Hearing war in symphonies and symphonies in war

Musical history is endless. This means there’s always a song for someone, something, and sometimes. During wartime too, music prevailed in revolutionary forms. Just as poetry is intimately entwined with war (referred to as “war poetry” in literature), classical music also found its way into the commotions of war. While a portion of these classical music tunes comforted the public, some were used for celebration and propaganda, and others came back from the past to be symbols of resistance. Let us take a moment here and relive some revolutionary pieces of classical music that markedly changed the expression of how people felt war.

1812 Overture - The one that used cannons.

Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, Op.49, leaves an indelible mark in war and music combined. Tchaikovsky was commissioned to create the piece for commemorating the spirit of victory, that of the Russian Empire against Napoleon’s armies during the 1812 Russian campaign. Napoleon’s army invaded Russia (led by Tsar Alexander I) in an absolutely intense and bloody scene where both parties fought equally strong. The bloodiest of the Napoleonic wars, the French invasion of Russia had been a turning point for Napoleon. Tchaikovsky had to sum up the whole experience – the energy, the people, the sweet pride, and the tempestuous fight. Simply said, it had to be a 100% epic. Using the vigour of the orchestra to tell a story of battle and nationalism, Tchaikovsky’s intent was clear – he was going to make it epic, unforgettable, and live. Out came the 1812 Overture, blasting real cannons (specifically 16 cannon shots), loud cathedral bells, brass, percussion, strings, and woodwinds in an ultimate sonic spectacle. The overture describes the story in detail, beginning from a hymn sung by cellos and violas through to the cinematic finale, ending with the Russian imperial anthem “God save the Czar”.

Fun Fact:

Tchaikovsky hated the song, considered it noisy and without serious merits. 

5th Symphony - The one the radio wouldn’t shut up about.

During the era of the world wars, radio was one of the most crucial tools for communicating information. Radio relay was a revolution in the military during World War II. For a special reason, Ludwig van Beethoven, too, sprang up as a frequent subject on the radio during World War II. In Britain, his Symphony No. 5 became a sign for victory. The opening of the symphony’s first movement features a motif: the first four notes (duh-duh-duh-duhm) correspond to the letter V in Morse code (dot-dot-dot-dash). The Allied forces used this code (meaning victory), and hence this pattern (short-short-short-long) was played repeatedly by the BBC before their news broadcasts. For the people, hearing Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony on the radio thus signified hope, solidarity, solace, and resistance, as all prayed for an end to the devastation. It is also ironic that this song by a German composer became part of Allied propaganda. The Allied powers continuously used Symphony No. 5 to signal victories on their side against the Axis powers. After the war, the symphony was sometimes referred to as the “Victory Symphony”.

Polonaise Militaire - the one that’s quite absolutely ‘military’

Over in Poland, Chopin’s “Military” Polonaise was also a radio favourite. Polonaise in A Major, Op. 40, No.1, is a solo piano piece, written by Chopin in 1838, known for its intense military march-like quality, a whole sense of procession. Polonaise is a processional ballroom dance of Polish origin. Loud, jubilant, and fast, this particular polonaise jumps straight into work, invoking the martial spirit of Polish knights. It became a symbol of pride in Poland and served as a reflection of the sufferings (Poland has a long history of being invaded and oppressed) the country had gone through. While all of Chopin’s polonaises involve patriotic dialogue, it was in 1939 when the piece renewed itself with greater meaning. During Germany’s invasion of Poland in 1939, this piece was broadcasted daily in Polskie radio, Poland’s national radio broadcasting organisation) to rally the Polish people. In fact, performances of Chopin’s songs were banned by German authorities during the war for it was a powerful symbol of Polish nationalism and instilled the quest for freedom.

Fun fact:

Chopin wrote his first ever polonaise when he was only 7 years old!

Leningrad Symphony – the one that was real-time revolutionary.

Leningrad was a Soviet city (currently known as St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city) that had faced a gruelling siege during World War II. For almost two and a half years, the city was besieged, leading to a terrible and destructive famine. While Leningrad was going through the darkest of times, Dmitri Shostakovich was living there and served as a volunteer firefighter. He had witnessed the nasty war firsthand and wrote Symphony No. 7 in C Major, Op. 60, giving expression to the emotional perseverance, desperation, and survival which he saw around. In 1942, the symphony premiered while the city was still under siege. The famine had lasted so long that many members of the ensembles and orchestras passed away because of it during rehearsals. Despite tragedies, the song was performed in multiple Soviet cities as a symbol of strength and resilience, thereby becoming a memoir of grief. There is a recurring, haunting drumbeat in the middle that grows louder as it goes, reflecting in real-time the reality of the invasion.

Träumerei – the one that dreamed and marked the end.

In relation to war, the melody of Träumerei expresses a severe humanistic and transitional character out of all the pieces we have talked about here. Written by Robert Schumann in 1838, Träumerei is the 7th piece from his piano work named Kinderszenen, Op.15 (Scenes from Childhood). The word means dreaming, and like a whole dream the song heals. Listening to Träumerei is like a nostalgic journey and after all the destruction of war, everyone needed healing. In 1945, at the end of World War II, it was selected to be played in the background during a moment of silence in remembrance of the victims of war. The piece touched themes of loss and memory. Due to its emotional weight, the song continues to stir the heart, and for a long time, it was often played during memorial ceremonies.

While every song discussed here has a heavy story to tell, take a deep breath and reflect on how powerful and meaningful music is to humanity. Each piece of classical music here gives expression to different aspects of war and, most importantly, does not silence the brutality of war. Whether it is a song of celebration or grief, one can still see the effects and raw processes of war inside it. Music overrides darkness and gives feeling. Feelings that travel outside from within the war and places the stem of hope, memory and lesson inside our palms. Feeling that can change the despair of a wasteland.