The ‘1812 Overture’ and American Patriotism

The ‘1812 Overture’ and American Patriotism

There’s an old joke among American children about whether there’s a Fourth of July in England. The answer is yes! It’s the fourth day of the seventh month. Of course, it’s just not a day that England celebrates as Independence Day.

The “1812 Overture,” a Tchaikovsky piece that I greatly admire (much more than the composer himself apparently did), reminds me of this joke. It’s not that the piece is poorly written or comical in any way. On the contrary, its carefully constructed harmonies, rich orchestration, and intricate weaving of motifs has arguably made it rank among the most recognizable and stirring pieces of Western music ever written.

The oddity is the work’s close association with Independence Day and, by extension, American patriotism. The piece, which has become famous for its inclusion of loud cannons, has quietly become a part of the canon of American patriotic music. But, as sure as the Fourth of July arrives each year in England, the status of the “1812 Overture” as an Independence Day favorite requires some explanation. After all, the piece is about Russia versus France.

The War of 1812

If I were to hear a piece entitled “1776 Overture” at a Fourth of July concert, I would probably assume it had something to do with the Revolutionary War. In this manner, many people have assumed that the “1812 Overture” is about the War of 1812, the military conflict that pitted a young America against the United Kingdom. In fact, I’ve so often heard the piece referred to as the “War of 1812 Overture.” While this is understandable, it’s highly inaccurate.

Tchaikovsky composed the “1812 Overture” to commemorate his country’s strong defense against Napoleon’s forces at the Battle of Borodino. The fact that this Russian victory happened to occur in the same year as a key date in American history, and that Tchaikovsky used the year in his title (“The Year 1812” was the original name) has added to the confusion.

It’s worth noting here that the War of 1812 did play an important role in American patriotic music. The sight of the American flag following a victory at Fort McHenry in Baltimore inspired Francis Scott Key to write a poem that would serve as the lyrics of our national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

1812 Meets 1974

There’s no doubt that the “1812 Overture” has the hallmarks of a patriotic piece, with its rousing melodies, militaristic percussion, and impassioned brass fanfares. A product of the late Romantic era, it’s a musical cousin of John Phillip Sousa’s many popular marches, especially his classic “The Stars and Stripes Forever” (which, don’t worry, is certainly American—so much so that Congress made it the official march of the United States in 1987 (36 U.S.C. § 304)).

But while the “1812 Overture” is patriotic, both in its sound and its meaning, the patriotism is Russian. In fact, if you’ve ever left a performance of the “1812 Overture” whistling, chances are you were parroting French and Russian motifs, which Tchaikovsky intertwined with great mastery.

Tchaikovsky personally introduced the “1812 Overture” to American ears in 1891 when he conducted his work at the dedication of New York’s Music Hall (now known as Carnegie Hall). But the pivotal year for the “1812 Overture” in the United States came in 1974. Hoping that the attraction of the piece would boost attendance at the Boston Pops’ Fourth of July concert, conductor Arthur Fiedler added the “1812 Overture” to the program. It proved to be a hit, and so the “1812 Overture” became a staple at this annual patriotic event. Over the years, as millions of people have enjoyed the Boston Pops’ televised performance, whether on the lawn of the Esplanade or the sofa of their living room, the “1812 Overture” has taken hold as an annual Fourth of July tradition—and, thus, an American tradition.

The assimilation of the “1812 Overture” into our Independence Day repertoire reminds us that although patriotism is often viewed through the prism of one’s own country, national pride is a common feeling shared by people across the world. For years, this sentiment has provided the creative fuel for eloquent and passionate works of timeless music and beautiful art, reflecting a diverse set of cultures, history, struggles, and achievements.

The “1812 Overture” itself isn’t American (like it or not), but that doesn’t mean that listening to it on the Fourth of July isn’t. Indeed, the fact that we perform, embrace and enjoy this musical import on the day we celebrate our own nation’s independence is part of what makes America great.
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Ron Leshnower is the author of books and articles exploring a range of topics. He is also a composer.
Follow him on Twitter (@hillocrian) and visit hillocriancreative.com.

 

Remembering My Brother-in-Law Through Music

Remembering My Brother-in-Law Through Music

I first met Adam in 2002 in the lobby of The Mirage in Las Vegas. His sister, who was my fiancée at the time, and I were starting a vacation as Adam was heading home to Houston after a friend’s bachelor party at the nearby Hard Rock Hotel, and so it was a perfect opportunity for us to meet.

The more I got to know Adam, the more I liked him. He was bright without a trace of arrogance. As a pediatrician, he was passionate about his work and compassionate with his patients. He was sincere and always fun to be with.

At the time, I had every reason to believe that Adam was someone I would be getting to know well over many years, and I looked forward to it. It turns out I was wrong, for reasons I could not have imagined.

Although I wish Adam were still here, I consider myself lucky that our paths were meant to cross and that my children are his nephew and niece. Since Adam passed away in 2009, I have wanted to organize my feelings into music and compose an orchestral work that honors my late brother-in-law and the beauty of his life.

Today, on the occasion of what would have been Adam’s 42nd birthday (the reverse of 24, his lucky number), I am proud to present “Adam.”

Here are a few samples of the piece:

Please visit www.musicforadam.com to hear and learn more.

Also, if you knew Adam, feel free to share a thought on how he touched your life or a memory of him that made him so special by leaving a comment below.

