The Triumph of Music: The Rise of Composers, Musicians and Their Art

by Timothy C.W. Blanning

A distinguished historian chronicles the rise of music and musicians in the West from lowly balladeers to masters employed by fickle patrons, to the great composers of genius, to today’s rock stars. How, he asks, did music progress from subordinate status to its present position of supremacy among the creative arts? Mozart was literally booted out of the service of the Archbishop of Salzburg “with a kick to my arse,” as he expressed it. Yet, less than a hundred years later, Europe’s most powerful ruler—Emperor William I of Germany—paid homage to Wagner by traveling to Bayreuth to attend the debut of The Ring . Today Bono, who was touted as the next president of the World Bank in 2006, travels the world, advising politicians—and they seem to listen. The path to fame and independence began when new instruments allowed musicians to showcase their creativity, and music publishing allowed masterworks to be performed widely in concert halls erected to accommodate growing public interest. No longer merely an instrument to celebrate the greater glory of a reigning sovereign or Supreme Being, music was, by the nineteenth century, to be worshipped in its own right. In the twentieth century, new technological, social, and spatial forces combined to make music ever more popular and ubiquitous. In a concluding chapter, Tim Blanning considers music in conjunction with nationalism, race, and sex. Although not always in step, music, society, and politics, he shows, march in the same direction.

Genres: Music, History, Nonfiction, Art, Classical Music

432 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2008

About the author

Timothy Charles William Blanning, FBA is Emeritus Professor of Modern European History at the University of Cambridge, where he taught from 1992 until 2009. His work focuses on the history of Europe from the 17th century to the beginning of the First World War.

Reviews

[José · Rating 3 out of 5]

Se analizan estas cinco ideas: categoría (el compositor/músico pasa de esclavo a divinidad); propósito (la música como reafirmación del poder del soberano a la sacralización de la música por sí misma): lugares y espacios (del palacio al estadio); tecnología y liberación (de la reafirmación de la naciones como estados políticos, pasando por la normalización de la sexualidad). Esto lleva al autor a concluir que actualmente la música está por encima de las demás artes. Es su opinión. Se analiza la esfera anglo-franco-germana sin entrar en las demás. Esto es un error.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tim Blanning's social and cultural history of the advance of music as an art form, starting from the late 17 and early 18th Centuries is quite an achievement, mainly in the sense that to cover both Classical and Modern music (leading to 2009 when the book was written) is no easy task for a book around 400 pages deep. The history is packed to the brim with anecdotes, facts as well as being a social commentary on the role music has played in the formation of the modern world. It is not easy to write about classical composers and how important they were in shaping nationalist pride in countries such as Italy, Germany, Russia - they helped form the nation state in the sacralisation of, possibly, an 'imagined' community that gave pride in being 'Italian' or 'German' using the medium of Operas and so on, and then finish each chapter with developments in modern music, or at least from the second half of the twentieth century onwards.

The book details the role music has played throughout modern history, starting from when Monarchies employed Composers such as Handle, Haydn, Mozart et al for their own personal use, then slowly the architectural growth of Opera Houses and the democratisation of music being available to anyone who could afford to attend a performance. From being 'elitist' to becoming a mass cultural phenomena, starting with the status of composers such as Listz and Paganini being the first 'Rock Gods', whom became more popular and more famous than various European Monarchies, as well as the shift away from music being used for solely religious purposes into a mass social 'market' (and very often in modern times anti religious) then the transformation is massive and Tim Blanning manages to cover it all. One could doubt how both Italian and German Unification towards the latter half of the 19th Century would have fared without Operas invoking (imagined) 'nationalist' sentiments and the mass appeal musical public performances held. We can take this to the 20th Century and role Jazz, R'n'B and early Rock n' Roll played in creating an identity amongst the Black Civil Rights movement of the 1960's, and not just exclusively amongst blacks either; many liberation causes are tied up with sub-cultures and a musical identity today. Also, technology wise, the development of the Piano was integral to the democratisation of music, allowing anyone with some money to learn how to play. Compare that to today - we have electronics and home stereo systems that allow us to listen to music, but during the 19th Century one had to learn musical notation in order to perform the latest symphony or opera for personal recreational use.

Tim Blannings social and cultural history of the development of music as an art-form, a mass market one at that, focuses I believe slightly too much on the Classical composers in each chapter, with a few pages at the end of each bringing it up to date to modern times. He does however spend some pages explaining Jazz and liberation movements of the 20th Century and how vital music is and was to personal identity, compared to the old national identity of the 19th Century. I believe there is a room for separate studies on all what it touched on here; both the technology aspect - from piano to electronics and amplification as well as modern day identity politics and sub-cultures and the music associated with them.

