Monday, July 06, 2009
Arthur Fiedler, Villain
I have stated in this space before that my number one Fourth of July pet peeve is the insistent playing of Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" during fireworks shows. It's the most patriotic time of year, when we all gather together to celebrate our country and its greatness, and we listen to a performance of Russian music that celebrates Russia's victory over Napoleon, complete with excerpts of the French national anthem "La Marseillaise" and Russia's former national anthem "God Save the Czar." I mean, really. Just because it has cannonfire doesn't mean you have to do it while other things are going boom. 
I was just discussing this with Shelly, and decided it was time to get to the source of the problem. Shelly asked the astute question: "Whose idea was it to start playing the '1812 Overture' with fireworks on the Fourth of July?" We kind of understand why the decision was made (Boom! Ha ha! Boom!), but who is the culprit?
Google led me to a very enlightening article from July 4, 2003 in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Your culprit, ladies and gentlemen: Legendary Boston Pops conductor Arthur Fiedler.
Apparently on July 4, 1974, Fiedler took it upon himself to perform the "1812 Overture" on the Esplanade, and the idea stuck. He sorta looks like the kind of guy who would betray America's values in the thick of the Cold War, doesn't he? I mean, that mustache is pretty slick, even for the '70s.
So while the article argues that Tchaikovsky's work is now "as American as apple pie," I still find its very literal elements of Russian vs. French warfare quite unamerican.
I was just discussing this with Shelly, and decided it was time to get to the source of the problem. Shelly asked the astute question: "Whose idea was it to start playing the '1812 Overture' with fireworks on the Fourth of July?" We kind of understand why the decision was made (Boom! Ha ha! Boom!), but who is the culprit?
Google led me to a very enlightening article from July 4, 2003 in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Your culprit, ladies and gentlemen: Legendary Boston Pops conductor Arthur Fiedler.
Apparently on July 4, 1974, Fiedler took it upon himself to perform the "1812 Overture" on the Esplanade, and the idea stuck. He sorta looks like the kind of guy who would betray America's values in the thick of the Cold War, doesn't he? I mean, that mustache is pretty slick, even for the '70s.
So while the article argues that Tchaikovsky's work is now "as American as apple pie," I still find its very literal elements of Russian vs. French warfare quite unamerican.
Comments:
Props to the current conductor of the Boston Pops, Keith Lockhart, for defying his evil predecessor's trend and NOT performing the "1812 Overture" this year. Bravo!
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