Classical music that's POLITICALLY INCORRECT...!

[Wallingford]

There are scads of pieces which long since have kept a low profile on account of their dealing with subjects that are suddenly ultra-sensitive or taboo:

Pieces like Morton Gould's mid-40s orchestral display piece, "Minstrel Show".....the only recording ever to appear was Dimitri Mitropoulos's RCA 78 with the Minnesotans (in fact, if you contact Nick Nickson thru Lance, you may be still able to get the only CD reissue of it).

Or such things as Edward MacDowell's "Indian Suite" for orchestra, or several of his piano pieces dealing with Native American subjects. Now, I'd be the first to stand behind anyone's assertion that MacDowell is one of our TRULY UNDERRATED composers; but the embarrassments above (music that's the equivalent of "How" and "Ugh") are examples I'd gladly leave out of the argument.

Or Bartok's "Slightly Tipsy." We just CAN'T laugh at alcoholism these days, can we?? A shame, for this is a first-rate example of Bartok's style of musical humor; actually, the piece lets us see the PATHOS of the character depicted in this piano piece (from the Two Burlesques, Op. 8c; the orchestral version's found in the Hungarian Sketches). Bartok gives the pianist all sorts of leeway, tempo-wise, allowing the metronome meter to slide at will, among eight notches. It's a real pity this one's faded.

Anyone else can name some examples of like pieces that have long since faded?

[MaestroDJS]

Rapsodie nègre (Negro Rhapsodie) for baritone and chamber orchestra was composed when Francis Poulenc was only 17 years old. It's a shame that this work is rather insulting to native Africans, because musically it's quite stunning. Negro Folk Symphony by William Levi Dawson has faded away, which is a shame because it's a fine work. It was recorded by no less than Leopold Stokowski and the American Symphony Orchestra with Guiomar Novaes, Piano. "Danse nègre" from African Suite by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and Symphony No. 1 in G Minor "Afro-American Symphony" by William Grant Still sometime appear on programs, and both are quite lively and colorful. And of course Porgy and Bess by the Brothers Gershwin could be considered insulting, except that the story and music are so compelling that it is in a class of its own. I once rode in a limousine with a black soprano who enthused about this work, and I was delighted to discuss it with her. She just marvelled at how perfectly the Gershwins captured a moving tale of love and tragedy.

Indianisches Tagebuch (Indian Diary) by Ferruccio Busoni is another lesser-known work based on native American melodies. For the true kind of Indian, The Crown of India by Sir Edward Elgar is a rather jingoistic piece which glorifies British rule of India.

As for alcoholism, there's always The Stoned Guest by PDQ Bach, whose most productive phase as a composer was during his "Soused Period". JS Bach mocked a caffeine addict in his "Coffee Cantata".

And of course many pieces composed for the greater glory of the Soviet Union have faded away, such as Iron Foundry by Alexander Mosolov.

Dave

David Stybr, Engineer and Composer: It's Left Brain vs. Right Brain: best 2 falls out of 3
http://members.SibeliusMusic.com/Stybr

Coordinator, Classical Music SIG (Special Interest Group) of American Mensa

Rolling River Rag --
http://www.SibeliusMusic.com/cgi-bin/sh ... reid=35671

[jbuck919]

I would like to point out that none of the pieces mentioned would likely be daily bread on its artistic merits irrespective of its associations. The Magic Flute is non-PC six ways to Sunday and is not yet an endangered species, thank God.

[Ralph]

Dawson's work hasn't exactly faded away-it's never been popular. By contrast William Grant Still's music which emphasizes the black American heritage is making a slow revival thanks partly to Neeme Jarvi and the Detroit S.O..

To a certain extent Orff's "Carmina Burana" is politically incorrect to some, having long been the subject of debate as to whether it glorifies Nazism.

We had quite a row between scholars and critics some years ago when the New York Philharmonic celebrated, in one week with showings, Prokofiev's score for "Ivan the Terrible." Decried as Stalinist bombast by some and exceptionally fine film music by others, the issue occupied the time of some.

Blitzstein's "The Hand that Rocked the Cradle" has certainly been viewed as politically incorrect during the heyday of the Blacklist. A movie version came out a few years ago.

The ultimate of political incorrectness was the banning of all works by Jewish composers by the Nazis.

[diegobueno]

Nothing wrong with "Afro-American Symphony" as a title.

