Re: Carl Orff

[Leopold N Friedman <apikoyros...>]

Dan,
I would hope that your research paper cited the name of the person 
who wrote the article on Orff for the New Grove Dictionary and didn't
just accept the authority of the Dictionary as sufficient.  I've read
that
Orff was definitely "associated" with the Nazis. Whether that implies
ideological involvement or crass opportunism or cowardice, it is not
something to be proud of alongside his musical achievements. 
I would also hope that your faculty advisor would have reminded you 
that a proper noun like "nazi" is customarily capitalized. 

Finally, I would hope that he or she would have made a note in your paper

where you wrote "Because of the nazi's (sic), thousands of original
documents, 
books, instruments, music, costumes and records were lost forever."
That  note would have said something like "and that's not all."

I acknowledged that I didn't have anything but secondary references to 
Orff's being a Nazi; I cited Kater's relatively recent and well-received
book in the hope that someone would have it handy and could summarize 
Kater's assessment of Orff to clarify if not support or refute those
claims.
Until then, perhaps
http://www2.h-net.msu.edu/~german/articles/dennis1.html
will do.

Lee

On Tue, 30 Oct 2001 20:59:09 -0600 Daniel Hart Perelstein
<daniel(dot)h(dot)perelstein (at) lawrence(dot)edu> writes:
>         My sophomore year in college I did a project on Carl Orff.  
> It is true
> that he has been associated with the nazi's (his father was in a 
> nazi
> military band, but he was never very good!), but he himself never 
> wanted
> to be associated with the nazi's.
> 
>         "Orff was not a member of the party at any time and 
> entertained towards
> it no feelings of ideological sympathy. Nor were there among his 
> closest
> friends any supporters of the Nazi regime's ideology."
>         (New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians)
> 
>         "Unfortunately, in 1944 the Guntherschule (Orff's school) 
> was closed
> due to unstable political conditions, and one year later the 
> building
> and everything inside it was bombed and destroyed.  Because of the
> nazi's, thousands of original documents, books, instruments, music,
> costumes and records were lost forever."
>         (Carl Orff: a Man with a Lesson Plan. 2000 Dan Perelstein)
> 
>         Carl Orff was an incredible music educator, and made huge 
> strides in
> the advancement of early childhood arts.
> 
>         If anyone would like a copy of my research paper on Carl 
> Orff, please
> email me at <daniel(dot)h(dot)perelstein (at) lawrence(dot)edu> and I will 
> gladly 
> send it
> to you.
> 
> Thanks,
> Dan
> 
> apikoyros (at) juno(dot)com wrote:
> > 
> > It's no reflection on the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band, (a gig is a 
> gig) but I am struck by the fact that the concert hall where they 
> are performing is named in honor of Carl Orff.
> > 
> > I don't have a copy of Michael H. Kater's
> > "Composers of the Nazi Era: Eight Portraits" to consult for more 
> details on him, but what I know of Orff indicates that he was an 
> enthusiastic Nazi (and a brilliant musician-educator). He is not 
> responsible for his music having been overused in the popular media, 
> of course, but I still find it as difficult to appreciate as the 
> Ride of the Valkyries, for similar reasons.
> > 
> > Then again, the concert hall IS in Munich, Germany.
> > Why he is still being honored is the question.
> > 
> > Lee
> > 
> > ---------- MaxwellSt (at) aol(dot)com writes:
> > 
> > Maxwell Street Klezmer Band will be performing in the Carl-Orff 
> Hall in
> > Munich, Germany on Saturday night, Nov. 17, 7 PM, as part of a 
> week-long
> > Jewish music festival.  If any musician is in the 'hood, please 
> drop by to
> > say hi!  (or get together after the show)....
> > 
> > Lori Lippitz
> > 
> > ________________________________________________________________
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> 
> ---------------------- jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org 
> ---------------------+
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