European Concert Research Articles

Mahalia Jacksonin musiikin ja hänen gospellaulutyylinsä saapuminen Suomeen 1950–1960 luvuilla

Mahalia Jackson (1911-1972), “The World’s Greatest Gospel Singer”, broke path for the worldwide popularity of African American gospel music. Her European concert tours never reached Finland, but since the 1950s, Finnish audiences have been able to listen to her music via recordings, radio, film and other media. This article explores the ways in which Jackson’s music came to Finland in the 1950s and 1960s. Furthermore, the article shows how the early marketing of her records and music critics’ excited reception of her gospel vocal expression sought to shape local audiences’ listening experiences and appreciation for the artistic merit of her music. This article is based on a study of various sources including advertisements, music reviews, correspondence and other archival materials, recordings, Jackson’s performance at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival and the film Jazz on a Summer’s Day (1959). This article shows that when Mahalia Jackson’s music came to Finland, her gospel vocal expression was recognized for its powerful spirituality and emotional impact on listeners. Yet the ways in which her music was presented to Finnish audiences was often mystifying, decontextualized and guided by the interests of music industry actors. This limited the ability of local listeners to understand the cultural and historical meanings of her gospel vocal expression. At the same time, however, the enthusiasm and admiration demonstrated by music critics paved the way for the enduring influence of Mahalia Jackson’s music in Finland.

Diplomacy of European States and the Revolution of 1830 in Belgium

The nature of interstate and international relations in the post - Napoleonic period was determined at the Vienna Congress of 1814-1815. Maintaining peace and stability in Europe, preserving the legitimacy of the ruling dynasties and controlling the balance of power were considered one of the main tasks of the Vienna system of international relations. The main obstacles to compliance with these principles were the revolutionary events of 1820-1830, which arose in different regions of Europe. The response to the “challenges” of the new system of international relations was both diplomatic and military measures to maintain the status quo of European states. The purpose of the article is to analyze the positions of the leading European states at the initial stage of the revolution in Belgium, which began in August 1830. In the context of the growing revolutionary crisis in Europe, it is important to understand what motives guided the Russian, French, Austrian, Prussian and English sides in developing their positions, what were the motives of their foreign policy in Belgium and how they influenced multilateral relations during the Belgian revolution. The study of the diplomatic correspondence of representatives of European countries through the channels of foreign ministries made it possible to identify the differences that existed between Russia, England, France, Austria and Prussia on the Belgian issue, to trace the changes in the positions of the countries in the process of developing a joint solution. An analysis of the process of European countries making decisions about the future of Belgium showed the desire of the participants of the “European concert” to comply with the principles of the Vienna system of international relations.

The Ruhr Crisis of 1923 and the International Transition in Europe after the WWI

Article aims to analyze the impact of the Ruhr crisis 1923 on the history of the international relations in Europe after the WWI. This crisis, which began by the occupation of the Ruhr region by the French and Belgian troops and ended by the approval of the new reparation plan (Dawes plan) in 1924, played the crucial role in the transformation of the international order (so-called Versailles order), envisaged by the Paris peace conference of 1919–1920. Author scrutinizes such aspects, as the links between the Ruhr crisis and the specifics of the WWI ending, he discerns the crisis' consequences in the Western and Eastern Europe, the role of the Anglo-American mediation in the regulation of the Franco-German conflict, according to the British and US interests. The essay concludes that the Ruhr crisis made critical impact on the consolidation of the Versailles order. The events unfolded in 1923, created the conditions for the "international turn" of 1924–1925, including the formation of the Anglo-Franco-German "European concert" instead of the Entente disintegrated during the crisis. Author demonstrates the direct link between the events of 1923 and the further stabilization of Europe negotiated during the London (1924) and Locarno conferences (1925), though this link sometimes remains "under shadow" in the major studies of the international relations in Europe after WWI. Besides this, the novelty of the article is explained by the rarely used documents from the British and French archives analyzed by the author.

