A potent force that has the ability to unite or divide people, countries and empires It is a celebration of a common cultural and national heritage People tend to share common ties such as: Language Ethnicity Territory Religion
What’s the difference?
National Anthems Songs that honor a country by celebrating historic events in a people’s history. They allow people to identify strongly with the nations they originate from People began to show love of their country by creating anthems, flags, and songs
The first step of nationalism occurred when all the people in a country became loyal to one person- the monarch The first monarchs established powerful kingdoms in France, Spain, England, and Portugal Gradually, people in each country began to be loyal also their language, history, and culture They were becoming loyal to their nations
In the late eighteenth century, French Revolution furthered the growth of nationalism. After the French king and queen were executed, people shifted their loyalty to their nation. They showed how strongly they felt about France by creating a national flag (the tricolor) and a national anthem (Le Marseilles) Ironically, Napoleon banned the singing of the national anthem. He wanted the French people to be loyal to him, not to France (Hitler too!)
As Napoleon conquers Europe, he inadvertently spreads nationalism In the regions of Germany and Italy, nationalism united areas that had not been united under one government for centuries. In other countries, such as Spain and Russia, nationalism was used as a tool to drive out the French armies.
Writers and poets of the nineteenth century had much to do with the spread of nationalism. These people were called romantics, or followers of romanticism. This movement placed great value on feelings and on the past. An ethnic group is a group of people who share the same language and culture.
Romanticism helped to bring about a cultural revival, (which is a renewed interest in the history and customs of a group) amongst ethnic groups in Europe. A group of German writers began to write in German about Germany’s past. Among these were Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Friedrich Schiller, and the brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm.
In eastern Europe, people began collecting their own people’s folktales and ballads as well as popular songs. They studied the ethnic languages and wrote grammars and dictionaries of them (the purpose? To provide standardization and overcome differences in dialect) Histories told of the heroic deeds of the peoples of Europe during the Middle Ages.
The writer who helped to develop a spirit of nationalism in Italy was Giuseppe Mazzini. He wrote that ethnic groups in Europe had the right to rule themselves (exactly what the Congress of Vienna had warned against. Why?) His most widely read book was called On the Duties of Man The theme: It is only through our country that we can have a recognized collective existence (that we can be seen as one group)
The spirit of nationalism also affected the musical composers of the 1800s. Each ethnic group had a national composer whose music would speak for the many who yearned to be united and free. Italy- Giuseppe Verdi, Great opera composer Russia- Peter Tchaikovsky, the 1812 Overture
A German composer whose operas stirred the feelings of nationalism in his country was Richard Wagner. He admired everything German, especially German history, myths, and literature. This love is shown in the music he wrote. His great national opera was called The Ring of the Nibelung. It tells of a story of gods, goddesses, heroes, villains, giants, dwarfs, etc. (Basically, just think Lord of the Rings).
It took centuries for nationalism to take hold in Europe, but once it did, Europe would never be the same again. Books, newspapers, and even songs reminded people of their desire to belong to one nation. Nationalism would have the dual effect of either drawing a country together or tearing it apart. The examples we will be using- Germany and the Austrian Empire.
Which is better, Italian or German national music?