[Katie Baltrush · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone who wants to know about the symbiotic (sp?) relationship between western music and societies should read this book. If, however, you don't care at all about this music stuff, it is fascinating anyway as a cultural study of the west pretty much since the Enlightenment. Blanning's view stands refreshingly in the probably truthful middle ground between two competing traditions: the dogmatic closed mindedness of classical music worshippers and the wanton trashing of all that is old in favor of anything new, regardless of quality. Both, I think, are needed to contextualize the present cultural world and to understand how classical music got to where it is and, more importantly, how to get it out of there.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this one up just passing through the bookstore with little expectations. Actually, I expected I would simply skim through it. Instead, I faithfully turned the pages with much enjoyment and found myself thinking about it quite often.

The subject is given depth, humor, and is presented in a well structured and consumable manor. The author's narration is not bland and he inserts many great quotes, factoids, and anecdotes from the ages.

The 'Technology' chapter is probably my favorite but requires the prior chapters for its amazing impact.

Kudos to Tim Blanning!

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

What is it about this book that makes it so forgettable? That was a nice ice-cream. What flavour was it?

[Joe Q. · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Triumph of Music" is an interesting look at the interplay between music -- specifically composers and performers -- and society over time (roughly from the 17th century to the present, in the West). Blanning explores how the role and standing of musicians varied over time and space, how the composer as "craftsman" evolved into the composer as "artist", the beginnings of the cult of the virtuoso, the crucial importance of opera (now a niche in the classical music world), the link between music and nationalism, and the ways in which the public "consumed" music.

Though too short to really get deep into any one topic, this book is a great overview of the social evolution of music. It'd be a valuable read for music lovers and performers whose knowledge of music history revolves around individual composers, eras, or forms -- the perspective here is very different. The book does now seem somewhat dated (published before the Spotify era), focuses excessively on European classical music, and seems to lose track of its central thesis (about music as an art form that has 'triumphed' over others in its social impact and utility) but despite these flaws, it's worth spending time on. I'm very glad I read it.

[Thiago · Rating 4 out of 5]

Neste livro o professor e historiador Tim Blamming ressalta a dinâmica histórica da progressiva emancipação dos músicos a partir do século XVIII destacando o contraste entre a completa submissão aos mecenas e patrões no antigo regime e o atual sucesso no global dos astros pop.
Blamming analisa os ingredientes que fizeram da música A mais influente das formas artísticas na atualidade o autor passa pelos mais variados estilos de ópera ao rock and roll do jazz a música sinfônica numa fascinante história dos instrumentos e gêneros e práticas de escuta e execução.
Dividido em 5 capítulos e cada um tendo diversos artigos retrata desde os primórdios na qual o músico era mal visto pela sociedade, passa pela sua ascenção, aumento dos espaços musicais, avanço da tecnologia na construção e evolução dos instrumentos e de recursos de gravação até movimentos de liberdade nacionalistas e temas como sexo, liberdade sexual e homossexualismo dentro da música.
O autor comprova que nem sempre o triunfo da música é o triunfo do músico e que a classe artística musical foi tanto beneficiada quanto prejudicada com o decorrer do tempo.

[Ander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es una buena introducción pero tiene un sesgo anglosajón.

[Derek Henderson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Generally speaking, rather dull. Blanning is a mundane writer and many parts simply drag. Also too many long and tedious quotes.

[Theophilo Pinto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Este é um livro que fala bastante da glória da música... e menos da glória dos músicos! Como bom inglês, Blanning começa falando do concerto feito pelos 50 anos do reinado da rainha Elizabeth e que atraiu artistas como Brian May, Elton John, Paul McCartney e outros tocando no palácio de Buckingham. A ideia é mostrar que, se antes os músicos eram pouco mais que criados no palácio, agora eles sobem no teto, dão show transmitido via satélite e, até por isso, são sagrados cavaleiros e 'Sirs'.

Para falar de seu assunto, Blanning faz uma divisão em 5 capítulos, a saber: o Status do músico, o propósito da música, os espaços onde ela era feita, as mudanças tecnológicas e, finalmente, os debates em torno de nacionalidade, identidade e sexo, isso desde o tempo de Bach até 2006, pouco antes da publicação do livro. O tom do livro nos cinco capítulos é mais ou menos o mesmo: a música antigamente era vista como algo pouco importante como conteúdo autônomo e mais como suporte para ornamentar conteúdos outros, como o texto ou o ambiente. A partir de 1800 e pouco, sua importância aumenta, permitindo o surgimento de músico como ‘artista’ (e não mais um hábil criado). Essa importância aumenta a ponto de beirar o sagrado, com divindades como Beethoven, Liszt e Paganini serem vistos senão como deuses, pelo menos como tendo algum contato especial com elementos transcendentais deste mundo. Isso não para aí, pois a gravação, o cinema e a televisão amplificam ainda mais esse ‘triunfo’ da música, mostrando que até em programas como o American Idol um calouro na etapa final recebeu mais votos do que Ronald Reagan para presidente. Caramba!