Computational aspects of real-time auralizations of jazz venues

Historically, architectural acoustics has focused on concert halls for European Classical music, even though other genres, including rock, blues, and Jazz, have large groups of followers as well. Additionally, the acoustic requirements for European Classical music differ fundamentally from Jazz and other music. For example, Jazz venues are typically smaller and dryer than a traditional European Classical concert hall. A recent survey showed that reverberation in these venues plays a secondary role to parameters that describe the affordance of a space to allow communication between improvising musicians. This presentation focuses on the unique computational auralization aspects of Jazz venues, including wave-based approaches for smaller enclosures, low-latency requirements, intelligent accompanying systems that can adapt ad-hoc to jazz soloists, and the use of anechoic jazz recordings as source material. The adequacies of different reproduction systems, from higher-order ambisonics and wave-field synthesis to headphone-based systems, will also be discussed. [Work supported by James West Fellowship, Leo and Gabriella Beranek Scholarship, and NSF HCC-1909229.]

Jean Eïd (1819–1878): From Levantine Dragoman to Godfather of a Belgian-Egyptian Dynasty

Abstract As a young, but ambitious state that aspired to acquire a respected position in the nineteenth-century European concert, one of the institutions Belgium relied on was its diplomatic corps. Whereas the capitals of Europe quickly became the new home of career diplomats, Belgium gradually developed a consular apparatus that was staffed by locally recruited agents in more faraway areas. In the Eastern Mediterranean, the position of dragoman, who served as translator to the diplomatic representatives, was especially relevant in a setting where language barriers hindered the expansion of Belgium’s diplomatic and commercial interests. This essay unravels the history of the Belgian dragomanate in Egypt and focusses on one dragoman in particular: Jean Eïd. Addressing his term in Belgian service from the perspective of subalternity, I will demonstrate how the social, professional and legal status of these actors who roamed the increasingly entangled Levantine sphere in this period, is particularly challenging to grasp, while also recognizing the potential his position had for the next generations that succeeded him.

Participation of Russia in the 1860—1861 International Commission on Syria

The definition of the “Syrian crisis of 1860” is based on a series of bloody clashes and pogroms that broke out on the territory of Mount Lebanon and Damascus. These events had such a resonance in Europe that the government of the Ottoman Empire was forced to agree to the arrival of the French expeditionary force and the creation of an international commission consisting of representatives of five European powers — Britain, France, Russia, Austria and Prussia. The results of the commission's work turned out to be quite balanced and successful, ensuring the peaceful development of the region until the First World War. For Russia, participation in the European Commission has become a landmark event: this was one of the first episodes when, after the defeat in the Crimean War, she was able to fully perform in the ranks of the European concert, although, of course, not in the first roles. The purpose of this article is to analyze the role played by Russian diplomacy in resolving the Syrian conflict, and how participation in the work of the European Commission affected Russia's relations with other European powers.

Herrman S. Saroni: Paths to Success as a Composer in New York, 1844–52

Herrman S. Saroni: Paths to Success as a Composer in New York, 1844–52

Pierre Boulez, Latin America, and the European Avant-Garde After 1950

Recognized as a critic, composer, teacher, conductor and impresario, Pierre Boulez left a huge footprint that defined the trajectory of European concert music during the second half of the twentieth century. With the composition of Le Marteau sans maître (1953–1955) and several subsequent works from the mid-1950s and early 1960s, he established himself as one of the most important composers in his artistic circle. His compositional approach changed radically during the course of this time period. Although many of his pitch organization techniques were only unraveled several decades later, innovations with respect to other parameters of the musical language had a clear and immediate impact. Keeping this in mind, with this intentionally provocative title, I would like to discuss how Latin America played a decisive role in the career of this enormous figure of twentieth-century music. After presenting a brief summary of his professional trajectory, I will discuss the three tours he made of Latin America at the beginning of the 1950s, which, considered within the frame of his interest in ethnomusicology, were crucial to his career. They gave him the space and inspiration for crucial innovations in his development as a composer. By reference to Boulez’s writings, and based on a critical reading of the works that reflect the influence of Latin American music, I will discuss how some of the most important changes in his musical language, like his emphasis on elements of contrast and resonance, were inspired by his experiences on this tour, as much, or more, than by more recognized influences, like Japanese and African music. This has some considerable implications, given that Boulez’s new musical language had tremendous impact on the development of the European avant-garde in the second half of the twentieth century. Haciendo referencia a los escritos del compositor y tomando como base una lectura crítica de las obras que reflejan la influencia que recibió de la música latinoamericana, discutiré cómo algunos de los cambios más importantes en su lenguaje musical fueron inspirados por las experiencias de Boulez en sus giras en esta región, tanto o más que por influencias más reconocidas, como la música japonesa y la música africana. Esto tiene implicaciones importantes, dado a que el nuevo lenguaje musical de Boulez tuvo un impacto considerable en el desarrollo de la vanguardia europea después de la segunda guerra mundial.

