Music and War: A Research and Information Guide

Arnold, Ben. Music and War: A Research and Information Guide. New York & London, Garland Publishing, Inc., 1993.

This is Vol. 17 of “Music Research and Information Guides” put out by Garland Publishing, Inc., of New York and London under the broad category of “Garland Reference Library of the Humanities (Vol. 1581). A quick search shows that Routledge Taylor & Francis Group now have control.

A fine and highly documented and “exampled” book, giving not only written references to works of music dealing with conflicts but several excerpts of music scores at the end of the book. From the Preface we find questions addressed are: 1. Music and war “. . . because of its social importance, its long tradition, and its richness of significant compositions . . .” 2. A “look at music’s ability to represent, depict, suggest, or symbolize through various means war and the intended death and destruction it creates.” This seems to be focused, limited in scope, but it is a huge focus anyway. 3. “Art music” only. “Western art music” with a few Japanese and Chinese compositions. 4. Patriotic and military works mostly omitted, i.e., “marches, quicksteps, sonatas, symphonies, and concerti . . .” 5. Films and TV music mostly omitted. 6. Selective not comprehensive. 7. 1300 compositions from the Middle Ages to 1991.

From the Introduction: 1. From the time of ancient Greece “the theme of war has often been presented in music.” 2. Innovations such as “polyrhythms, polytonality, tremolos, pizzicate, and clusters . . .” 3. Poor quality music for the most part especially in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. 4. 20th century is represented by over 1,000 compositions, continuing “the victory celebrations . . . the lament traditions . . . and evolved into a new genre attempting to show the horror of war . . .” 5. Outcry against war. 6. Composers “take an active role in society using the force of music to heighten social awareness.” 7. Post World War II composers “rarely praise war . . . Now they depict its horrors and preach its futility.”

The eight chapters are structured similarly. From War Music Before 1600, through the Baroque, Classic and Early Romantic periods, the “main” Romantic period, the Early Twentieth Century, World War II, the Korean War and the aftermath of World War II, and finally the Vietnam conflict, there is a discussion of the period with conflicts included, then an annotated listing of war compositions for the period under consideration, then a supplement, then notes. The Selected Bibliography runs some 19 pages, the Title Index of compositions 29 pages, the Index of Composers 13 pages, and the Subject Index 11 pages.

The Bibliography has numerous excellent titles running from general works such as “The Harvard Dictionary” to more focused such as “Songs of Protest, War and Peace: Bibliography and Discography.” Obviously mostly European and American in scope, with the overarching viewpoint of American wars after America especially late 19th century (Civil War) and into the 20th.