Russian-American Unification and Alfred Reed's "Russian Christmas Music"
Russian-American Unification in the Mid-Twentieth Century and Alfred Reed’s
Russian Christmas Music
What makes a piece of music great? Is it the time and place it was premiered? Is its greatness defined solely by the reputation of the composer who wrote it? Why do some pieces become part of a canon of works, while others simply disappear in to the volumes of history? I believe it is a combination of all the above; however, the greatest element is a piece’s ability to speak to many people in many times and places. The universal appeal of a piece of music is what allows it to be accepted and adored beyond just its premiere. The ability of a piece of music to reach far beyond the black dots and scribbled lines is what determines its place in the musical world. The composer Alfred Reed was a master of combining different elements and ideas to clearly communicate to more than just his works’ intended audience. Reed’s works are now part of a greater canon of wind band literature that speaks to performers and audiences now, in addition to the mass of those who have been inspired by his works for the past half-century. I want to discover the impact from Alfred Reed’s Russian Christmas Music on Soviet-American relations nearing the end of World War II. The relationship between the piece and the time it was written would help others understand the social and political reasons, as well as the musical dichotomies present in the music, as to why Reed’s piece has become ingrained in the canon of wind band literature. The birth of Alfred Reed’s Russian Christmas Music (RCM) is quite unique. The piece was originally commissioned in 1944 to be played at a convention of new music by both Russian and American composers. Originally, the organizers had scheduled Prokofiev’s March, op. 99, but it had already been premiered in America. The organizers wanted a premier; Reed, then only twenty-three, was given thirteen days to write a new piece for the convention. The
Russian Christmas Music
What makes a piece of music great? Is it the time and place it was premiered? Is its greatness defined solely by the reputation of the composer who wrote it? Why do some pieces become part of a canon of works, while others simply disappear in to the volumes of history? I believe it is a combination of all the above; however, the greatest element is a piece’s ability to speak to many people in many times and places. The universal appeal of a piece of music is what allows it to be accepted and adored beyond just its premiere. The ability of a piece of music to reach far beyond the black dots and scribbled lines is what determines its place in the musical world. The composer Alfred Reed was a master of combining different elements and ideas to clearly communicate to more than just his works’ intended audience. Reed’s works are now part of a greater canon of wind band literature that speaks to performers and audiences now, in addition to the mass of those who have been inspired by his works for the past half-century. I want to discover the impact from Alfred Reed’s Russian Christmas Music on Soviet-American relations nearing the end of World War II. The relationship between the piece and the time it was written would help others understand the social and political reasons, as well as the musical dichotomies present in the music, as to why Reed’s piece has become ingrained in the canon of wind band literature. The birth of Alfred Reed’s Russian Christmas Music (RCM) is quite unique. The piece was originally commissioned in 1944 to be played at a convention of new music by both Russian and American composers. Originally, the organizers had scheduled Prokofiev’s March, op. 99, but it had already been premiered in America. The organizers wanted a premier; Reed, then only twenty-three, was given thirteen days to write a new piece for the convention. The