Page 207 - (DK) The Classical Music Book - Big Ideas Simply Explained

NATIONALISM 1830–1920 205

The seven-scene opera Jean Sibelius’s Isaac Albéniz’s
Sadko by Nikolai Finlandia is Iberia suite conjures
Rimsky-Korsakov composed as a form up the landscapes of
evokes a Russian epic of protest against the Southern Spain and
poem about a merchant actions of the Russian the Jewish quarter
from Novgorod. Empire in Finland. of Madrid.

1898 1900 1908

1896 1900 1919

American composer In England, Edward Spanish composer
Edward MacDowell, Elgar’s The Dream of Manuel de Falla’s
a member of the Gerontius applies the ballet El sombrero de
Second New England dramatic devices of late tres picos premieres
School, publishes Ten Romantic opera to a choral in London, with sets
Woodland Sketches. work with great success. by Pablo Picasso.

nationalism with operas in his Americans had a long-established in the process of unification, but
native language on Czech themes. folk culture, the more recent settlers their cultures—especially their
Later Czech composers included had yet to develop one. As a result, musical cultures—needed little
Antonín Dvorˇák and Leoš Janá cˇ ek. composers such as Louis Moreau reinforcement. The same was true
Nationalism in music spread Gottschalk borrowed from the to a lesser extent of France, but
north into Scandinavia, too, with songs and dances of slaves in the composers such as Gabriel Fauré
folk-inspired music from Edvard Southern States and the melting and Camille Saint-Saëns sought
Grieg, Carl Nielsen, and Jean pot of sounds in places like New to distance themselves from the
Sibelius, and south to Spain, where Orleans. These forms eventually Germanic Romantic-style and
composers such as Isaac Albeniz evolved into ragtime and jazz. wrote music that was lighter
and Manuel de Falla tapped into a The spirituals of the African and more transparent.
particularly rich source of folk music. slaves influenced popular song In Britain, where composers
writers, such as Stephen Foster. generally accepted German
American sounds Along with the hymn tunes sung domination of music, Edward
As Antonín Dvorˇák discovered by the early settlers, they formed Elgar embraced the richness of the
when he visited the US at the end the basis for an American classical orchestral sound and harmonies
of the century, America had also tradition pioneered by Edward of German music but pursued a
developed its own musical voice, MacDowell and Charles Ives. nationalistic intent, with evocations
a mix of styles and traditions that of the English landscape and
reflected the diversity of its people. In Europe themes. Later English composers,
It was also a young culture, finding Some countries did not feel the such as Ralph Vaughan Williams,
its way after centuries of following same need to flex their nationalist came to use this style as a vehicle
Europe’s lead. Although Native muscles. Italy and Germany were to carry folk tunes. ■

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