French cultural politics & music : from the Dreyfus affair to the First World War / Jane F. Fulcher.

Author/creator Fulcher, Jane F.
Format Book
Publication InfoNew York : Oxford University Press, 1999.
Descriptionxii, 291 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm
Subjects

Variant title French cultural politics and music
Contents The battle is established: musicians enter, 1898-1905. The new "Cultural war" and the French musical world. The Dreyfus affair and French musicians ; D'Indy, Anti-Dreyfusism, and the Schola ; The republic's first riposte: the 1900 exposition and music ; Sources of support for the Schola ; The battle over French music history ; Ideological dialogue at the Ecole des hautes etudes sociales -- Creative and professional responses to the politicization of music ; D'Indy's ideological music ; Magnard's "Dreyfusard" compositions ; Charpentier's Louise: its political uses and critical meetings ; The "Conservatoire populaire de Mimi Pinson" ; Politicization in repertoire choices, subventions, and journalism -- The battle escalates and is won, 1905-1914. Proliferating factions, issues, and skirmishes. The action Francaise and music ; French socialist initiatives in music ; The national-socialist musical aesthetic ; Cultural politcs in French musical journalism ; Interlocked battles over the "New Sorbonne" and the Paris conservatoire ; The conservatoire's response through Faure ; New couterattacks on the Schola ; Politicization in the war of the "Chapelles" ; Perceptions of the conflicting musical "Dogmas" -- Responses of French composers to the traditionalist victory in politics and music. Debussy's nationalism ; Satie's creative politics ; Charpentier's disillusionment and politics ; D'Indy's triumph and his enduring obsessions ; The dilemma of the independents: Magnard, Ravel, Ropartz, and Roussel ; Final attempts at a reconciliation ; Scholisme and the musical mainstream ; The last skirmish: Le Sacre du printemps.
Abstract This book draws upon both musicology and cultural history to argue that French musical meanings and values from 1898 to 1914 are best explained not in terms of contemporary artistic movements but of the political culture. Perhaps most importantly, this book fully explores the widespread influence of politicized musical culture on such composers as d'Indy, Charpentier, Magnard, Debussy, and Satie. By viewing this fertile cultural milieu of clashing sociopolitical convictions against the broader background of aesthetic rivalry and opposition, this work addresses the changing notions of "tradition" in music - and of modernism itself.
Bibliography noteIncludes bibliographical references (pages 265-284) and index.
LCCN 98012193
ISBN0195120213