Enlightenment, Freedom, and Music
4th of July Edition - Part 1
This article is the first of a two-part series contemplating my Nation’s annual celebration of its Declaration of Independence. It will be my 57th year of experiencing Northern Minnesota lake country combined with 4th of July festivities. For those unfamiliar with this ritual, it involves lots of sun, boating, barbeque with friends and family at an ancestral lake home and concludes with a pontoon ride at dusk to watch the fireworks display launched from a barge on the water. Sitting directly underneath a fireworks display is a sight to behold and an experience not soon forgotten. These essays are my contemporary reflections of the significance of this Independence Day celebration.
I will also take this moment to thank my subscribers and supporters and wish all a safe and happy 4th of July.
The pianoforte was invented in 1700 by Bartolomeo Cristofori (1655-1731.) Antonio Stradivari (1644- 1737) created his best violins between the years of 1700 to 1725. These fantastical musical instruments appeared during the mid-Baroque period and the great compositions of Bach, Purcell and Handel brought them to life. I can only assume that the people privileged enough to hear those life performances were as mesmerized by the experience as I am some 250 years later. From there, the classical masters of Mozart, Schubert, Haydn, Clementi, and Beethoven synchronize the beautiful instruments into sonatas and symphonies so glorious that students, musicians and orchestras continue to perform the compositions to this day.
It was no mere accident that this golden age of classical music coincides with the western era known as the “Age of Enlightenment.” That time, also referred to as the “Age of Reason”, is generally associated with the death of Louis XIV Of France in 1715 and ended with the French Revolution in 1789. The Age of Reason ushered in such concepts as Natural Law, Liberty, Constitutional governments and the separation of church and state. It is therefore no surprise that during a time of liberation, the United States first declared its independence from England in 1776 and subsequently won independence by 1783. In the sweltering summer heat of 1787, these United States of America convened the Constitutional Convention that produced the greatest single governing document for the advancement of freedom in human history.
My generation may have been the last that was compelled to memorize and recite both the preamble to the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. For me, it was around 8th grade civics that I was tasked to preform that patriotic duty. For those younger than Gen. X and in honor of our upcoming 4th of July celebration of our Declaration of Independence, I have reprinted both:
In Congress, July 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
Preamble to the Constitution of the United States of America
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
History has shown that in times of freedom and enlightenment, tremendous advancement of the human spirit is achieved. I contend that those rare moments in the timeline of human existence are accompanied with beautiful art and music. The classical music of the mid-18th century was inspired by a western culture steeped in the notion of Natural Law and the belief that inalienable rights was a higher order. Thus, liberty was Divinely ordered and subjugation to the state was an abomination.
Fast forward to a more previous era of music. And by this, I mean the era of classical rock music. If Baroque was the precursor to classical music of the 1700's, then American Blues led the way towards rock and roll. I am in no way a music scholar and I'm not here to argue the evolution of American music. I am, however, pointing out the era of classical music and the era of classical rock music follow a particular political pattern, A pattern that acknowledges the limitation of subjects under state control and their proliferation of creativity by people liberated from tyrannical control.
Classical rock music, which I will place roughly between the years of 1964 to 1984 came at a particular time of freedom. The post World War II years, especially in the non-war-torn United States, in conjunction with the automobile, led to unprecedented sense of freedom. Freedom from oppressive fascist and imperial governance combined with rapidly expanding economic stability and the ability to travel freely via the automobile and emerging airline industry was unprecedented in the world. And, in that pre-internet time of free spirit, the West produced a tremendous volume of rock music from multiple countries around the globe.
Those were indeed simpler times, as radio stations up and down the dial played rock music. (WKRP goes Rock and Roll) Rock music became the vehicle for television programming, movie scores and ultimately music videos. The mere mentioned of the movie, The Graduate, recalls the soundtrack by Simon and Garfunkel. Can anyone think of the opening scene of Caddy shack without its corresponding theme song by Kenny Loggins, “I’m Alright” (Intro to Caddy Shack)?
The staying power of a musical era can be measured by how often it is utilized in our current culture. Countless symphonies, chamber orchestras and musical recitals perform the Musical compositions from the classical music period of Mozart, Beethoven, etc. In our current, post classic rock era, it is not the contemporary musicians that find their way into our movie soundtracks but the classic songs of yesteryear. Having just watched Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, I was struck by how much that modern trilogy relied on a familiar “play mix” from the 1970s. In that Marvel Universe, they created amazing space traveling machines, yet our heroes fought the evil villains, not to their own brand of liberating music, but to our freedom induced rock and roll.
On a separate tribute to classic rock music, I recently discovered that the Swedish rock band ABBA has had an 18-month sold out show in London. Using hologram technology that transports the now aged rock performers back to their heyday of 1979, the avatar looking rock band performs before live audiences. (see trailer for ABBA Voyage) My guess is we will see continued productions like this with our favorite classic rock era bands as audiences continue to associate with that era's liberty inspiring musical genre. The fact that people will spend top dollar to witness a computer generated “live” concert of ageless rock performers is a testament to the time of the music more then the quality of the performers.
I'm not here to criticize that newer performers in the rock genre are not talented. Ms. Taylor Swift is in town this evening for two sold out shows. And many other talented artists and musicians have had great success following the classic rock artists. And just like the artists of (insert classic artists 1800 to 1900) are notable still performed, our current pop music legends we'll be remembered and performed. But they will never reach the iconic status of their forefathers. Because there is a uniqueness that occurs in the course of human history when enlightenment mixed with freedom creates epic music. And that formula cannot be re-synthesized in a studio and marketed to the masses. It comes from a much deeper place, an internal place.
Where a nation conspires to limit freedom, whether at the barrel of a gun or by a slow and methodical progressive march of soft tyranny, the music of the day reflects the state action. The music is not innovative as in the two previous examples of enlightenment but is reflexive by drumming up music from the past and rebranding as part of the progressive movement. Hitler fashioned Wagner (1813-1883) as the Third Reich’s champion. And, good heavens, could we please get a republican rally that doesn’t have a 20-minute rendition of Lee Greenwood’s, “I’m Proud to be and American!”
*Part 2 of my essay will tie my theses to what it means to celebrate the 4th of July in contemporary terms. Stay tuned…