I think it might be unsettling, to say the least, to present Dvorak's String Quartet in F major (commonly known as the "American") under the title it is given as recently as the 5th edition of Groves Dictionary of Music: "N-gger"

[pizza]

There are scads of pieces which long since have kept a low profile on account of their dealing with subjects that are suddenly ultra-sensitive or taboo:

There's Jerome Kern's Showboat which deals with miscegenation and uses the "N" word in the EMI version conducted by John McGlinn. I don't know how low a profile it has as a result of the subject or lyrics; it's expensive to produce and that may possibly account for the scarcity of recordings.

[Ralph]

There are scads of pieces which long since have kept a low profile on account of their dealing with subjects that are suddenly ultra-sensitive or taboo:

There's Jerome Kern's Showboat which deals with miscegenation and uses the "N" word in the EMI version conducted by John McGlinn. I don't know how low a profile it has as a result of the subject or lyrics; it's expensive to produce and that may possibly account for the scarcity of recordings.

*****

There are a number of recordings of "Showboat." McGlinn intended to record it in the U.S. and several choruses outright refused to use the word "nigger" (why be afraid to post it?) in "Ol Man River." So he went to England where no such reticence existed.

Interesting that the filter doesn't care about that racial term but c*ocktail won't go through.

[Wallingford]

One piece I've gotten belatedly hooked on recently has been Fritz Kreisler"s "Caprice Chinoise".....I've come across it on a number of old 78s. Clever little melody, it has a faintly-modernist feel to it and may very well catch some new listeners if only that title were changed.

Also, a stalwart section of men's-glee-club literature has been endangered: Henry Purcell's rounds (called, in his day, "carnal catches"). A good quarter-century back, "I gave her cakes and I gave her ale" and "Once, twice, thrice I Julia tried" were performed fairly regularly in colleges & always connected with many a sex-obsessed young man. NOW, they're considered SEXIST. Which is almost BESIDE the point. It might've been worse: we guys could've been doing one of Purcell's REALLY raunchy examples, like "Sir Walter enjoying his damsel."

[karlhenning]

Or Bartok's "Slightly Tipsy." We just CAN'T laugh at alcoholism these days, can we?

Does that mean that productions of Petrushka are a thing of the past?

[Corlyss_D]

To a certain extent Orff's "Carmina Burana" is politically incorrect to some, having long been the subject of debate as to whether it glorifies Nazism.

Huh? Got any cites? I'd love to read the debate. I personally don't see how 12th Goliard poems could be "glorifying" Nazism.

[Corlyss_D]

This tantalizing review from BBC Music Mag:

Orff
Carmina burana
Popp, Van Kesteren, Prey; Bavarian Radio Chorus, Munich Radio Orchestra/ Kurt Eichhorn;dir. Jean-Pierre Ponnelle Label: RCA Red Seal
Cat No: 74321 85285 9
Run Time: 78mins
Performance:
Sound: ****


Though it is usually performed in concert, Carl Orff intended Carmina burana to be staged, as it is in this 1975 German TV film of the 'scenic cantata which now transfers to DVD. The Munich Radio Orchestra, conducted by Kurt Eichhorn, playing off-screen throughout, delivers a delightfully fresh and invigorating performance of a score that, because of its success in Third Reich Germany, had then been largely ignored since the war. The set is a surreal representation of medieval Europe (the First Reich of myth), in which chivalry and innocence are the prevalent attributes of a world buffeted by Fate in the chilly, haunting 'O Fortuna' choruses. The Bavarian Radio Chorus populates this guiltless environment, singing with sparkling exuberance and dressed like hippies. The bearded men are led by a young and handsome Hermann Prey in a sweet-toned, come-to-bed baritone, the buxom all-in-white women by Lucia Popp. The Latin texts are made explicit in happy phallus-worship and watery cavortings. The less well-endowed singers are cast as Gothic grotesques who come into their own in the Bacchanalian tavern section and the high tenor John van Kesteren wails lasciviously as he is roasted on a spit.

The disc includes a sound-only recording of the composer talking about himself and his work, while the accompanying booklet contains press cuttings of the 1937 premiere which are interesting more for what they do not say. How normal Nazism seemed to be. Consciously or not, Orff's wonderfully innocent cantata was part of the cover-up. Rickjones

[Wallingford]

Just re-read Abram Chasins's classic book on golden-age pianism, SPEAKING OF PIANISTS.

