{"id":2546,"date":"2023-07-24T12:30:12","date_gmt":"2023-07-24T10:30:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.popularbeethoven.com\/?p=2546"},"modified":"2023-07-24T12:35:16","modified_gmt":"2023-07-24T10:35:16","slug":"the-cultural-impact-of-the-french-revolution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.popularbeethoven.com\/the-cultural-impact-of-the-french-revolution\/","title":{"rendered":"The cultural impact of the French Revolution"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every July (14<\/span>th<\/span> July) France celebrates its <\/span>F\u00eate nationale fran\u00e7aise, <\/i><\/span>the French National Holiday. <\/span>I<\/span>n English-speaking countries the <\/span>Bastille Day <\/i><\/span><\/a>(<\/span>since <\/span>1789). It is the day of the storming of the Bastille, a major event during the French Revolution. Like so many social changes in history this one also <\/span>was<\/span> rooted in economic crisis, or <\/span>hunger<\/i><\/span> being the name on the streets. After a stormy period covered with blood, on 4th August 1789 feudalism was abolished and on the 26th the <\/span>Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen <\/i><\/span><\/a>(D\u00e9claration des Droits de l’Homme et du Citoyen) was proclaimed. <\/span><\/p>\n

How the Revolution influenced culture and arts?<\/span><\/h3>\n

The French Revolution had significant impact on culture, both in France and beyond. <\/span>Nationalism<\/b><\/span> was a strong driving force behind the changes. A new, unified French nation, and this idea of national identity was reflected in art, literature, and music. Painter-propagandist Jacques-Louis David<\/a>, also member of the National Convention, coordinated the utilization of these ancient or new symbols. <\/span><\/p>\n

The red-white-blue tricolor appeared not only as <\/span>cockades<\/b><\/span> or <\/span>flag<\/b><\/span>, but also in the radically changing <\/span>fashion<\/b><\/span>, too. Ornate costumes of the aristocracy had largely disappeared by 1791. Women stopped wearing hooped skirts and large headdresses, while men abandoned the use of powdered wigs. Simple and restrained dress, previously worn by the working class, became the fashion.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Dressing
Dress of the sans-culottes<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Language<\/b><\/span> of everyday life also underwent significant changes. Instead of <\/span>Monsieur<\/i><\/span> and <\/span>Madame <\/i><\/span>the term <\/span>citizen <\/i><\/span>was the way to address each other. <\/span>Bows<\/b><\/span>, curtseys and the doffing of hats were all abandoned. <\/span><\/p>\n

Subject matter<\/b><\/span> in art shifted towards practical, social or political subjects, common in all to manifest the <\/span>spirit of the <\/i><\/span>R<\/i><\/span>evolution<\/i><\/span>. Artists embraced the <\/span>neoclassical style<\/b><\/span>, which put emphasis on noble themes, virtue and personal sacrifice, mostly inspired by ancient Greece and Rome.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Revolution found its way also into <\/span>literature, poetry and music<\/b><\/span>. The tone of these works started out as moderate and optimistic, but following the Revolution itself, later became violent and radical. The most famous of all revolutionary songs, was the <\/span>La Marseillaise<\/i><\/span><\/a>, written in 1792 by army engineer Rouget de Lisle. It was so popular that in 1795 was adopted as the French national anthem.<\/span><\/p>\n\nhttps:\/\/www.popularbeethoven.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/La_Marseillaise.ogg<\/a><\/audio>\n

 <\/p>\n

How the French Revolution influenced Beethoven and his music?<\/span><\/h3>\n

Although Beethoven as adult lived in Vienna, his home town for his first twenty years <\/span>used to be<\/span> Bonn. This city, despite speaking German and being part of the Holy Roman Empire<\/a>, was closer in spirit to Paris than to Vienna (capital of the Empire). Young Beethoven, as a consequence, was heavily exposed to the Enlightenment<\/a> and the ideas leading up to the French Revolution. This spark was brought inside him to the heart of the Empire and he let it manifest in his music. Igor Stravinsky<\/a> wrote about him, <\/span><\/p>\n

“Beethoven is the friend and contemporary of the French Revolution, and he remained faithful to it even when, during the Jacobin dictatorship, humanitarians with weak nerves of the Schiller type turned from it, preferring to destroy tyrants on the theatrical stage with the help of cardboard swords. Beethoven, that plebeian genius, who proudly turned his back on emperors, princes and magnates – that is the Beethoven we love for his unassailable optimism, his virile sadness, for the inspired pathos of his struggle, and for his iron will which enabled him to seize destiny by the throat.”<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Singing
Singing of La Marseillaise<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Covering th<\/span>is<\/span> subject in <\/span>completeness <\/span>is beyond the frames of this article, but we can narrow it down to a few interesting points. <\/span><\/p>\n

