Music in the American political experience, 1788-1865
Music is a familiar presence in the story of early American popular politics. But what motivated its political use? And how was its political function understood? To answer these questions I highlight a distinctively conservative strain of American musical thought and action and trace its development from the early national period through to the end of the Civil War. Doing so runs against the grain of an existing literature that typically explains political music in the United States as an inevitable by-product of democratisation. Here I show instead that conservative elites also used music specifically to militate against the dangers of a mass political party system. A string of conservative Americans â from Federalist elites to Whig party politicos, social reformers, and Confederate women â all shared both scepticism of unchecked popular democracy and belief in music's capacity to mitigate its excesses. To their minds, music could inject a sense of propriety and refinement into public life, cast an air of patriotism and respectability over partisan political participation, and harmonise a fractious society in support of elite values. The identification of this trend challenges modern notions of musicâs
Coleman, W. H.
Music in the American political experience, 1788-1865. Music is a familiar presence in the story of early American popular politics. But what motivated its political use? And how was its political function understood? To answer these questions I highlight a distinctively conservative strain of American musical thought and action and trace its development from the early national period through to the end of the Civil War. Doing so runs against the grain of an existing literature that typically explains political music in the United States as an inevitable by-product of democratisation. Here I show instead that conservative elites also used music specifically to militate against the dangers of a mass political party system. A string of conservative Americans â from Federalist elites to Whig party politicos, social reformers, and Confederate women â all shared both scepticism of unchecked popular democracy and belief in music's capacity to mitigate its excesses. To their minds, music could inject a sense of propriety and refinement into public life, cast an air of patriotism and respectability over partisan political participation, and harmonise a fractious society in support of elite values. The identification of this trend challenges modern notions of musicâs
music american political experience music familiar presence story early american popular_politics motivate political use political function understood answer_question highlight distinctively conservative strain american musical think_action trace_development civil_war run grain exist_literature typically explain political music united_states inevitable product democratisation show instead conservative elite also use music specifically danger mass political_party system string conservative americans elites whig party politico social_reformer woman share scepticism popular democracy belief music capacity mitigate excess mind music could sense refinement public_life cast air patriotism respectability partisan political_participation fractious society support elite value identification trend challenge modern notion music