Secular Expressionism and Abridgement of Stylistic and Religious Conventions in the Early 1900s - 1st Edition

8/13/2019 Secular Expressionism and Abridgement of Stylistic and Religious Conventions in the Early 1900s - 1st Edition

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Erik Rooney

Dr. Chevan

Music 314

November 18, 2013

Secular Expressionism and Abridgement of Stylistic and Religious Conventions in the Early

1900s

The main facet of Jewish Secular music of 20th

century America is the movement from an

ostracized identity as a Jewish artist to a personal, expressionistic identity in Tin Pan Alley

musicians as well as High-Art Music. Most Jewish artists felt the need to distance their artistry

from their Jewish identities. (Rubin and Baron 270-3) Several men come to mind as men who

separated (mostly) their Jewish identities from their artistry and consequently created a new era

of not cultural expression, but human expression, free of the limits of the conventions of their

day and faith.

Arnold Schoenberg was an Austro-Hungarian composer who immigrated to the United

States around 1941. (Great Performances: Schoenberg, Arnold (Franz Walter)). His music and

art relied heavily on his intellectual, philosophical and religious beliefs. These beliefs put

Schoenberg on the path to a very unrestricted expressionistic composition style which eventually

crossed the bridge into atonality in 1908. (Simms 3-6). According to Schoenberg:

[T]he artists creativity is instinctive. Consciousness has little influence on it. He feels as

if what he does were dictated to him. As if he did it only according to some power or

other within him, whose laws he does not know. (Cross and Berman 2)

This echoes the sounds of the new entertainment industry in America which is opened to all and

where Jews dominated the music scene, particularly in Jazz, Tin Pan Alley, and Broadway.


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Schoenbergs progressive approach with his harmonies mirrored the socio-cultural progression in

the entertainment realm of America. Schoenberg felt that consciousness has little influence on

creativity; free expression in his music is a natural consequence of that unconscious creativity.

This unconscious creativity enables a freedom of socio-political expressionSome, like

Alexander L. Ringer even suggest that Schoenberg was a, Prophet of the future, whose music

foretold the dismal outlook for European Jews.(Simms 5)

In this era, there was a great desire for Jews to separate their Jewish identities from their

artistry. This is evident in the spiritual retreat of Schoenberg from Judaism to Lutheran

Protestantism.

Though he was born Jewish and formally registered by his parents in the local synagoguein Vienna, he converted to Lutheran Protestantism immediately prior to his marriage to

Mathilde von Zemlinsky, raising the question of whether his conversion was for spiritual

or social reasons. In 1933, as a result of events that had left him a refugee in Paris,

Shoenberg expressed a desire to return to Judaism, signing a formal letter prepared by alocal rabbi to acknowledge his reconversion. Though the document itself was

unnecessary (Judaism recognizes all those born to a Jewish mother as Jews, regardless of

the status of their faith), it received wide publicity and was thus a public statement of

Schoenbergs religious convictions.(Cross and Berman 131-2)This need to separate from Judaism was likely spurred by Schoenbergs persecution for his

Jewish heritage.

According to Hans Stuckenschmidt, one of Schoenbergs pupils and his biographer, theinfinite is the underlying theme of [Schoenbergs] musical thinking, of his texts and of

his religious imagery, and Schoenberg himself said that, there could be no artnot

inspired by ethics, and there could be no human ethics not inspired by the spirit of

Judaism. Schoenbergs largest twelve-tone masterwork, the operaMoses und Aron,

offers a good opportunity to explore the impact of his religious beliefs and their politicalcorrelations on his work, especially since it was conceived and composed in the years

1923-33, a time during which Schoenberg experienced persecution for his Jewishheritage at first hand. Moreover, the religious ideas expounded in the opera provide a

window into Schoenbergs specifically Mosaic view of his purpose as a Jew and an artist.

(Cross and Berman 131)


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The opera features a plethora of torment-filled atonal melodies, representative of the persecution

and the expression of his internalized pain. Although the opera is an expression of Schoenbergs

belief that Judaism is the root of all ethics, the fact that Act 3 is incomplete could send a stronger

message than any of the lyrics. The structure of the opera could be representative of

Schoenbergs break from Judaism, and Act 4 signifies the return from Christianity. In this way,

Schoenberg seems to parallel his opera with his spiritualitythough without explicitly

displaying any Jewish features.

