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Aspects of Nationalist Propaganda in the Late Nineteenth-Century Romanian Musical Press

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 December 2017

Florinela Popa
Florinela Popa*
Affiliation:
National University of Music Bucharest Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

In the last decades of the nineteenth century, two widely different attitudes regarding local music were evident in the Romanian musical press. One viewpoint had an obviously nationalist character, and was manifested in an apologetic idealization of Romanian music – especially folklore – but also in calls for the improvement of composition and performance in the local music scene. The other attitude revealed a pronounced inferiority complex connected to everything that contemporary Romanian music represented. This was manifested especially in the (sometimes harsh) criticism of Romanian musical life, and in a hostile position towards or ignorance of Romanian musicians, composers or interpreters, except when they attained success and recognition abroad – and sometimes not even then. The two extreme attitudes are not mutually exclusive, but complement each other; essentially, they can be seen to be in a cause–effect relationship.

These two faces of nationalist propaganda are reflected by publications such as Lyra română – foaie musicală şi literară, a weekly magazine published between 2 December 1879 and 31 October 1880, and România musicală, which appeared twice a month between 1 March 1890 and 28 December 1904.

Type
Research Article
Information
Nineteenth-Century Music Review , Volume 14 , Special Issue 3: Music in Nineteenth-Century Romania , December 2017 , pp. 339 - 365
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2017 

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References

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2 The unification of Moldavia and Wallachia took place through the election of Alexandru Ioan Cuza as Prince of both states, on 5 January 1859 in Moldavia, and then on 24 January in Wallachia. The union of Transylvania and Romania, also known as ‘the Great Union’, did not take place until 1 December 1918.

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4 Karl Eitel Friedrich Zephyrinus Ludwig von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen was the second son of Prince Karl Anton of Hohennzollern-Sigmaringen and Joséphine, daughter of the Arhduke of Baden. A career officer, Carol I enjoyed the longest reign in the history of the Romanian states. Besides securing the nation’s independence from the Ottoman Empire, he revived the economy, established a number of institutions essential to a modern state, and founded a dynasty. In 1869, he married Elisabeth of Wied, later Queen Elisabeth. He appointed his nephew Ferdinand as heir to the throne. Carol died shortly after the outbreak of World War I.

5 The battles took place in what is now Bulgaria.

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