Fighting Terror after Napoleon: How Europe Became Secure after 1815 by Beatrice de Graaf

De Graaf’s Fighting Terror After Napoleon joins several recent scholarly studies that collectively transform our understanding of the new international order forged after Napoleon’s overthrow. Unlike most of the others, this one is written much from the perspective of current debates about matters relating to international co-operation and security. Such an approach is both a strength and a weakness. On the downside, it underplays the extent to which the main decision makers in this period—Robert Stewart (Lord Castlereagh), Klemens von Metternich, Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, and Arthur Wellesley (Duke of Wellington)—were products of the Old Regime, shaped by traditions and values that were pre-Revolutionary. More positively, de Graaf makes a strong case for re-habilitating a period not generally associated with innovation.This book makes a compelling case that Napoleon did Europe a great service by escaping from Elba in 1815. Through this act, he ensured himself a second even more resounding defeat, followed by an international military occupation of France that lasted three years. The management of this occupation, by a joint Allied Council under the direction of Wellington, created structures and a culture that contributed to the more peaceful management of European affairs over the longer term. This argument, underpinned by material from archives across the continent, matches common sense: Relationships are best forged through regular and frequent cooperation regarding practical day-to-day management issues in which everyone has a stake.Especially informative is the chapter dealing with French reparation payments to the Allies, which unlike the German case after 1919, encouraged good credit ratings and cooperation. Similarly original is another chapter concerned with international fortress construction. The idea is that the fortresses themselves proved rather pointless, but the international cooperation required in their production served the same purpose as a corporate team-building event. These practical activities reinforced the culture of moderation and restraint that this period admired, as revealed in works by writers like Jane Austen.Aside from the vengeful Prussians, with their craving to blow up Parisian bridges, the victors of 1815 emerge largely unscathed from de Graaf’s study. She dismisses the image of Restoration politics deranged by paranoid securocrats, proposed by some historians.1 Instead, de Graaf highlights the achievement of Wellington in striking a balance between, on the one hand, the need for international policing and, on the other, some tolerance of domestic political pressures that varied from state to state.Napoleon infamously dismissed Wellington as a “Sepoy General,” but de Graaf highlights the British commander’s Indian experience, which combined political and security considerations, as essential to his later success in Europe. This point about Wellington and India is one of several in the book that seek to give what is essentially a European study global significance. British wealth, accrued by its banking sector, was channeled into Europe where it proved instrumental in stabilizing the situation, and much of it derived from global commerce. However, comparing the policies of 1815 with later imperialism overseas stretches credibility, and the labeling of the European concert’s actions in places like the Rhineland as “colonial” ultimately stretches definitions of that word, robbing it of any explanatory potential. What is interesting, however, is the observation that Europeans came to see the culture of moderation and restraint, referenced above, as appropriate more to their own continent than beyond.This well-written, engaging book combines an international-relations and systems perspective with historical methods and approaches. Historians might quibble about what the inclusion of international-relations theory, and terminology familiar more to political scientists, adds to the argument. But to be fair, historians in the past, products of the nation-states in which they grew up, have often given rather short shrift to an innovative era of international cooperation that attempted to strangle those very same nation states at birth.

