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
Traditional, (arr. Edvard Grieg): Folkdance from the Hills
Knut Buen, Hardinger Fiddle
Grieg: Norweigian Peasant Dances, Op .72
Simax 1040
1:09
Chopin, Frédéric: Polonaise in A, Op. 40 No.1, Military
Arthur Rubinstein, piano
Rubinstein Collection Vol 28 – Chopin: Polonaises
RCA 5615
4:06
Chopin, Frédéric: Mazurkas Op. 17 No. 2 & Op. 33 No. 3
Garrick Ohlsson, piano
Volume Eleven Mazurkas
Arab 6730
3:41
Smetena, Bedřich: Czech Dances- Furiant
Rudolf Firkusny, piano
Smetana: Polkas and Dances; Debussy
EMI 66069
5:02
Smetena, Bedřich: Furiant from The Bartered Bride
Cleveland Orchestra/ Szell
“Bartered Bride” Dances, The Moldau / Carnival Overture – Four Slavonic Dances
CBS 36716
2:09
Dvořák, Antonín: Slavonic Dances Op. 46 No. 8; Op. 72 No. 10
Vienna Philharmonic/ Reiner
Dvorak & Brahms: Slavonic Dances & Hungarian Dances
London 417696
11:31
Dvořák, Antonín: Slavonic Dances Op. 72 No. 10 (excerpt)
Vienna Philharmonic/ Reiner
Dvorak & Brahms: Slavonic Dances & Hungarian Dances
London 4176960
0:40
Janáček, Leoš: Taras Bulba (excerpt)
Toronto Symphony Orchestra/ Davis
Janácek: Sinfonietta, Etc; Kodály: Dances
Sony 62404
8:34
Enescu, George: Romanian Rhapsody No. 1
London Symphony Orchestra/ Previn
Classical Favourites with Andre Previn
EMI 2127
11:54
Episode 2
Brahms, Johannes: Hungarian Dance in No. 1 in G Minor (excerpt)
Cincinnati/ Kunzel
Liszt’s Greatest Hits
CBS 39450
1:38
Liszt, Franz: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2
Philadelphia Orchestra/ Ormandy
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2
Columbia Masterworks 12437
10:46
Dohnányi, Ernst von: Ruralia Hungarica, I
West Australian Symphony/ Mester
Dohnányi: Ruralia Hungarica – Symphonic Minutes – Suite in F-Sharp Minor
ABC 4764464
8:25
Bartók, Béla: Hungarian Sketches, Nos. 1, 2 & 5
Chicago Symphony Ochestra/Solti
Solti Conducts Bartok
Decca 001746002
9:01
Kodály, Zoltán: Dances of Galanta
Philadelphia Orchestra/ Ormandy
Háry János-Suite / Dances of Galánta / Dances Of Marosszék
CBS 60270
15:16
Dohnányi, Ernst von: Ruralia Hungarica, No. 6
Heifitz, violin; Sandor, piano
Dohnányi: The Complete Piano Works Vol. 1
Naxos 8553332
4:32
Episode 3
Bizet, Georges: L’Arlesienne, Suite No. 1 (excerpt)
Berlin Phil/ Karajan
L’Arlésienne-Suites Nos. 1 & 2 – Carmen-Suite
DG 415106
00:16
Bizet, Georges: L’Arlesienne, Suite No. 1 (excerpt)
Berlin Phil/ Karajan
L’Arlésienne-Suites Nos. 1 & 2 – Carmen-Suite
DG 415106
6:05
Bizet, Georges: L’Arlesienne, Suite No. 1 (excerpt)
Berlin Phil/ Karajan
L’Arlésienne-Suites Nos. 1 & 2 – Carmen-Suite
DG 415106
00:26
Bizet, Georges: L’Arlesienne, Suite No. 1 (excerpt)
Berlin Phil/ Karajan
L’Arlésienne-Suites Nos. 1 & 2 – Carmen-Suite
DG 415106
13:08
Canteloube, Joseph: Songs of the Auvergne (excerpts)
English Chamber Orchestra/ Tate; Te Kanawa, mezzo soprano
Canteloube: Songs of the Auvergne
London 444995
17:25
Milhaud, Darius: La cheminée du roi René
Prague Wind Quintet
Sextuor – Cheminée Du Roi René – Trois Pièces Brèves – Quintette
Supraphon 0372
12:15
Episode 4
Traditional, (arr. Edvard Grieg): Folkdance from the Hills
Knut Buen, Hardinger Fiddle
Grieg: Norweigian Peasant Dances, Op .72
Simax 1040
1:09
Grieg, Edvard: Lyric Pieces; No. 6, No. 5
Leif Ove Andsnes, piano
Grieg: Lyric Pieces
EMI 57296
2:19
Grieg, Edvard: Lyric Pieces: March of the Trolls
Leif Ove Andsnes, piano
Grieg: Lyric Pieces
EMI 57296
2:51
Grieg, Edvard: Evening in the Mountains
Leif Ove Andsnes, piano
Grieg: Lyric Pieces
EMI 57296
3:42
Grieg, Edvard: The Singing
Marianne Hirsti, soprano; Rudolf Jansen, piano
Edvard Grieg Edition
Brilliant Classics 95914
3:24
Nielsen, Carl: Symphony No. 3, II
Royal Danish Orchestra/ Berglund
Carl Neilsen: “Symphony 3 & 6”
RCA 60427
8:19
Nielsen, Carl: Symphony No. 4, IV.Finale
Swedish Radio Symphony/ Salonen
Nielsen: Symphony no 4, Helios Overture
CBS 42093
8:35
Sibelius, Jean: Lenninkainen Legends, I.
LA Philharmonic/ Salonen
Sibelius: Lemminkainen Legends & En Saga
Sony 48067
16:13
Grieg, Edvard: Lyric Pieces, Op. 62: No. 6 Homeward (excerpt)
Leif Ove Andsnes, piano
Grieg: Lyric Pieces
EMI 57296
1:47
Episode 5
Mussorgsky, Modest: Prelude to Kohvanshchina
LSO/Solti
Weekend in Russia
Lon 417689
4:57
Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolai: Russian Easter Overture
New York Philharmonic/Temirkanov
Scheherezade/Russian Easter Overture
RCA 09026-61173
16:05
Vaughan Williams, Ralph: Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
Panorama – The Sound of England
DG 469274
14:05
Grainger, Percy: Lincolnshire Posey
Eastman Wind Ensemble/ Fennell
Fennell Conducts Grainger, Persichetti, and Others
Mer 432754
14:08
Vaughan Williams, Ralph: Three Shakespeare Songs: The Could Capp’d Towers (excerpt)
Finzi Singers/ Spicer
Choral Music
Chandos 9425
2:10
