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Music Under Ideological Control: International Conference At York to Explore Music & Nazism
Riethm¸ller, 52, has written several books on music history, and his work on the interrelationship of music, literature and politics and on the terminology of music and music in film has appeared in numerous publications. His most recent writings include Beethoven: Interpretationen seiner Werke (1994) and Poems on Music (1996). Riethm¸ller is currently overseeing a project on the writings of Italian/German pianist and composer Ferruccio Busoni (1866-1924).
"Between 1925 and 1945, Western art and music were influenced by monumental technical achievements," said Riethm¸ller. "In Europe, politics under Hitler and Stalin unavoidably interfered with the development of music. In the early stages, radio and talking pictures existed, and by the end of World War II, sound tape and television were available. The waves of emigrant musicians supported the ongoing shift of musical centres from Europe to North America. In these two decades, the history of music cannot be portrayed by compositional features alone, and this is most challenging to the historiographer," he said.
During his visit, Riethm¸ller will conduct research on the history of Western music between 1925 and 1945, including the effects of Nazism and Stalinism on it. His work will culminate in a book which is to be part of a 13-volume series entitled Musik im 20. Jahrhundert (Music of the 20th Century). Riethm¸ller and Distinguished Research Professor Michael H. Kater -- a history professor at York affiliated with the CCGES -- are organizing an international conference at York October 14-17/99 entitled Music and Nazism which will examine a variety of themes ranging from attitudes surrounding German music, to music under ideological control.
"The interrelationship between music and society during the Third Reich has rarely been examined," said Kater. "The conference will attempt to do this, as it brings together leading-edge scholars from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the United States, and Canada. Publication of the conference proceedings and a follow-up conference in Berlin are being planned."
"Professor Albrecht Riethm¸ller is one of the leading musicologists of Europe," said Kater. "As the 1999 Diefenbaker Award recipient, his exchange of ideas with colleagues across Canada and the United States will be most enriching for all concerned."
The Diefenbaker Award, named in honour of the memory of former Canadian Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, was established in 1991. It gives a German scholar the opportunity to come to Canada for a year to conduct research in a social science or humanities discipline. Funded by an endowment of approximately $1.7 million from the Government of Canada, the award is administered by the Canada Council for the Arts in collaboration with the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation of Germany. Candidates must be nominated by university departments or research institutes in Canada. The Canada Council for the Arts funds up to $75,000; the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada provides a $20,000 travel allowance.
The Canadian Centre for German and European Studies is a Canada-wide research and teaching resource focusing on contemporary Germany in its European context. Established in 1997, the Centre is a cooperative initiative of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), l'UniversitČ de MontrČal, and York University.
For more information, please contact:
Prof. Mark Webber
Dr. Michael H. Kater
Ken Turriff |
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