Research progress and process… still exploring themes

Germany through Classical Music

Originally I wanted to look at Germany identity through classical music, maybe look at how classical music has contributed to the German images of nationhood and collective identity. I imagine that Germany having produced the main players in classical music like Bach, Beethoven, Wagner and eventually more modern composers such as Schoenberg would find national pride in classical music, and perhaps use it as a platform to reform German identity after the war and after the wall. It would also be interesting to see how classical music was used throughout Germany’s history to define German identity. For example Hitler often exemplified Wagner as the German identity and rendered him a prophet in Hitler’s Third Reich. How did others use classical either as a form of inspiration or motivation to redefine Germany? How was classical music seen during the era of East and West Germany and how is it being used today to form identity after the wall?

Another area is to look at the evolution of classical music and how it has mirrored or responded to various points of German history. For example, maybe look at how WWI/WWII has inspired composers to explore new sounds and tonalities, or how the division between East and West affect the development of classical sound.

I also wanted to look at the role classical music plays in the everyday life of Berliners today. Maybe even look at the differences over generations. I’ve always felt that the average American don’t know and don’t have the appreciation for most classical music, perhaps because of its short history here in the U.S. However, growing up in Germany under the influence of the greatest classical composers must have had some kind of effect on identity building.

I have found some interesting articles regarding classical music in German culture, but I think I will have to hit the library for more in depth research.

Germany through Modern Visual Art

Another possibility that I am still considering to explore is modern or avant-garde art in Berlin. There were many turning points in the history of Germany and it would be interesting to see how artists of today’s day and age, of unified Germany, is looking at the past and how they have chose to express the past. A theme I was thinking was how modern artists are interpreting and representing the traumatic past of Germany, investigating its memories and significance, at the same time portraying present day Germany and perhaps even looking into the future. I think would be mostly looking at visual images and how modern or avant-garde artists are addressing complex issues that have preoccupied contemporary German artists.