Seeing Red

by Stacey Fitzgerald

Undergraduate, UMBC

Prior to the Russian Revolution of 1905, Russian classical music was composed through aristocratic patronage, and was therefore representative of the ideals of those aristocrats; however, through stirring anthems and lyrics pointing toward a better future, propaganda music of the revolutionary Bolshevik party captured the hearts and minds of the discontented working class, propelling the new regime into power and overthrowing those aristocrats and their ideals.

The Russian Revolution:

A Brief Overview

Ignited by the "Bloody Sunday" Massacre on January 22nd, 1905, the working class, also known as the "Proletariat" in Marxist theory, united under Vladimir Lenin as the communist Bolshevik (Majority, in English) party and overthrew the corrupt and oppressive autocratic government. This was the first of two Russian revolutions, and lasted from 1905 and 1907. The Tsar of Russia at the time, who was to be the last tsar, was Nicholas II, who would be forced to abdicate the throne in 1917, during the height of the second revolution [1]. The Bolsheviks adopted the Hammer and Sickle as their symbol, as they were tools of the working citizen, and the color red to symbolize the blood shed by the working class in their struggles against capitalism and the upper class.

Pre-revolution Society and Music

Before the Russian Revolution, the Russian government was an autocracy, which is like an absolute monarchy. Although the serf (peasant slave) system had been outlawed in 1861, most of the working class still lived in squalor, with little to no chance of moving upward socially and economically to a better life. The upper class, known as the "Bourgeoisie" in Marxist theory, was living in excess while the working class starved [2].

Musically, Russia was similar to much of Europe: courts were the center of culture and music, and music was used for upward social mobility within the Bourgeoise. For example, young upper class women would learn to play the piano well to enhance their marriage prospects [3]. This music sounded in line with the art music popular across Western music.

The anthem of the Imperial Russian Empire ("God Save the Tsar!"), written in 1833, was extremely supportive of the autocratic rulers as well. Perhaps it was based on the anthem of the British empire, "God Save the Queen!," which was published in the early 1700's. A translation of the text reads:

God, save the Tsar! Strong, sovereign, Reign for glory, For our glory!

Reign to foes' fear, Righteous Tsar. God, save the Tsar!

During the REvolution:

Upheaval and REmoval

During the revolution, two concepts were heavily present: iconoclasm and propaganda. Iconoclasm is the destruction or rejection of symbols or icons. The revolutionaries set about destroying symbols of the old regime; for example, they tore the eagle crest of the Tsar off of buildings in the nation's capital [4].

The upper-class, as symbols of the old regime, were "persuaded" to the Bolshevik cause with force. In other words, they were sometimes given the choice of cooperation or exile; many were just exiled outright. The working class, on the other hand, was the backbone of the revolution, and therefore needed a gentler hand in persuading them. Propaganda, or media used to create a favorable political image, was heavily used to accomplish this [5]. A strong source of propaganda that got people moving was music. For example, the following is the first stanza and chorus of Varshavyanka, a revolutionary marching song (as translated by Douglas Robson):

Whirlwinds of danger are raging around us,

O'erwhelming forces of darkness assail,

Still in the fight see advancing before us,

Red flag of liberty that yet shall prevail.

Then forward you workers, freedom awaits you,

O'er all the world on the land and the sea.

On with the fight for the cause of humanity.

March, march you toilers and the world shall be free

This piece was effective as propaganda music because the members of the Proletariat could relate to it, move with it, and sing along. The lyrics are catchy and the melody simple, and therefore it was easy to learn and sing with others. Also, the march-like quality gives it a strong forward momentum that may build excitement. Finally (and most importantly), the lyrics themselves directly refers to those of the Proletariat, the workers, and therefore each member of the resistance could directly relate to it.

