Dangerous Melodies vividly evokes a time when classical music stood at
the center of twentieth-century American life, occupying a prominent
place in the nation's culture and politics. The work of renowned
conductors, instrumentalists, and singers--and the activities of
orchestras and opera companies--were intertwined with momentous
international events, especially the two world wars and the long Cold
War.
Jonathan Rosenberg exposes the politics behind classical music, showing
how German musicians were dismissed or imprisoned during World War I,
while numerous German compositions were swept from American auditoriums.
He writes of the accompanying impassioned protests, some of which verged
on riots, by soldiers and ordinary citizens. Yet, during World War II,
those same compositions were no longer part of the political discussion,
while Russian music, especially Shostakovich's, was used as a tool to
strengthen the US-Soviet alliance. During the Cold War, accusations of
communism were leveled against members of the American music community,
while the State Department sent symphony orchestras to play around the
world, even performing behind the Iron Curtain.
Rich with a stunning array of composers and musicians, including Karl
Muck, Arturo Toscanini, Wilhelm Furtwängler, Kirsten Flagstad, Aaron
Copland, Van Cliburn, and Leonard Bernstein, Dangerous Melodies delves
into the volatile intersection of classical music and world politics to
reveal a tumultuous history of twentieth-century America.