He mentioned the (relative) popularity of his Four Chinese Pieces, the most famous of which is "Rush Hour In Hong Kong." Rather quaint little works, but ones that just might find a new audience if not for That Title.

Shura Cherkassky, in the early-CD era, did a great performance of "Rush Hour."

[Ralph]

Just re-read Abram Chasins's classic book on golden-age pianism, SPEAKING OF PIANISTS.

He mentioned the (relative) popularity of his Four Chinese Pieces, the most famous of which is "Rush Hour In Hong Kong." Rather quaint little works, but ones that just might find a new audience if not for That Title.

Shura Cherkassky, in the early-CD era, did a great performance of "Rush Hour."

*****

I think I ought to find that book.

[Lance]

*****

I think I ought to find that book.

Ralph, you probably already have it! Double-check your library.

[Ralph]

*****

I think I ought to find that book.

Ralph, you probably already have it! Double-check your library.

*****

No, I don't. My music library isn't that extensive. I know what I have.

[Lance]

[snipped]

Interesting that the filter doesn't care about that racial term but c*ocktail won't go through.

Well, I tried to type the name Franck one day and it wouldn't go through. It may still not go through when I submit this. We can set up the guidelines with word "possibilities." rooster-tail doesn't show because the first part of the word is one of those listed to filter. I suppose we could use phoentics, such as Franchhh or kahktail.

In editing this post, TAIL of rooster-tail didn't show up either! Franck did, however! Go figure; it's the software. But I think things are improving. As for the "nigger" word, I have never come across that on CMG until now. It's never been an issue.

[Corlyss_D]

Interesting that the filter doesn't care about that racial term but c*ocktail won't go through.

One of us has to enter the term into the lexicon of forbidden words before the software does jack. It's not been a problem here, so we didn't enter it.

On the main topic, there's the change the D'Oyle Carte people had to make to the list song in Mikado because the original referred to a "nigger serenader." I don't recall how they fixed it at the moment.

[maestrissimo]

In the Mikado's song, "... is black'd like a nigger" is nowadays replaced with "is painted with vigor".

An example of taking text-bowdlerizing too far, in MY opinion, is the PC carnage foisted upon "Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day" in Stravinsky's <i>Cantata</i>: "The Jews" is replaced by "My enemies", which is terribly awkward, musically speaking. In one of the two instances, it ALMOST fits Stravinsky's rhythm, but in the other, it just mutilates the music.

[Ralph]

As I mentioned long ago on another thread when John McGlinn planned to record the definitive version of "Show Boat" American choruses refused to sing the "N" word. So he had to go to England where no such reticence existed. And it's a fantastic recording.

[Corlyss_D]

In the Mikado's song, "... is black'd like a nigger" is nowadays replaced with "is painted with vigor".

Thanks for the info, M.

An example of taking text-bowdlerizing too far, in MY opinion, is the PC carnage foisted upon "Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day" in Stravinsky's <i>Cantata</i>: "The Jews" is replaced by "My enemies", which is terribly awkward, musically speaking. In one of the two instances, it ALMOST fits Stravinsky's rhythm, but in the other, it just mutilates the music.

Very strange that the bowdlerizer would replace a 2 syllable phrase with a 4 syllable phrase and expect it not to mess up the rhythms.

[Ralph]

I want "atonal" added to the banned words list.

[Wallingford]

Interestingly (though not approvingly), the "N" word managed to find its way into the vernacular of many a foreign language as well:

If there is ANY obscure work of Grieg which I suggest anyone sample, it's his song cycle "Haugtussa" (Opus 67). The storyline is about a shepherd-girl blessed with abilities to communicate with the fairy- and troll-worlds, and her unhappy love affair with a troll. A German biographer of Grieg's, in describing the 3rd song in the cycle, "Blabaerli" ("Bilberry Slopes", one of the more lighthearted moments of the whole work), said that if sung in German the song would be "zu vulgaer," but that if sung in English it would be "beinahe so amuesant wie ein Niggersong!"
(page 90, Astra Desmond, "The Songs," GRIEG: A SYMPOSIUM, Gerald Abraham, editor--Greenwood Press, 1948 & 1971.)

IN ANY CASE, time has eliminated any need for Grieg's vocal music to be sung in anything other than his native tongue ("I Love Thee" being sung at my, or ANYONE ELSE's wedding, notwithstanding!). "Blabaerli" is one of his most charming creations, and whenever I've heard it, no thoughts of Stephen Foster or Dan Emmett have ever crossed my mind.