Num certo sentido, o livro não deixa de ser uma história da música um pouco mais fechada em sete grandes eixos, mas bastante aberta para colocar Haydn e Bono num mesmo capítulo. Ou então Haendel e Fredie Mercury. O arco do tempo é bastante grande, é evidente. Blanning consultou uma série de biografias, jornais de época e outros documentos para tecer essa narrativa. Como o autor é inglês, há algum aumento de detalhes quando a música se refere ao Reino Unido. Isso não é muito problema, mas como brasileiro acabei tendo a impressão que muita gente tem, de que a música erudita naquela região não é muito representativa (ele mesmo diz que é essa a opinião geral). A coisa muda de figura, é claro, quando se fala de bandas de rock, que povoam o final de cada capítulo. Beatles, Stones, U2 e tantos outros mostram como a ilha tem mesmo uma produção bem mais conhecida. Outro livro que fala da virada 1700/1800, e que cita Blanning é o de Lydia Goehr, The Imaginary Museum of Musical Works: An Essay in the Philosophy of Music. É um ótimo complemento para aprofundar mais a questão sobre como a música passa de acessório artístico para se tornar algo próximo do sagrado.

Mesmo tendo eixos bem definidos, e talvez por causa disso, Blanning fala pouco de alguns gêneros mais contemporâneos. Uma grande ausência é a música eletrônica, que tem como representante mais próximo no livro a discothèque, isto é, a música dançante da década de 1970 e poucos. Já que era pra falar de artistas ricos e famosos, alguns DJs deveriam aparecer mais, me parece. Tirando a música erudita, Blanning fala muito do eixo “rock / pop / jazz” e outros gêneros musicais também não apareceram. Para ficar no Ocidente, pergunto, cadê a Bossa Nova (que tem em Garota de Ipanema a música mais gravada no mundo), o Reggae, os ritmos latinos, enfim, tanta coisa que coloriu os países de fala inglesa e que ficou de fora do texto? Isso sem contar o pouco que se fala do Oriente Médio e de outras regiões mais distantes da Europa.

O último capítulo acabou ficando um pouco diferente dos outros, também. Ao invés de falar de um único assunto, tratou de três (daí os sete eixos que menciono), como o nacionalismo, especialmente aquele de épocas mais antigas, a questão da raça (especificamente relativa à negritude americana) e da sexualidade. Pelo ritmo (ótimo) que o livro vinha dando, esse capítulo acabou ficando muito diferente, no sentido de tentar falar de muita coisa, mas com menos detalhes. Não deixa de ter ótima informação, mas para esses assuntos, o melhor é ir mais além com outros textos.

[Dr_Savage · Rating 2 out of 5]

While this book is well-written and fairly well-researched (leaving aside the end-notes which refer readers to Wikipedia articles), it is also eminently forgettable. The basic problem is that the central arguments advanced by the author are too obvious to be at all interesting. Yes, the status of composers and musicians has improved over the years; yes, music has evolved into an autonomous art-form since the eighteenth century; yes, music has become the religion of the massses; and yes, it has served as a powerful instrument of liberation; but these are all hardly original observations. In his conclusion, Blanning seems to be making the strange claim that today, music is superior in every sense to rival art forms like literature and painting. I fail to see how the rise of music justifies the author's cheap jibes at the likes of Martin Amis, Andrew Motion and J.K. Rowling. Another problem is that, while the book purports to chart the rise of music to become the paramount art form, it confines itself to music in the West (mostly Western and Central Europe), completely neglecting the development of music in other cultures. A plodding read.

[Thebruce1314 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books that is packed so full of facts, some that were interesting, and some not so, hat it is hard to take everything in in one go. Of course this is completely subjective. I liked that the "triumph of music" was outlined over five different areas, allowing Blanning the space to explore topics from different angles. My interest waned for most of the last section, entitled Liberation, which seemed more a play by play of national movements and battles in the 19th century than a discussion of nationalist music, though I understand the need to include some explanation of origins.
While I didn't find any references that led me to Wikipedia articles, as another reviewer suggested, I did find it a little strange that a Cambridge scholar would use secondary sources for quotations rather than going straight to the horse's mouth. In any case, an interesting look at music history from a different perspective.

[pianogal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good book if your looking for a broad overview of a wide range of topics. Thought the nationalism section at the back got a little "He said, She said". The author had a lot of good ideas, but I wish he would have written several more in depth books about the topics, instead of this one general effort.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good, thorough survey of the evolution of music from its strictly religious medieval function to its modern pop culture explosion. Some great stories in here, although the author tips his hand a little too much about his disdain for popular or folk music.

[Jbondandrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. It was informative and an interesting read. It made me think of my ancestor John Charles Bond Andrews and to a lesser extent my great grandfather Percival James Walmsley.