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Creating Music of the Americas in the Cold War: Alberto Ginastera And

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Creating Music of the Americas in the Cold War: Alberto Ginastera And MUSIC OF THE AMERICAS IN THE COLD WAR: ALBERTO GINASTERA AND THE INTER-AMERICAN MUSIC FESTIVALS Alyson Payne A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF MUSIC May 2007 Committee: Carol A. Hess, Advisor Steven Cornelius ii ABSTRACT Carol A. Hess, Advisor This thesis examines the complexities of the Inter-American Music Festivals, and how the festivals subsequently affected noted Argentine composer, Alberto Ginastera. These festivals, held in Washington D.C. and sponsored by the Organization of American States, arose during the height of the United States-Soviet conflict, when hemispheric solidarity presented the best defense against communism’s encroachment. As such, these festivals employed music to cultivate an inter-American alliance within the Cold War environment. Further, they constructed an image of American unity that could be projected around the globe. Inter-Americanism has existed since the 1830’s, yet a definition remains elusive—and controversial. It has taken on a myriad of meanings for various scholars and politicians, contingent upon the time period and the user’s proximity to power. Despite its nebulous qualities, inter-Americanism does have one distinguishing feature. Its importance increases exponentially when the United States is involved in a crisis. During the 1950’s, inter-Americanism provided an antidote to Latin American political nationalism. Some U.S. politicians felt that this “third-world nationalism,” if left untreated, could develop into an all-out communist infestation. The Organization of American States (OAS) imbued their various economic and diplomatic strategies to subvert communist activities in Latin America with inter-American rhetoric. Similarly, iii inter-American tropes also surface in the discourse surrounding the Inter-American Music Festivals, endowing the event with political connotations. The festival’s inter-American aims affected the music selected, which also had repercussions for the composers participating in the first festival. Ginastera’s career offers the most intriguing intersection of politics of inter-Americanism and creative impetus. In 1958, Ginastera was on the cusp of a stylistic change from nationalism to serialism. In his Second String Quartet, commissioned for the first festival, Ginastera assimilated international trends into his markedly Argentinean style. By the second festival of 1961, Ginastera had completely immersed himself in avant-garde techniques, earning him critical praise and worldwide recognition. Ginastera’s switch to a highly dissonant, serialist style, when placed within the context of Cold War inter-Americanism, sheds new light on the composer and his compositions. iv For Richard and Phyllis Payne, with much love. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis owes much to the support and guidance of Dr. Carol Hess, Dr. Steven Cornelius, and Dr. Mary Natvig. I also have a debt of gratitude toward the staff of the Bowling Green State University Library, who helped me procure even the obscurest of resources. Additionally, I would like to thank “Digger” for the use of his library card, Daniel Schellhas for showing me how to handle Adobe, and Daniel McDonough for listening to my ideas about inter-Americanism, music, and politics, at the cost of high phone bills. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………………………… 1 CHAPTER I. UNDERSTANDING PAN-AMERICANIMS ………………….. 6 The Beginnings of the Inter-American System ………………………… 7 Pan-Americanism in Music ……………………………………………. 11 The Festival of Latin American Music ………………………………… 17 CHAPTER II. FORGING FRIENDSHIPS DURING THE COLD WAR ……... 23 The Cold War Climate ………………………………………………… 23 The First Inter-American Music Festival ……………………………... 35 The Second Inter-American Music Festival …………………………… 39 CHAPTER III. GINASTERA AND THE INTER-AMERICAN MUSIC FESTIVALS 46 Prelude to Inter-Americanism ………………………………….............. 46 Ginastera’s String Quartet no. 2 ………………………………………... 51 The Cantata for Magic America ………………………………………... 58 Effects of the Festivals …………………………………………………. 62 CHAPTER IV. REFLECTIONS ON “PAN-AMERICANISM IN ACTION” ... 65 WORKS CITED ………………………………………………………………... 67 vii LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES Example Page 1 A. Ginastera, String Quartet no.2, mm. 36-45 ……………………… 54 2a String Quartet no. 2, mm. 1-4 ………………………………………. 55 2b “Triste” from Cinco Canciones Populares Argentinas, mm. 10-16… 55 3 String Quartet no. 2, mm. 13-14……………………………………... 56 4a “Triste,” from Cinco Canciones Populares Argentinas, mm. 29-32… 56 4b String Quartet no. 2 (1958 version), mm. 51-54……………………... 