We know that the <\/span>ideas of the <\/b><\/span>R<\/b><\/span>evolution resonated<\/b><\/span> with Beethoven, especially <\/span>freedom and equality<\/b><\/span>, the belief in the <\/span>power of the individual<\/b><\/span> to shape history. His music similarly breaks from the constrains of the classical music forms, expanding the possibilities of expression through his use of innovative techniques and emotional depth.<\/span><\/p>\n

Flow of information in those times w<\/span>as<\/span> slow and often difficult, nevertheless Beethoven followed the developments in France. We know he was in contact with diplomats, musicians and other intellectuals traveling to or via Vienna. We also know <\/span>that <\/span>he <\/span>was in possession of<\/span> musical scores of the Revolution. <\/span><\/p>\n

Paramount proof <\/span>of<\/span> his feelings towards the developments in France was his Third Symphony, the so called <\/span>Eroica<\/b><\/i><\/span><\/a> (Hero). Based on incomplete and often confusing news, like many others, he had the impression that Napoleon was the defender of the Revolution and human rights. With this in mind he created a truly revolutionary music that <\/span>he dedicated to Napoleon<\/b><\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>Eroica<\/i><\/span> was a groundbreaking work that opened the doorway to Beethoven\u2019s <\/span>new path<\/i><\/span> in his composing. Only the first movement is longer in time than the usual four-movement symphonies of the era. The score is so complex and difficult to play that the musicians who had to play it were shocked <\/span>at first<\/span>. Another novelty was the introduction of a <\/span>theme<\/i><\/span>, a <\/span>message <\/i><\/span>that the music was supposed to say. In this case a hero, who struggles for <\/span>a <\/span>revolution. The music is full with clashes, victories and defeats, heroism and death. It is the Revolution itself. <\/span><\/p>\n

When in 1804 the news broke in Vienna about Napoleon becoming Emperor, Beethoven was devastated. In his anger he <\/span>crossed out his dedication<\/b><\/span> and changed the name to <\/span>Eroica \u2013 in the memory of a great man<\/i><\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Eroica
Title page of the Eroica with the crossed out name: Bonaparte<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Beethoven\u2019s <\/span>Fifth Symphony<\/b><\/i><\/span><\/a> is another piece of music about struggle and triumph. The well known first four notes and some of the popular musical themes, <\/span>many believe,<\/span> may have roots in French revolutionary songs. <\/span><\/p>\n

His only opera <\/span>Fidelio<\/b><\/i><\/span><\/a>, <\/i><\/span>beside the romantic line in the story, also has revolutionary overtones. Look no further than the singing chorus of the political prisoners approaching daylight from their dungeons: <\/span><\/p>\n

“Oh what joy, in the open air <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Freely to breathe again!<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Up here alone is life!<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

The dungeon is a grave.\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

His final and his biggest statement is in his last, the <\/span>Ninth Symphony<\/b><\/i><\/span><\/a>. This is based on Schiller\u2019s famous <\/span>Ode to Joy<\/i><\/span>, a hymn to the humanist utopia of the equality of all humankind. In the famous choral part says, <\/span>Alle Menschen werden Br\u00fcder <\/i><\/span>(<\/span>All people become brothers<\/i><\/span>), which can be understood as Beethoven\u2019s final message to humanity. The Ninth is often called the <\/span>The Marseillaise of Humanity.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Related articles<\/h3>
  1. \"Rehearsals,<\/a><\/div>
    Rehearsals, premiere and reception of Beethoven\u2019s Eroica Symphony<\/a><\/div><\/li>
  2. \"What<\/a><\/div>
    What did Beethoven think of Napoleon Bonaparte?<\/a><\/div><\/li>
  3. \"Beethoven<\/a><\/div>
    Beethoven and Marshal Bernadotte<\/a><\/div><\/li>
  4. \"What<\/a><\/div>
    What is special about Beethoven's Fifth Symphony?<\/a><\/div><\/li>
  5. \"Beethoven<\/a><\/div>
    An unlikely friendship: Beethoven and Baron de Tr\u00e9mont<\/a><\/div><\/li>
  6. \"Napoleon<\/a><\/div>
    The history of Beethoven's Third Symphony (Eroica)<\/a><\/div><\/li><\/ol><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Every July (14th July) France celebrates its F\u00eate nationale fran\u00e7aise, the French National Holiday. In English-speaking countries the Bastille Day (since 1789). It is the day of the storming of the Bastille, a major event during the French Revolution. Like so many social changes in history this one also was rooted in economic crisis, or hunger being the name on … <\/p>\n

    Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2559,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[50,87],"class_list":["post-2546","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-discover","tag-beethoven-eroica","tag-music-history"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.popularbeethoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2546"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.popularbeethoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.popularbeethoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.popularbeethoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.popularbeethoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2546"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.popularbeethoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2546\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2566,"href":"https:\/\/www.popularbeethoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2546\/revisions\/2566"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.popularbeethoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2559"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.popularbeethoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2546"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.popularbeethoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2546"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.popularbeethoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2546"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}