When the First World War broke out in 1914, the musical world did not remain unaffected. Artists inevitably became involved, either as soldiers at the front or as composers of patriotic music or of musical memorials to a lost world. The three-part documentary series Music in Times of War and Revolution explores known and unknown as well as obvious and hidden connections between music, revolution and war. Beginning with what led to this great human tragedy, each episode addresses different perspectives of the relationship between war and politics.
Part One: Music In The Time Of The Great War
The first part of the three-part documentary focuses on the enthusiasm for the war in the musical world: when musicians and composers became fervent patriots and soldiers. How did the composers and musicians handle these times of war? How did their experiences at the battlefront affect their composing? What do the compositions reveal of this era and its spirit, beliefs and artistic changes of this age?
| Genre: | Documentary |
| Year of production: | 2014/15 |
| Duration: | 54:37 |
| Recording location: | Germany, Austria, France, Denmark |
| Status: | completed |
| Composers: | Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, Maurice Ravel, Rudi Stephan |
| Orchestras: | Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra |
| Soloists: | Steffen Schleiermacher, Julia Sophie Wagner |
| Conductors: | Alexander Liebreich |
| Picture Formats: | FULL HD |
| Sound Formats: | PCM Stereo |
| Co-Production Company: | WDR |
| Supported by: | Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung |
| Associated Production Company: | Arte |
| Executive Producer: | Paul Smaczny |
| Director: | Andreas Morell |
| Director of Photography: | Thomas Frischhut |
| Editor: | Dirk Seliger |