From the Smithsonian Magazine
By Nora McGreevySMITHSONIANMAG.COM
JUNE 23, 2020
“An old question circulated on Twitter last week: Was Ludwig van Beethoven, the famous German composer, a black man?”
Nora McGreevy Smithsonian Magazine-Jun3.23.2020
“In short: probably not. Many scholars over the years have refuted the theory, but the resurgent question serves as an opportunity to highlight the pressing discussion about inequality and systemic racism in classical music and its history, scholars say. But the argument has sticking power, in part because it’s a provocative one. German historian and musicologist Kira Thurman studies black musicians in Europe (and has a book on the subject coming out in 2021.)
Nora McGreevy Smithsonian Magazine-Jun3.23.2020
“Thurman, a professor at the University of Michigan, hopped onto Twitter to share her perspective on the conversation in a thread, which went viral last week. She says she can’t speak to the question of Beethoven’s race. However, she suggested that those who focused on whether or not the composer was black are missing an important part of the picture: the number of black composers, including Bridgetower, Beethoven’s contemporary and friend, who have received relatively little attention in history and popular culture up to this point.”
Nora McGreevy Smithsonian Magazine-Jun3.23.2020
‘“So instead of asking the question, ‘Was Beethoven Black?’ ask ‘Why don’t I know anything about George Bridgetower?’” Thurman wrote in the thread. “I, frankly, don’t need any more debates about Beethoven’s blackness. But I do need people to play the music of Bridgetower. And others like him.”’
Nora McGreevy Smithsonian Magazine-Jun3.23.2020
”“There is a long history of black musicians in Europe, performing and composing and concertizing,” Thurman added in the interview. “And they were doing amazing things. But oftentimes their stories are not told, or they have sort of been left to the wayside, because they don’t fit our narrative of classical music and talent.”’
Nora McGreey Smithsonian Magazine-Jun3.23.2020
“Today, the classical music landscape continues to be overwhelmingly white and male, classical musician Chi-chi Nwanoku wrote in a Guardian op-ed last year. A League of American Orchestras study of the field in 2014 found that less than 2 percent of musicians in American orchestras were African American, and only 4.3 percent of conductors were black.”
Nora McGreevy Smithsonian Magazine-Jun3.23.2020
“Many organizations are working to remedy the imbalance: Nwanoku founded the Chineke! Foundation to create better opportunities for black composers in the United Kingdom and Europe, per the organization’s website. And in the United States, the Detroit-based Sphinx Organization supports young black and Latinx classical musicians. Last week, many people have took advantage of Juneteenth celebrations to amplify the work of black composers and classical musicians. Garrett McQueen, host and producer for Minnesota Public Radio’s classical station, created a Juneteenth “musical celebration” highlighting black classical composers throughout the years”
Nora McGreevy Smithsonian Magazine-Jun3.23.2020
“For Thurman, it’s these black musicians—past and present—that deserve the same attention we give to musicians like Beethoven. “Instead of spending our energy debating this issue, let’s take our energy and our efforts into lifting the treasure trove of black composers that we do have,” says Thurman. “Because they’re not getting enough time and attention as they are.”’
Nora McGreevy Smithsonian Magazine-Jun3.23.2020