In a symposium titled “Sovereigns, Servants, Sermons, and Song: Religion and Politics in the Baroque,” two scholars of Baroque music and German showed the way in which the political and social issues of the 18th century came to life through its classical music. The Department of German and Scandinavian and the Oregon Bach Festival jointly presented the symposium.
Jeanne Swack, a professor of musicology and Jewish studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, presented a lecture on the presence of anti-Semitism in George Philipp Telemann’s – an 18th century musician – Cantatas for Judica Sunday.
Swack first noted that “stile concitato,” or agitated style, was prevalent throughout Telemann’s work whenever Jews were mentioned.
“Some of the Cantatas in which stile concitato is present simply imply the presence of Jews and others mention them explicitly,” Swack said.
In one section, Jews are even referred to as “Hell’s children.”
Swack said that such strong and bold anti-Semitism was to be expected. “(Telemann) had the typical Lutheran upbringing of the time,” she said. “He was intensely concerned in the conversion of Jews to Christianity.”
Because she was one of the first Telemann scholars to transcribe some of his Cantatas for Judica Sunday, Swack had to be careful.
“I had to put a disclaimer on my transcriptions asking people not to sing the pieces,” Swack said. “They are offensive and I don’t want them performed.”
Alison Altstatt, a doctoral student in musicology, enjoyed the lecture.
“The fact that it is springing from works that have never been published is especially interesting,” she said. “I was also impressed by her comment that she never would allow anyone to perform the pieces, because I believe that we must first and foremost be upholders of our morals and values.”
Lori Kruckenberg, an assistant professor of musicology at the University, agreed that Swack “handled a difficult subject in a sensitive and enlightening way. On the one hand, Telemann’s music is so beautiful, but on the other, the text to which it is set is so dark.”
Jerry Hui, a graduate student in music composition and conducting, was glad that Swack revealed the anti-Semitism in Telemann’s works.
“Doing a scholastic study of anti-Judaism provides a deeper understanding of deep-rooted discrimination,” he said.
David Yearsley, an associate professor of music at Cornell University, also presented in the symposium, discussing the presence of the 18th century feudal hierarchy in Johann Sebastian Bach’s compositions.
“The vivid clamor of Bach’s concert music brings the 18th century to life,” Yearsley said. “Many of his chorales try to depict large processions to the king’s coronation. In the 18th century, power was all about lavish display, pomp and ceremony, and we see that in his chorales.”
Yearsley discussed Bach’s obsession with the divide between the sacred and the secular.
Some critics, he said, “believe that Bach’s music only finds its true profundity in sacred form, while others believe his extremely religious Christmas Oratorio comes from secular origins.”
Yearsley himself believes it’s a mixture of both. The king commissioned Bach to write religious lyrics to accompany his music for ceremonial parades and coronations. The national religion was very much a part of the power of the throne, and Bach’s music reflected the times, he said.
“The divide between secular and religious illustrates the difference between temporal and eternal power,” he said. “Men of lower class are not allowed to kiss the hand of royalty, but anyone may kiss the hand of Jesus.”
Kruckenberg, who teaches musicology at the University, thought Yearsley’s comments regarding the religious and the secular aspects of the Christmas oratorio were “interesting.”
“The idea of Bach turning society on its head during the Christian week is captivating,” she said.