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- Verified Buyer
This is the story of the importation and adaptation of European classical music into American culture during the past 150 years. This history describes how the so-called ‘big-five’ orchestras---New York Philharmonic; Boston Symphony Orchestra; Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Philadelphia Orchestra; and Cleveland Orchestra---increasingly became signature cultural institutions for the communities they served. According to Horowitz, in the 19th century, notwithstanding the popularity of opera and the Metropolitan Opera House (the Met) in New York, “the predominance of the orchestra as the principle instrument for American classical music…dictated a diminished role for opera…. In the United States after 1930, however, opera did not ‘show the culture’ of any community. Rather it was centralized in a single mega institution: the Met.” However, a place was made for opera during the 2nd half of the twentieth century, as the audiences became larger and younger; and the repertoire on stage became diversified.Horowitz indicates that throughout the gilded age composers of European classical music (e.g., Wagner, Beethoven, et al) were sacralized by American high culture. However, starting with Arturo Toscanini’s tenure as conductor of the New York Philharmonic, conductors began to take precedence over composers. Horowitz states, “Toscanini became the most famous living symbol of classical music.” This trend (reversing the relative importance of composers and conductors) continued with the tenures of, respectively, Leopold Stokowski (Philadelphia Orchestra) and Serge Koussevitzky (Boston Symphony Orchestra). But, the preeminence of conductors was only temporary. Horowitz states, “Post-Toscanini, post Koussevitzky, post-Stokowski, the (piano, violin) soloist becomes the star.” “Not the resident maestro, but the famous visitor playing the famous concerto was what sold tickets and (however superficially) created a sense of occasion.” Foremost among these soloists were Sergei Rachmaninoff (piano), Jascha Heifitz (violin) and Vladimir Horowitz (piano).This is also the story of unsuccessful efforts to create a distinctly American culture of classical music (including the necessary institutional structures to support, guide and instruct); and some of the reasons why these efforts failed. As Horowitz points out, notwithstanding that some American classical composers experienced a modicum of success, “American classical music was nascent, and especially so with regard to what mattered most; an anchoring native canon.” Dvořák, for example, postulated that African-American and Native American music should serve as a foundation for the creation of a distinctively American classical music; and he reflected this approach in his New World Symphony. And, Dvořák, Jeannette Thurber (a patron of classical music), and Henry Krehbiel (an American music critic and musicologist) “espoused a polyglot America, a national identify routed in the soil, to fortify and uplift a common culture;” and pursued the creation of an American school for composers. Additionally, Arthur Farwell (following in Dvořák’s footsteps) attempted to create distinctively American classical music “worthy of the poetic and picturesque aspects of our land.” But, for various reasons, these and other efforts were derailed and eventually died. According to Horowitz, foremost among the reasons for failure are: (1) resistance due to racism; (2) jazz, rather than classical music, was increasingly perceived as a definition of American music; (3) during the world war, composers lost (and performers gained) stature; (4) popular music (an American export) challenged the importance of opera and symphony. Instead of creating a distinctly American culture of classical music, American composers of classical music have increasingly borrowed from the European masters (Beethoven, Wagner).Overall, this is a fascinating book which is well-researched (almost 700 references). I recommend it to all music aficionados, as well as those who are interested in American history.