Chilean Guitar Music: Modern Reconstructions of Genre Traditions

The relevance of the article is to deepen the analytical aspect of knowledge about Chilean guitar music of the second half of the 20th — early 21st centuries in the context of the reconstruction of genre traditions on the example of works by Juan Antonio Sanchez, Gustavo Becerra-Schmidt, Javier Contreras.
 Main objective of the study is to identify the leading genre traditions of Chilean guitar music and reveal their modern reconstructions in the works of famous authors.
 The methodology includes methods of historical, cultural, comparative, phenomenological, as well as structural and functional analysis (for a contextual consideration of the creative activities of composers, the study of genre and stylistic elements of the Chilean traditions of folk music, professional-academic and non-academic origin in their influence on European genre models).
 Results and conclusions. The cultural and historical environment of the formation and development of the Chilean academic guitar repertoire of the second half of the 20th — early 21st centuries is characterized, the links with the performing achievements of domestic virtuosos are determined. The work of composers Juan Antonio Sanchez, Gustavo Becerra-Schmidt, Javier Contreras is considered in the discourse of modern processes of reconstruction of traditions, approbation of innovative methods and techniques of writing of the European avant-garde, use of the resources of American non-academic art. The national genre roots of thematic phenomena have been identified in the process of studying music scores and audio recordings of works, which go back to the primary authentic layers and influence musical vocabulary, creating the foundation of its national identity: Creole cueca, tonada with Iberian origins and hemiole rhythmic archetypes, in particular, in the Sonata for guitar by H. Sanchez; elements of the Araucanian ritual chants of the indigenous Mapuche population in the Fourth Sonata by G. Becerra-Schmidt, as well as the rhythmic formula of the Afro-Brazilian batukada in the finale of the Third Sonata by G. Becerra-Schmidt. It was found that secondary genre and style layers are formed in line with European concert genres: sonatas, concerts, cycles, the compositional and dramatic profile of which changes under the influence of the organic nature of the musical material, its transcultural ethnic ties. Jazz and fusion music-making with elements of the Chilean musical is defined as an equally important genre-style resource. The interferential nature of the inheritance of the authentic cueca tradition through its modern versions created by the legendary Violeta Parra leads to targeted citations, allusions in modern guitar works. Analytically substantiated are the conclusions that thanks to the numerous mosaic carnival contrasts, the abundance of colorful ethno-genre mixtures of Iberian, Indian, African American folklore, to which it is possible to connect the poetics of fusion or experimental percussion techniques of sound production, the originality of the modern Chilean reconstruction of ancient traditions is formed. Such syntheses are due to the internal cultural and historical situation and artistic processes that take place on both sides of the Atlantic.

Whose History?: The Americas and Music Curricula in the United States

One moment from the much-discussed 2017 curriculum reform in the Music Department at Harvard University has stuck with me and transformed the way I approach teaching music in higher education. In one of the meetings leading up to the revision, graduate students in the department led an activity in which attendees—who included undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty alike—got into small groups and discussed the relative merits of three hypothetical models for the new undergraduate curriculum. Each of the models involved decentering to some extent the existing curriculum's emphasis on the history of Western European music and dominant music theoretical approaches to it. After a short while, we all gathered back together and one person from each group shared a bit about what had transpired. From the circle of desks nearest the door, an undergraduate student rose to speak and expressed enthusiasm for a broadening of curricular coverages. But, they said, their group also had some reservations about jettisoning the overall focus on Western European concert music altogether. “We still need to learn about our history,” they said, while a faculty member nodded behind them.

Is There A Need in a New «Concert of Great Powers»? Discussions in the American Expert Community

The world political system is recently passing through a period of rapid changes. Decades of Western dominance are coming to an end, while strengthening China and Russia are eroding the weakening western leadership and its liberal values. In order to reduce tensions between the great powers and prevent possible confrontation, Richard N. Haas and Charles I. Kupchan propose to create a modern edition of the "European Concert" of the 19th century. Their opponents claim that the experience of the past is not always relevant in the present, and the "concert" system will not work in the modern circumstances. The article reveals the arguments of both sides.

Unveröffentlichte Briefe Hans Richters an Johann Nepomuk Dunkl und Edmund von Mihalovich

As a conductor, Hans Richter was a particularly important figure of late nineteenth-and early twentieth-century European concert and operatic life. Despite his significance, however, his correspondence remained mostly unpublished up to these days. The present publication makes accessible the original German text of Rich-ter’s 1871 autobiography as well as his letters written to his Budapest friends, Johann Nepomuk Dunkl and Edmund von Mihalovich, in the period between 1874 and 1899, kept today at the Library of the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest.

