perform and teach. Pablo Casals came. Russian pianists come. Even before the war, Japan invited Prokofiev, who played his own compositions there in 1927. Overall, Japan has been effective in borrowing from other cultures, and adapting their art.

Tomoko remembers how after WWII people who had been rich were no longer in such high status. Her family obtained a pedal organ, and then bought a piano from neighbors who needed ready cash. Tomoko remarked that the rest of her family’s home was austere, but music played an important role in their lives so her parents made sure that musical instruments were available.

Because music and the arts were so important, Tomoko learned the accompanying importance of quality. Very precise high standards were expected. She noted that today’s students quit too soon, perhaps because they do not value music and the opportunity to perform music as much as those in Japan when Tomoko was growing up. Some students might not think that they can ever play well, but Tomoko asserts that all students have talent but that they grow at different rates so need to persevere in their piano studies.

Tomoko generalizes her point about nationality and music. “People love music. If you’re a musician, they respect you more politically.” Tomoko noted that Poland’s president played the piano, and made connections that way. “He played the piano before the Congress started.” Several U.S. Presidents have played instruments, and U.S.’s Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was a music major at Stanford. “Her personality is very sweet. She was also a skater, and talked to all the Olympics skaters,” Tomoko said, whose daughter is an Olympics skater.

Now is the time to be thankful for the role of music in political and personal life. Many ethnic motifs are found in Tomoko’s album Touria. Listen to it at https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/tomokohagiwara13.