After the Revolution:

Establishing a New Russian Heritage

After the first revolution ended, society had changed drastically, with intellectual and working classes in charge instead of the nobility. The Russian Industrial Revolution was in full swing, and the aristocracy had been nearly completely eradicated through exile or death. From this stemmed a need to create a new Russian culture, which included music. To start, a new anthem of the state was established: La Internationale. This song, originating in France, had been used as a Leftist anthem throughout Europe. The lyrics of this piece cannot be more different than the anthem of the Imperial Russian Empire. The first verse and refrain read:

Stand up all victims of oppression

For the tyrants fear your might

Don't cling so hard to your possessions

For you have nothing if you have no rights

Let racist ignorance be ended

For respect makes the empires fall

Freedom is merely privilege extended

Unless enjoyed by one and all

So come brothers and sisters

For the struggle carries on

The internationale

Unites the world in song

So comrades come rally

For this is the time and place

The international ideal

Unites the human race

The anthem of the Imperial Russian Empire speaks of glorifying the Tsar, while this anthem speaks of equality through its mentions of all as "brothers and sisters" and uniting the human race. It's also more reminiscent of the revolutionary propaganda music, with a marching quality.

There was a rather large change in the creation of music as well. Prior to the revolution, composers, musicians, and artists in general had been from upper class backgrounds with few exceptions. Now, with working conditions improved, the lower classes had the leisure to pursue such pastimes, and amateurism spread throughout the Russian citizenry [6].

Additionally, to keep the general public opinion of the new government positive, propaganda was still used throughout the popular culture of the time. A prominent example of this is film, in which the state was shown in a positive light. Due to this, as well as the growth of the film industry, there was an increased need for composers of film music and musicians to play it in the theaters to accompany the silent films [7] [8].

Popular culture also encompassed dance music. Before the revolution, dancing was a courtly pursuit, however the working class now had the time and the access. Interestingly, Russians fell in love with the dance music of the Americas, such as swing and ragtime. Some American musicians, such as the early jazz artist Sam Wooding, even took to touring Russia [5].

Finally, the desire for cultural change reached an extreme in the case of Russian Modernism. The composers within style produced many of the famous avant-garde pieces of the time; Prokofiev, Scriabin, Shostakovich, and Stravinsky being well known examples. This style of composition involved experimentation with new concepts of rhythm and tonality, or lack thereof [6]. The public did not receive this music very well in the beginning, as most people still listened to and preferred music that was more tonal (recall the supposed riots at the premier of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring). However, many of these pieces were composed out of a desire to create a distinctly Russian sound, as nationalism was very attractive to those wishing to better their country, as in the case of the Proletariat. This music was written for the Russian people, regardless of class status, which fell in line with the Proletariat desire for equality amongst all Russians.

Sources

[1] Steinberg, Mark D. The Russian Revolution: 1905-1921. 1st ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017.

[2] Wirtschafter, Elise Kimerling. Social Identity in Imperial Russia. DeKalb: Northern Illinois University Press, 2015.

[3] Stites, Richard. "Part II. Music of the Spheres." Serfdom, Society, and the Arts in Imperial Russia. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2005. 53-87.

[4] Stites, Richard. "Iconoclastic Currents in the Russian Revolution: Destroying and Preserving the Past." In Bolshevik Culture: Experiment and Order in the Russian Revolution, Edited by Abbott Gleason, Peter Kenez, and Richard Stites, 39-58. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1985.

[5] Nelson, Amy. Music for the Revolution: Musicians and Power in Early Soviet Russia. University Park: Penn State University Press, 2010.

[6] Catriona, Kelly. "Russian Modernism: Kandinsky, Stravinsky, and Mayakovsky." In The Cambridge History of Modernism, edited by Vincent Sherry, 555-74. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2017.

[7] Orlovsky, Daniel T. "The Provisional Culture and Its Cultural Work." In Bolshevik Culture: Experiment and Order in the Russian Revolution, Edited by Abbott Gleason, Peter Kenez, and Richard Stites, 39-58. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1985.

[8] Youngblood, Denise J. Soviet Cinema in the Silent Era: 1918 - 1935. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1991.

*All images from The Creative Commons.

*All videos from Youtube