Nationalism on its own can be a dangerous force, but it has inspired a number of profound pieces of music. This edition of Exploring Music examines what happens when a powerful pride in national identity enters a composer’s head. Bill starts by reading an excerpt from an essay about the history of nationalism in music by Ralph Vaughan Williams, who identifies Chopin as the first composer to write nationalistic music with his Polonaises and Mazurkas. From Poland we wander through 20th century Europe: the Czech Republic, Rumania, Hungary, France, Scandinavia, Russia and Albion.
Nationalism in Music
Playlist
Episode 1
Chopin: Polonaise in A, Op. 40 No. 1, Military
Arthur Rubinstein, piano
RCA 5615
4:06
Chopin: Mazurkas Op. 17 ,No. 2 & Op. 33, No. 3
Garrick Ohlsson, piano
Arab 6730
3:42
Smetana: Czech Dances- Furiant
Rudolf Firkusny, piano
EMI 66069
5:02
Smetana: The Bartered Bride; Furiant
Cleveland Orchestra/Szell
CBS 36716
2:09
Dvorák: Slavonic Dances Op. 46 No. 8 & Op. 72 No. 10
Vienna Phil/Reiner
Lon 417696
11:31
Janácek: Taras Bulba (excerpt)
Toronto Symphony Orchestra/Davis
Sony 62404
8:34
Enescu: Romanian Rhapsody No. 1
London Symphony Orchestra/Previn
EMI 2127
11:53
Episode 2
Brahms: Hungarian Dance No. 1 in G Minor
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra/Kunzel
1:38
Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2
Philadelphia Orchestra/Ormandy
CBS 39450
10:46
Dohnányi: Ruralia Hungarica, I
West Australian Symphony/Mester
ABC 438
8:25
Bartók: Hungarian Sketches Nos. 1, 2 & 5
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Solti
Lon 443444
9:01
Kodály: Dances of Galanta
Philadelphia Orchestra/Ormandy
Sony 62404
15:16
Dohnányi: Ruralia Hungarica, No. 6
Jascha Heifitz, violin; Arpad Sandor, p.
Sony 09026-61733
4:32
Episode 3
Bizet: L’arlesienne (excerpts)
Berlin Phil/Karajan
DG 415106
6:05, :26, 13:08
Canteloube: Songs of the Auvergne (excerpts)
English Chamber Orchestra/Tate; Te Kanawa, mezzo soprano
Lon 444995
17:25
Milhaud: La cheminée du roi René
Prague Wind Quintet
Supraphon 110372
12:15
Episode 4
Folk song arr. Grieg: Folkdance from the Hills
Buen, Hardinger Fiddle
Simax 1040
1:09
Grieg: Lyric Pieces (excerpts)
Leif Ove Andsnes, piano
EMI 57296
2:19, 2:51, 3:43, 1:44
Grieg: The Singing
Marianne Hirsti, soprano; Rudolf Jansen, piano
Aurora 1930
3:23
Nielsen: Symphony No. 3, II
Royal Danish Orchestra/Berglund
RCA 60427
8:19
Nielsen: Symphony No. 4, IV
Swedish Radio Symphony/Salonen
CBS 42093
8:35
Sibelius: Lenninkäinen Legends, I
LA Phil/Salonen
Sony 48067
16:13
Episode 5
Mussorgsky: Kohvanshina; Prelude
LSO/Solti
Lon 417689
4:57
Rimsky-Korsakov: Russian Easter Overture
New York Phil/Temirkanov
RCA 09026-61173
16:05
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
DG 469274
14:05
Grainger: Lincolnshire Posey
Eastman Wind Ensemble/Fennell
Mer 432754
14:08
Vaughan Williams: Three Shakespeare Songs; “The Could Capp’d Towers”
Finzi Singers/Spicer
Chandos 9425
2:10