Description
Reviews
Tells the full story [of the smear campaign against a major German-born conductor] with rich and copiously documented context. Her engaging study should be required reading for those who assume that questions of racial and national identity, fake news, sexual scandals, media manipulation, and cancel culture are new to our own times. Numerous well-chosen illustrations [are] sprinkled throughout the book. * MUSIC LIBRARY ASSOCIATION NOTES *
A chilling read that sheds light on how vulnerable communities are scapegoated in times of crisis that, unfortunately, still has plenty of resonance a century on. * LIMELIGHT MAGAZINE *
[C]ommendably even-handed in its treatment of Muck, declining to make an innocent victim of him. . . . It's a wonderful book, a very rich addition not only to the literature on American music and the war but also to Boston musical history. I learned much! -- Alex Ross * THE NEW YORKER *
This incisive, powerful book is not so much a biography as a broader cultural history . . . Burrage situates Muck as a 'prism' through which to examine the shadow of prejudice, paranoia and reckless journalism that engulfed cultural relations in America during World War I. The resulting work is an exemplary piece of scholarship. It is painstakingly written, offering a compelling (and terrifyingly relevant) discussion of the power-play between culture, politics and the darker forces of humanity. -- Kate Wakeling * FIVE STARS. BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE *
[A] thoroughly researched and excellent book. . . . Well-illustrated and thoroughly footnoted with an excellent, comprehensive bibliography, sparing no details of one of the shabbiest farces in our cultural history. -- Don O'Connor * AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE *
Fans of classical music like to think that music can transcend politics. After all, music is the language of beauty that crosses borders and cultures. . . . Sadly, classical music can be a creature of politics as well, as Melissa Burrage reveals in her absorbing history. . . . [A] sad story evocatively told. -- R. C. Speck * QUARTER NOTES MAGAZINE, WCPE CLASSICAL MUSIC RADIO *
The Karl Muck Scandal goes behind the front page to explain one of World War I's most remarkable events. Melissa Burrage draws on intensive research and careful listening while always keeping the human element in view. An immigrant in a new land, contests over loyalty and patriotism, fear, surveillance, and incarceration, this is not only the story of a single musician, but also a crucial chapter in the story of America itself. -- -- Chris Capozzola, professor of history, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
[E]ffectively confronts . . . a variety of major issues -- nationalism, anti-Semitism, sexual morality, and Nazism. . . . Drawing on impressive archival and published sources, Burrage moves smoothly between the musical world and national politics, showing how deeply public opinion became inflamed in new ways in the early decades of the twentieth century. -- -- William Weber, professor emeritus of history, California State University, Long Beach
I find Burrage's book to be a provocative, well-researched and carefully argued contribution to the literature on American musical life, the impact of World War I on the American cultural scene, and issues of nationalism and identity in the early twentieth century. The Karl Muck Scandal is admirably evenhanded, presenting a complex portrait of Dr. Muck that stands as one of the book's best features. It will become a new point of departure for future scholars working on the Boston Symphony Orchestra and its conductor. -- -- S. Andrew Granade, professor of musicology, University of Missouri-Kansas
For those interested in World War I-era history, the author has provided a fascinating look into life in Boston at that time. Karl Muck was a complex man in a complex time: supremely talented and admired, yet bigoted and flawed as well. If "history rhymes," as Mark Twain is reputed to have said, there are certainly lessons for us all here. -- Caren Nichter * Music Reference Services Quarterly *
Burrage's study documents an important chapter, a turning point, in German-American history by means of this outstanding case study dealing with the anti-German hysteria of World War I. * GERMAN LIFE *
Thoroughly researched and superbly written. Burrage's writing gives the impression of a journalist being "on the spot." [Even] the subheadings are of great interest. * STRINGENDO *
Sophisticated and thought-provoking. Most interesting . . . is Burrage's analysis of how the American federal government played a crucial role in demonizing the enemy. Tells a compelling story concerning immigration, national belonging, and vigilante justice. The abundance of photographs throughout provides an added dimension to this dark episode in history. * MUSIC & LETTERS *
A compelling work. The chapters on [Mrs. William] Jay almost seem more reality show than history...[This] reminds us that the larger story here revolves around cultural capital, national identity, and personal vendettas. Burrage tells all of these stories with an almost fictional tone of voice, albeit with support from a wealth of primary sources in a narrative that brings to light a very timely story from a pivotal moment in American history. * JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR AMERICAN MUSIC *
Book Information
ISBN 9781580469500
Author Melissa D Burrage
Format Hardback
Page Count 456
Imprint University of Rochester Press
Publisher Boydell & Brewer Ltd
Weight(grams) 1g