57 1 INTRODUCTION The fostering of an inter-American alliance has long been at the political and cultural forefront of the countries of the Western Hemisphere, even more so during times of crisis. As the Cold War escalated, the U.S. government promoted hemispheric cooperation as a way to stave off Soviet encroachment in Latin America. The Inter- American Music Festivals, beginning in 1958, presented a musical manifestation of American solidarity at a time when unity constituted an utmost priority. In addition to their displays of “inter-American amity in action,” the festivals also premiered pivotal works from some of the greatest composers in North and South America. The debuts of Alberto Ginastera’s Second String Quartet (1958), Piano Concerto no. 1 (1961), and Cantata for Magic America (1961) under the Festivals’ auspices did much to secure his international reputation. 1 Ginastera’s Second String Quartet also announced his third stylistic period, marked by the dominance of serial techniques. This thesis examines the political context surrounding the Inter-American Music Festivals and Ginastera’s music within that context. Some scholars have considered Ginastera’s early works in the gaucheso idiom as well as his controversial opera, Bomarzo.2 Others have explored the technical aspects of 1 Deborah Schwartz-Kates, “Ginastera, Alberto” in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd edition, edited by Stanley Sadie (London: Macmillan Publishing, 2001), 875. 2 Deborah Schwartz-Kates is a leading authority on Ginastera’s early nationalistic period. See “The Gauchesco Tradition as a Source of National Identity in Argentine Art Music, 1890-1955,” Ph.D. diss. University of Texas, 1997, 853-897. For sources on Bomarzo, see Alberto Ginastera, “How and Why I wrote Bomarzo,” Central Opera Service Bulletin 5 (1964), 10-13; Pola Suárez Urtubey, “Ginastera’s Bomarzo,” Tempo 84 (1968), 14-21; Esteban Buch, The Bomarzo Affair: ópera, perversión y dictadura, (Buenos Aires: A. Hidalgo, 2003). 2 the composer’s later style. 3 Yet, scholars have largely avoided the middle area of Ginastera’s career, when his abstract, dissonant language emerged from a folk-influenced tonality. Likewise, little work has been done on Ginastera’s relationship to the Inter- American Music Festivals, which introduced the composer to an international audience, garnering him commissions and important connections. Situating Ginastera within this context will present a fuller picture of a composer whose influence continues to this day. Reviews and primary source information from this period help bring the picture into focus. The festival’s programs from 1958 and 1961 are an invaluable resource as are Gilbert Chase’s writings on Ginastera in the years leading up to the first Inter-American Music Festival.4 Likewise, critiques by Chase, Robert Evett, Howard Taubman, Irving Lowens, and Pola Suárez Urtubey offer insights into both the musical and extra-musical features that made Ginastera’s compositions so successful.5 Ginastera’s own comments on the Festival and his compositions illuminate the possible effects of inter-Americanism upon his career.6 3 David Edward Wallace, “Alberto Ginastera: An Analysis of His Style and Techniques of Composition,” Ph.D. diss. (Northwestern University, 1964); Michelle Tabor, “Alberto Ginastera’s Late Instrumental Style,” Latin American Music Review 15, no. 1 (1985), 1-31. 4 Gilbert Chase, “Alberto Ginastera: Portrait of An Argentine Composer,” Tempo 44 (1957), 11- 17; “Alberto Ginastera: Argentine Composer,” The Musical Quarterly 43 no.4 (1957), 439-460. 5 Robert Evett, “New Music of the Americas,” New Republic 28 April 1958, pg. 23.; Howard Taubman, “Three New Works Heard in Capital,” New York Times 20 April 1958, pg. 79.; Gilbert Chase, “New World Music,” Américas 10, no.7 (1958), 10-13; “New Music of the Americas,” Américas 13 no. 7 (1961), 7-10.; Irving Lowens, “Current Chronicle,” The Musical Quarterly 44 no.3 (1958), 378-382.; “Current Chronicle,” The Musical Quarterly 47, no. 4 (1961), 530-534.; Pola Suárez Urtubey, “La Cantata para América Mágica de Alberto Ginastera,” Revista Musical Chilena no. 84 (1963), 19-35. 6Alberto Ginastera, “Alberto Ginastera Speaks,” Musical America (1962), 10-11; “Personal Viewpoints: Notes by Five Composers,” Tempo 81 (1967), 26-29.; “El festival interamericano de música debe ser un festival de la juventud,” Boletin Interamericano de Música no. 66 (1968), 16- 19. 3 Despite the lack of critical discussion of the festivals themselves, there is scholarship on the two major organizations responsible for the festival, the Pan American Union and The Organization of American States (OAS). While most of it pertains to their diplomatic functions, some information is music related. For example, Charles Fenwick details music’s role in the promotion of cultural interests as one of the important functions of the
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