Can John Kasich Take the ‘Boring Lane’ All the Way to Pennsylvania Avenue?

Can John Kasich Take the ‘Boring Lane’ All the Way to Pennsylvania Avenue?

I first saw John Kasich as he was being introduced at a town hall event last month at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. The Ohio governor entered the room a bit early, a finger covering his smile, as if cautioning “You didn’t see me. Not yet.” His unspoken gesture could describe his campaign, which has persisted despite relative invisibility. The lack of hype surrounding the Kasich campaign is the cost of doing business these days when you choose to say “things we need to do to fix the country” instead of “wacky things,” as the candidate put it.

But Kasich refuses to change course, insisting that “operating out of the gutter” and engaging in “all this nonsense” is “disgraceful,” despite his low poll numbers. “I’ve been wandering around in total obscurity for five months. I’m serious!” he told us. “Don’t you think that it would be natural for me to lash out against this? It would be natural. But life’s too short to be lashing out, or living in the dark side or living in the ditch somewhere and calling names. I’m not going to be a pin cushion or a marshmallow, trust me. But I want us to be up, not down. I don’t know what else to say.”

Kasich did have more to say about this, expressing amazement that his decision “to live in the boring lane” has brought him this far. “Now, guess what’s so funny… I’ve survived!” he declared. “I’ve had the least amount of money, the least amount of exposure, and I’m standing on this stage. Isn’t that just unbelievable?” This observation earned him loud yet polite applause from the crowd of some 350 attendees.

“Kasich also spoke of America’s greatness, though he sounded more like a professor than a cheerleader.”

For many in the audience, Kasich’s nonabrasive approach is admirable. Indeed, he later edged out Ted Cruz to place a distant second in the New York primary, calling it “a big step forward.” But can Kasich take the boring lane all the way to Pennsylvania Avenue?

I had the opportunity to explore this issue first-hand by contrasting Kasich’s campaign with that of his party’s frontrunner. Two days later, I was one of an estimated 10,000 people at the Donald Trump rally at Grumman Studios in Bethpage, N.Y., standing in the center of a repurposed plane hangar. As a white male, I fit right in. I hoped to make it through the rally without incident as I witnessed people getting nasty and even physical with others who challenged their space (let alone their politics).

At the town hall, Kasich’s unpretentious appearance in grey and blue hues evoked a J.M.W. Turner seascape or cloud study. By contrast, Trump appeared ready for Matisse’s brush, standing stiff with fiery hair and a tie that mimicked the red flow of Betsy Ross’ broad stripes falling behind him.

When Kasich mentioned Obama’s name, it could have been any other word. When Trump referred to the leader of the free world, the crowd erupted with shouts of “Terrorist!” A thunder of boos attacked the image of Megyn Kelly, persona non grata, in a video montage. Before long, someone behind me held up a placard (despite a warning on the ticket against bringing homemade signs) that read “White Lives Matter,” eliciting cheers.

Kasich focused on how exceptional we are as individuals, assuming the mantle of Fred Rogers. “We’re all kind of made that way with certain things about us that make us special. Do you know that? You’re made special. Nobody’s ever been like you and no one will ever be like you again. This is a more important message than anything I will say, no matter what I say here today. You’re made special. You’re made special for a purpose. And that purpose is to live a life bigger than yourself, to do something to heal part of our world. Do you know that? Do you know that? Have you ever thought about that? Yeah, and when you are able to find out what your purpose is, and you’re able to carry that purpose out, that’s when you find satisfaction in life.”

Trump chose to focus on how special the country is, riling up the crowd with “America first! America first!” and his parting promise to “make America great again!” Kasich also spoke of America’s greatness, though he sounded more like a professor than a cheerleader. Invoking de Tocqueville, Kasich cautioned that “America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, she will cease to be great.”

Kasich kept going with his theme of individual empowerment. “What I want to tell you is, I think the president matters, but I don’t think the president matters nearly as much as what happens in your family, your neighborhood, and your community,” he suggested. “See, what I believe is that presidents should give people power. The president should transfer a lot of responsibility back to where we live, and it’s then up to us to take the power and use it to improve our country.” While Kasich strove to deflect his spotlight to his audience, Trump basked in it, absorbing the energy in that hangar like a lightning rod.

Kasich spoke of a desire “to end all the strife, the bitterness, the partisanship, and the divisions, because we have a lot of things we have to do.” Trump gave a dramatic reading of “The Snake,” an Oscar Brown poem that his campaign has coopted as its xenophobic fight song. Trump delighted in delivering the allegory’s climactic told-you-so: “‘Oh shut up, silly woman,’ said the reptile with a grin. ‘You damn well knew I was a snake before you took me in!'” Meanwhile, outside people protested and vendors peddled items such as buttons that read: “KFC – Hillary Special – 2 Fat Thighs – 2 Small Breasts… Left Wing.”

As I left Grumman Studios and walked a mile to my car, I paused with others at a train crossing, not expecting the conductor to open the window and call out: “Hey! Ya like Donald Trump?”

The Trump rally was a far different experience than the town hall, where Kasich pointed out, “I’m the only one who beats Hillary in the fall.” That’s a strong, practical argument that would normally attract much support. But in this election season, it’s boring.

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Ron Leshnower is the author of books and articles exploring a range of topics.
Follow him on Twitter (@hillocrian) and visit hillocriancreative.com.