European Security Architecture at the end of the XVIII – the first half of the XIX century

Taking into account the new dangerous challenges to the modern international legal order and security system, politicians and scholars are faced with the question of the timeliness and validity of the revision of established conceptual approaches to the construction of international and European security architecture. Since the beginning of the XXI century there are more and more calls to significantly update the current international order, its institutions, norms and rules, which emerged after 1945 (especially the UN Security Council). In this regard, the study of the evolution of previous systems of international relations and security systems based on them (in particular the Vienna system) is relevant and of a practical significance. Regarding the «European Concert» as a core of the Viennese architecture of European security (1815–1914) there is a general ambiguous attitude in historiography, which prevents it from being properly assessed, as well as to trace the evolution of the Vienna system, its relationship with subsequent international systems, to assess the possibility of using its elements to design future international systems. It determines the attention caused by the formation, development and decline of the Vienna system. One of the concepts that require to be reconsidered in this context is the «balance of power», the theoretical foundations of which were mainly formed during the Vienna system. Over time, the content of the concept of «balance of power» changed markedly and was supplemented with new elements, which caused the conceptual ambiguity of the term. As a result of the development of international relations, changes in approaches to global and regional security, there is a need for a critical analysis of the «balance of power», its new conceptual models that explain the behavior of world politics’ subjects.

CONFIDENCE: project description and main results

The project CONFIDENCE (COping with uNcertainties For Improved modelling and DEcision making in Nuclear emergenCiEs) performed research on identifying and reducing uncertainties in the release and post-release phases of an emergency. The project started in January 2017 as part of the European Joint Programme CONCERT. It brought together 31 partners from 18 countries and involved members of five European Radiation Protection Platforms namely ALLIANCE, EURADOS, MELODI, NERIS and SHARE. The work program included research on early phase modelling and monitoring considering weather, source term and monitoring uncertainties. Consideration of social, ethical and communication aspects was a key part of our activities. This comprised strategy development in the transition phase together with stakeholder interaction, understanding of the population and which uncertainties are relevant for decision-making. Finally, formal decision aiding techniques were investigated and tested.

From Feudal Law to Minority Rights: The Legal Metamorphosis of the Schleswig-Holstein Question

From a modern international law perspective, the referenda over Schleswig held in early 1920 would be framed in terms of minority rights and self-determination of peoples. However, the ‘Schleswig-Holstein question’, which had erupted into a series of armed conflicts challenging the European Concert for two decades during the mid-19th century, is deeply rooted in feudal law. It is thus linked to an ‘international law’ that was predominantly understood as defined by the interpersonal relations between the ruling monarchs and princes. This article traces the development of the ‘question’ over time in a changing legal environment, from its feudal origins over the instrumentalisation of historical documents in the context of German and Danish 19th-century nationalism to the Treaty of Versailles and the present day where it has finally become possible to normalise the ‘Schleswig-Holstein question’ by framing it in terms of minorities, autonomies, and referenda.

Maria Szymanowska as a recital pianist‑composer of the Romantic epoch

Maria Szymanowska as a recital pianist‑composer of the Romantic epoch

“De tormentas en el lenguaje”. Gli affanni identitari di Ceuta e Melilla

Abstract – The present paper aims to shed light on the linguistic contacts that take place in the Spanish offshoots of Ceuta and Melilla. The two cities, considered essential outposts in the colonial configuration of the then glorious empire, were subsequently incorporated – through a dubious juridical form – into the Spanish societal landscape. Their adhesion to the European concert had then expanded the space of interconnection between migrations, cultures and languages. In order to accurately analyze the linguistic and socio-political peculiarities of Ceuta and Melilla, it is necessary to start from the history of their identities, marked by the image of the fences, once built to defend them from invaders, today to stem the phenomenon of migration. The defensive barriers, in fact, have not hindered the transit of new expressions and linguistic forms, subsequently incorporated into the register of native speakers. What was the result of these encounters? Moreover: what is the impact on the already problematic Spanish identity issue? We intend to answer these questions, in attempt to describe – with clarity and disenchantment – the image of a nation in constant evolution, poised between its ancient pains and its aspirations for the future.

