“Sounding the Spaces between Two Worlds: Rupture, Resistance, and Revival in (Re)Membering German and American History”
Sounds of Two Worlds:
Music as a Mirror of Migration
to and from Germany
September 13 and 14, 2002
Memorial
Union, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Free and open to the public
Philip V. Bohlman
“Sounding the Spaces between Two Worlds: Rupture, Resistance, and Revival
in (Re)Membering German and American History”
The “two worlds” of this conference possess not one meaning, but
many for Germany and the United States. The cultural world of the “center”
contrasts with the “periphery.” The historical worlds of the past
remain nostalgically distant from the present. Nationalist repertories conflict
with those giving voice to the voiceless. How does music negotiate between these
two worlds? In this talk I answer that question with musics that sound the spaces
between two worlds, drawing on the local—German musics in Wisconsin and
the Upper Midwest—and the global—the musics of “other” Germans
seeking a place in modern history.
[On-Line
Paper]
Alan Burdette
“A German-American Singing Society in the Early Twenty-First Century”
German-American singing societies in the United States declined significantly in number and in political influence after the United States entered World War I. Yet today many of these groups continue to be active, to recruit new members, and to maintain an active social life. This paper will examine one such organization, the Germania Männerchor of Evansville, Indiana, and discuss how they maintain their membership, their club hall, and a connection to a Germanic cultural heritage. In the end, this unique organization uses the resources of its history to create something relevant and powerful for members today.
Ursula Hemetek
“Music of Minorities in Austria: A ‘National Heritage’?”
Should the obvious cultural diversity of Austria be considered a national heritage?
This paper will try to answer this question by examining the several types of
minority music in Austria, while also considering the situation in Germany and
Switzerland. There are the so-called authochthonous minorities that have preserved
their culture over several hundred years as well as the immigrant cultures of
the last thirty years. While the aspects of assimilation and transculturation
are important for each community, each one handles these aspects very differently.
The presentation will also examine how the dominant group handles cultural diversity.
History, politics, and social circumstances all play a role. Musical examples
from several types of minority music, including the Burgenland Croats, the Roma,
as well as Turkish and Bosnian immigrants will be utilized.
[On-Line
Paper]
Introduction | Presenters'
Biographies | Performing Groups | Program
Schedule | Conference
Papers |
Teachers' Workshop | Sponsors
Report on the Conference