A notable work by Schoenberg is hisPierrot Lunaire1. This was translated from a French

text that also bears the name. (citation needed). I decided it would take too long to examine the

entire work, so I just decided that I would examine Number 4,Eine blasse Wscherin2and

Number 6,Madonna. Although many of the pieces seem more atonal than these two, they seem

to stand out because of their diverse features from Schoenbergs other numbers.Eine blasse

Wscherinstands out

because of its homo-

rhythmic texture. This

texture gives the

impression that the

instruments who were

just recently a mess of disorganized voices are

1Dreimal sieben Gedichte aus Albert Girauds 'Pierrot lunaire' ("Three times Seven Poems from Albert Giraud's

'Pierrot lunaire'"), commonly known simply as Pierrot Lunaire, Op. 21 ("Moonstruck Pierrot" or "Pierrot in the

Moonlight"), is a melodrama by Arnold Schoenberg. It is a setting of twenty-one selected poems from Otto Erich

Hartleben's German translation of Albert Giraud's cycle of French poems of the same name. The premire of the

work, which is between 35 and 40 minutes in length, was at the Berlin Choralion-Saal on October 16, 1912, with

Albertine Zehme as the vocalist. (Taken directly from Wikipedia just for a background)2English: A Pale Washerwoman (Google Translate)

Figure 1 Eine blasse Wscherin Measures 1-4. From IMSLP.


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now cleaned up and working toward the same goals. Schoenberg paints the words:

And the gentle maid of heaven,

Softly fondled by the boughs,Spreads her linen spun from moonbeams

Across the dusky meadowsA pale washerwoman. (Google Translate).

These words are painted by the clean-sounding harmony, though still harshly atonal at times,

there seems a yearning for consonance that is not present in other installments of the work. This

perhaps represents Schoenbergs desire to blend in among an over-populated echo chamber of

political and religious dogma. The expression marking isflieende, aber abwechslungsreich,

which means, Flowing, but varied, meaning that the different voices maintain their

independence, however they will flow homo-rhythmically. Note in Figure 1, the rhythmic

uniformity of the first four measures ofEine blasse Wscherin.

The second part ofPierrot Lunaire which struck me as being particularly diverse from its

surroundings wasMadonna3. This piece features a walking bass in the cello part, signaling a

neo-classical foray into the

Jazz idiom. Of all the songs

in the cycle, this one seemed

to be the most modern.

Perhaps this bass line was a

test drive into the new pop-

culture in which Schoenberg

would eventually reside.

Note in Figure 2, the walking bass seems to lead the lost voice out from its uncertainty. This is

3May refer to Mary, mother of Jesus.

Figure 2 Madonna Measures 1-7. From IMSLP.


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the sort of implicit expression found throughout all of Schoenbergs music. The voices are not

just melodic lines lacking a tonal center, they are dependent upon one another, and taken at face

value without understanding the relationship between the lines would be pointless, and would

likely discourage the listener from continuing. This was the genius of Arnold Schoenberg, his

music was not atonalit was human, in its flaws of harmony and occasional resolutions, in its

wandering vocals and its confident walking bass, it expresses all human conditions. Convention

sometimes prevents obtaining a certain realism to the music; this is likely why Schoenberg

decided to view the convention as guidelines to voicing his own convictions regarding the human

spirit in the form of music.

On September 26, 1898, one of the most brilliant minds in American music was born.

George Gershwin along with his brother Ira Gershwin, their father Moishe, and mother, Rosa

(Rose) Bruskin, lived in New York City. George lived in New York his entire life until the last

year of his life (1936), when he went to Hollywood and died from a brain tumor. (Hyland xv)

Many historians such as Charles Schwartz tell a rags-to-riches story when they write about

Gershwin. According to Schwartz, Gershwins childhood resembled that of many other

youngsters of working-class immigrant families. Like most of his peers, he had few toys to play

with at home, because his parents had little money to spend on such luxuries.(Schwartz 11)

However, William G. Hyland paints a different picture, claiming that the Gershwins owned

several successful restaurants in the city. Though George did not come from a musical family, he

had a natural sense for harmony from the beginning.

