Andrew Mamiotis, left, a Vietnam War protester, takes his 11 year-old son, Mikos to an Iraq war protest on the fifth anniversary of the Iraq war in Chicago, Wednesday, March 19, 2008. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
The title of this blog comes from the 1934 Workers' Songbook, which states in its foreword: "Music is a Weapon in the Class Struggle." This idea served as justification/ motivation for many young, left- leaning composers of that period, like Seeger, Eisler, and Blitzstein. From what one reads, these composers really believed—at least at the time—that music could bring about real social change at a time of great social crisis, and composed their music accordingly.
At a time when history may well be repeating, these seem like interesting and important ideas to once again consider. ( I am also writing my dissertation on related issues, and intend to share bits of that when they're ready.)
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