Comments on: A WTF Moment From Mark Swed

By: unnamed source

unnamed source — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 06:17:36 +0000

This is only a guess about what Swed really meant, but connecting a few dots creates a picture of our composer sucking up to the current regime in DC (where the piece was premiered, after all), by writing music designed to abet their well-known theocratic inclinations. Isn’t the “throne” of the title supposedly for Jesus in the original artwork? Etc., etc., etc. A really paranoid person might even go so far as to think that the work, appropriating as it does the work of an Afro-American, was especially meant to appeal to Ms. Rice, who is known the administration’s most frequent box-occupant at the Kennedy Center. If the piece references gospel music (does anyone know if it does?), the smell Swed detected might be clearly discernable.

By: Philip Fried

Philip Fried — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 17:21:35 +0000

Oppsey–I notice that I did not draw a distinction between “high profile” and “most performed”, obviously they are not the same thing.

By: Philip Fried

Philip Fried — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 17:00:49 +0000

Steve, I admit that I don’t have the hard performance data to prove or disprove this point that was so very clear to Ms. Arendt. Perhaps you can provide it. I must say that the subject of Orff’s works are not the point here. This is –quote David B. Dennis — Carmina Burana was an artistic and public success. Indeed, largely on account of its popularity Orff enjoyed benefits from the [Nazi]regime, including support from the Reichsmusikkammer, a stipend from the propaganda ministry, radio play of his music, immunity from wartime service, and a commission for a new opera from Baldur von Schirach, Gauleiter of Vienna.

Perhaps we must agree to disagree.

By: Steve Layton

Steve Layton — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 16:32:33 +0000

I don't think you'll find Orff was the "most performed", or really even had the highest profile. His works in the period were actually fairly few and far between, and none of which came very close to promoting the party line: Der Mond & Die Kluge (both rather good-natured folk-fairy operas, both with somewhat anti-authoritarian stances), Cattulli Carmina (borrowing the Stravinsky Les Noces 4-piano/percussion orchestra & setting sometimes fairly graphic Roman erotica), and a couple arrangements of Monteverdi operas. None of it really were widely performed or found much favor from the powers-that-were.

By: Philip Fried

Philip Fried — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 15:20:47 +0000

I am not an Arendt scholar but I refreshed my understanding of her thesis. It was this; that the administrative features of the Nazi government were frauds; they had no power and were run by flunkies and yes men. Real power emanated only from Hitler and his circle. So it would not matter to Ms. Arendt who was the token leader of Nazi music composition. It would matter which composer was performed the most and had the highest profile. That would be Carl Orff.

By: philip fried

philip fried — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 15:19:38 +0000

Thank you Steve for this new information. It seems that scholarship has moved on in recent years as it should. I don’t know what Ms. Arendt was thinking but perhaps this quote from Michael H. Kater’s National Socialism, the Third Reich, and the Music Scene explains it.

“..and because Goebbels, in the hope of establishing a uniquely Nazi musical style, had found it imperative to grant some leeway to the more progressive of Germany’s composers. ”

So Goebbels considered Orff’s music to be uniquely Nazi. Nuff’ said.

By: Mell Csicsila

Mell Csicsila — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 01:20:46 +0000

Even further information on Orff and composing in Nazi Germany can be found in Michael H. Kater’s book “Composers of the Nazi Era: Eight Portraits.” Composers featured include Hindemith, Weill, Egk, Orff, Strauss, Pfitzner, and Hartmann. Things aren’t as simple as they seem, sometimes. I read it a few years ago, and I should re-read it again once I get it out of storage.

By: Steve Layton

Steve Layton — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 20:22:27 +0000

Philip Fried wrote: Wasn’t it Mr. Orff who replaced Richard Strauss as the Nazi composition czar. I read this in On totalitarianism by Hannah Arendt. I suppose they don’t mention it in his bio. After Strauss, the Musikkammer was run by Peter Raabe and Heinz Drewes, and the composer's section was nominally run by Paul Graener followed by Wener Egk. For a good introduction to the messy details, with a clearer explanation of where Orff does and doesn't fit in, you can read the first chapter of Michael H. Kater's National Socialism, the Third Reich, and the Music Scene at this link: http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/k/kater-muse.html

By: Tom Myron

Tom Myron — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 18:29:48 +0000

As we learned this past summer good reviews you have to buy.

By: philip fried

philip fried — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 17:14:55 +0000

Wasn’t it Mr. Orff who replaced Richard Strauss as the Nazi composition czar. I read this in On totalitarianism by Hannah Arendt. I suppose they don’t mention it in his bio.