His parents were Jewish immigrants from the Russian Empire. Juust before the turn of

the century they settled in New York. They were not a musical family, but when a piano

arrived, George devoured it. One of his piano teachers declared him to be a genius. Soonhe plunged into the professional world, song plugging at age fifteen and songwriting at


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seventeen. The sights and sounds of New York, its blues, jazz, Tin Pan Alley, and the

Great White Way were his sources and inspiration. (Hyland, xv)

Gershwin was always improvising in his piano playing. Even when he played classical

pieces, he always improvised to make the piece sound more like George Gershwin than say,

Chopin. In this way, he was

expressing himself, much

like Schoenberg. He gave

the conventions of a fading

style his own colloquialisms

and spirit. Though this was

separate from his Jewish

identity, the fact that Jews

could voice themselves in

this way was a remarkable progression from the usual second-class consideration they receive. It

is apparent that America is not only a melting pot of a multitude of diverse cultures, but also a

melting pot of stylistic differences. This characteristic of the American entertainment industry is

the reason why there is no real American Christian style secular music or American Jewish style

secular music.

American music can

be appealing to all

kinds of Americans.

Because the melting pot contains so many different cultural influences, it follows that the

American style is a hybrid of all these cultures combined. Figure 3 shows a piano reduction of

Figure 4 Excerpt from Rhapsody in Blue - George Gershwin, a piano reduction from IMSLP.Measures 30-3.

Figure 3 Excerpt from Claude Debussy - Preludes Book 2 No. 12 Feux d'artifice. From IMSLP.


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GershwinsRhapsody in Blue, which is perhaps the most famous piece of music he ever

composed. This particular passage from measure 30 to measure 32 (inclusive) shows Claude

Debussys influence on Gershwin, as a repeating transposition of the same idea approaches a

new rhythmic idea.Note the similarity between Gershwins composition in Figure 3 and

Debussys in Figure 4. Both are using this idea of transposed themes approaching a new idea.

According to Hyland, he [Gershwin] credited Hambitzer, who was his first piano teacher,

with introducing him to Chopin, Liszt, and Debussy. While it is understandable that a piano

instructor would emphasize Chopin and Liszt, the attention to Debussy was somewhat

unusualbut also of particular note was Hambitzers introduction of his young student to

Arnold Schoenbergs workPerhaps because of Hambitzers influence Gershwin and his

brother attended the first performance ofPierrot Lunairein the United States (February 4,

1923).(Hyland 38) It is perhaps due to this influence that Gershwin cared so little about form.

Many critics complained that his songs lacked formal structure, and Gershwin admitted that this

was a concept he had difficulty grasping.

Perhaps Gershwin had evolved into this convention-damning artistry through the

influences of Debussy and Schoenberg. Gershwin expressed himself differently than was

customary in music. His fusion of the blues, jazz, neo-classical and romantic music is probably

the only music of its breed. This extremely successful hybrid of so many influences was bound

to take an American tone of freedom. Once Gershwin made his way into musical theatre, his role

as social commentator began.

What Id like to do would be to write an opera of the melting pot of New York City itself,

which is the symbolic and actual blend of the native and immigrant strains. This would

allow for many kinds of music, black and white, Eastern and Western, and would call fora style that would achieve out of this diversity an artistic and aesthetic unityIdlike to

catch the rhythms of these interfusing peoples. (Hyland 155)


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George Gershwin went on to write several musicals about blacks in Harlem, distinguishing

himself as an American for equality and musician for humanity, rather than a Jewish musician

Jews.

Irving Berlin was bornIsrael Baline (orBeilin) in on May 11, 1888. (Magee xi-3) When

he was 5 years old, he and his family set out for America on the Rhynland. Upon arriving in New

York, the Berlins spoke only Yiddish. This was a difficult start to a difficult start to a difficult

adjustment to life in America. Irvings father was a Cantor in Russia but wrote down kosher

butcheras his occupation to make himself more desirable to the immigration authority in

America. In spite of this, he still continued to sing in synagogue and passed along his knowledge

of the craft to his youngest son, Israel (Izzy)He would be known to millions by the name of

Irving Berlin after he changed his name.