1815 in History: the European System and European Identity between Crises and Equilibrium in the Era of Modernity

In this article, the evolution of European idea in the context of international relations is analyzed. The author notes that the idea of Europe as a single whole begins to take shape already in the 17th century. The logical conclusion of this process takes place in 1815. The French revolution led to a deep break with the past. Figures and politicians of 1814—1815, having defeated Napoleon and dissolved his Empire, were faced with the task of redrawing the map of Europe. These were unprecedented in modern history opportunities and challenges. They recognized the need for frequent communication, developed a willingness to consider opinions from other points of view, and learned to appreciate the benefits of collaboration and moderation. These qualities, which supported the unity of the alliance in the struggle against Napoleon, were transferred to peacetime. The Vienna order outlived the Vienna system. The Vienna system has become the European Concert: embassy meetings continued to deal with crises; there was a constant respect for the territorial settlement in Vienna, albeit with periodic adjustments. Most importantly, a total war involving all the great powers at once was avoided for a whole century. If we trace the further evolution of the European system, then we will see the same scenario: the alternation of a new equilibrium and a new crisis. Thus, the balance achieved in 1815 was maintained throughout the 19th century, although in the last third it was significantly shaken by the emergence in the center of Europe of a powerful German Empire and the rapid strengthening of nationalism and particularism in Europe. The latter was an inevitable payment for the further development of the European system: in the 18th and first half of the 19th century, Europe, taken as a whole, was still solving the tasks of civilizational integration, and therefore the European general prevailed over the European particular. However, in the last third of the 19th — early 20th century, Europe really becomes a Europe of Nations and enters the deepest crisis in its history. This crisis has not been resolved either in the course of the First World War or in subsequent decades. In the 21th century, European diversity has reached a high degree of maturity, requiring a new historical version of European unity. Contemporary Europe will have to meet this challenge.

CONTEMPORARY MUSIC PRODUCT SELLING EXPERIENCE IN LATVIA AND EUROPE

During the age when outcomes of the creative process develop in a great diversity, the issue about product sales and appropriate marketing implementation becomes topical both in clients’ attraction and in the existing products competition from the side of culture organizations’ management. The aim of the research is on the basis of the analysis outcomes of the international and Latvian leading contemporary music festivals and concert organizers’ work experience determine the currently existing trends in contemporary music product sales, including the most appropriate marketing activities for clients’ attraction. Within the framework of research, the survey of managers and marketing specialists (in total 22, incl.13 foreign and 9 local organizers) of working organizations in the branch on Latvian and European scale and 138 listeners of contemporary music festivals and concerts in Latvia has been carried out. In the research it is discovered that contemporary music from the point of priority takes the second place in European concert organizers’ programmes and the third place from the point of interests among listeners in Latvia. The values included in the concert organizers’ products in Europe and Latvia – high level performers’ performance, an interesting programme and innovative content, coincide with the hearers’ main reasons for the choice of the event. Concert organizers in Latvia also see the significance in the offer of classical values, combining them with education and alternative content, but concert organizers in Europe – educating content in combination with alternative environment. The research outcomes reveal that contemporary music in Latvia is regularly consumed by about 40% of total listeners’ number, in Europe the regular consumers’ proportion reaches 50% listeners. In Latvia, despite the critical demographic situation, the tendency of concert attendance is increasing in comparison with other European countries, where it is assessed as firmly stable. According to the obtained data in the research, in the contemporary music product sales the most essential information channel is the social media, which is used for information acquisition by 43% listeners in Latvia, but for information provision it is used by 47% concert organizers in Latvia and 40% in Europe. In the Latvian concert organizers’ practice outdoor advertising (20%) is also popular and forms the point of listeners – posters (31%). Concert organizers in Europe create additional creative products for interest, apply public relations and the integrated marketing communication. The research outcomes have revealed the need for the concert organizers to focus on marketing communication and society’s education issues both in culture-policy of updates and collegial cooperation promotion among event creators in the branch for the contemporary music product sales. Keywords: culture product, contemporary music festival, concert organizers, marketing activities.