Making Music in Madrid during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)

Abstract

This thesis offers the first in-depth critical account of the performance of art and concert music in Madrid during the Spanish Civil War (1936-39). It debunks the view—still held by many—that concert life ground to a halt as a result of the outbreak of war and resumed after the victory of Franco’s Nationalist troops. It argues that music played an active and important role throughout the conflict and was inseparably tied to the politics and propaganda of war as well as to the preservation and defence of the legitimately founded Republic. It demonstrates how the horrors of war were reconciled with the day-to-day reality and how music and culture were used for leisure and entertainment. It considers the modalities the relationship between music and propaganda acquired and discusses the political and social uses of music directly related to the war. In reconstructing music-making in Madrid during this period, this thesis documents the existence of a vibrant musical culture during the conflict for the very first time. This activity embraced many forms, from stage music to band and instrumental music and is presented thematically, rather than chronologically. Following an explanation of the Republican entities set up to administer and control music, individual chapters are devoted to zarzuela and revista, opera and incidental music, band music, orchestral music and chamber music (incorporating radio and political song). Together, these six chapters reflect the breadth and depth of music making in Madrid and combine to give a rich overview of the city’s musical soundscape during the war. They reveal the range and extent to which music was used, whether as pure entertainment and distraction or as a weapon, for political, propagandistic or educational purposes. Ultimately, each chapter underscores the Republican government’s involvement in the defence and promotion of art music—irrespective of genre—and music’s role in harbouring the strength of the population in the fight against fascism. The documentation of music making in Madrid during the war, as established in this thesis, is primarily based on a granular examination of the vast left-wing press published in the city during this period. By scouring through all of the city’s daily newspapers and numerous journals, I provide a wealth of documentary evidence of the continuation of concert life in Madrid, thus filling a major lacuna in the scholarly literature. The thesis makes an original contribution to knowledge of music and the Spanish Civil War, both for a Spanish and an international audience. It also furthers the study of cultural production in a conflict zone as well as the area of music, war and politics in general.