The Berlins were an impoverished family. Like Schoenberg and Gershwin, Berlin had a

distinct knack for expressing complex emotional ideas in his music. However, Berlin tended to

voice general consensuses of a large

group, rather than just his own internal

feelings, The mob is always right, he

once said. (Magee 9) This is particularly

noticeable in his songBlue Skies, which

seems able to grapple with sadness

while still presenting an impressive

amount of hope. Figure 5 shows an example of how well Berlin could tinge emotions with

contrary emotions.Blue Skiesstarts in the key of F minor and then during the lyrics, never saw

Figure 5 Blue Skies - Irving Berlin From Wikifonia: Lead Sheets.


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the sun shining so bright, the key changes to the relative major of F, A flat major. Once here,

Irving makes the wonderful melodic choice (which has roots in Judaism), to shift the modality of

the melody for half a bar so that the chord progression adds the iv (minor) chord, D flat minor

(which is not diatonic to A flat major, but rather, A flat minor). This gives a high point of

sadness to an otherwise happy lyric, never saw the sun shining so bright, never saw things going

so right, noticing the days hurrying by; when youre in love, my how they fly. Blue days, all of

them gone. Nothing but blue skies from now on. Since this resolution is in a minor key, the

listener does not necessarily know which emotion is intended. This is probably the greatest

feature of Irving Berlins compositional style. He was able to create songs that would be

applicable to all humans, no matter what race they are and no matter their faith. Irving Berlin

was one of the founders of the era of respect for the human condition.

Irving Berlin also penned what is likely the first true Christmas song; White Christmasis

still one of the persevering standards in American music. It is astounding that the first true

Christmas song was written by a Russian Jew. This contribution to American music is significant

because it helped to begin a tradition of holiday music at Christmas. The Jewish composers and

lyricists sought to create an American style of song, not a Jewish one, and they succeeded very

well.(Rubin and Baron 270) This created yet another topic for the American songs during the

first half of the 20th

century. Perhaps Berlins biggest accomplishment in his life, which

surpasses his fame and fortune, is the joy that music brought him. Such songs asBlue Skies

which gives hope to listeners, even after a rather sad-sounding opening.

In conclusion, Jewish Secular music of 20th

century America marked a profound time for

Jewish musicians to distance their artistry from their Jewish identities and consequently to create


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a new era of not cultural expression, but human expression; American expression free of the

limits of the conventions of their day and faith. It is this style that has become American Music.


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Bibliography

Bergreen, Laurence. The Life of Irving Berlin. New York: Da Capo Press, 1996.

Cross, Charlotte M. and Russell A. Berman.Political and Religious Ideas in the Works of Arnold

Schoenberg. New York: Garland Publishing, 2000.

"Great Performances: Schoenberg, Arnold (Franz Walter)." n.d.PBS.org.Web Article. 10 112013.

Hamm, Charles.Irving Berlin. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997.

Hyland, William G. George Gershwin: A New Biography. Westport: Praeger, 2003.

Magee, Jeffrey.Irving Berlin's American Musical Theater. New York: Oxford University Press,

2012.

Rubin, Emanuel and John H. Baron.Music In Jewish History and Culture.Sterling Heights:

Harmonie Park Press, 2006.

Schwartz, Charles. Gershwin: His Life & Music. New York: Da Capo Press, 1973.

Simms, Bryan R. The Atonal Music of Arnold Schoenberg. New York: Oxford University Press,

2000.

Figure 1 Eine blasse Wscherin Measures 1-4. From IMSLP...................................................................... 2

Figure 2 Madonna Measures 1-7. From IMSLP. .......................................................................................... 2

Figure 3 Excerpt from Claude Debussy - Preludes Book 2 No. 12 Feux d'artifice. From IMSLP. .............. 2

Figure 4 Excerpt from Rhapsody in Blue - George Gershwin, a piano reduction from IMSLP. Measures

30-3. .............................................................................................................................................................. 2Figure 5 Blue Skies - Irving Berlin From Wikifonia: Lead Sheets............................................................... 2
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Secular Expressionism and Abridgement of Stylistic and Religious Conventions in the Early 1900s - 1st Edition