Like the rock and roll revolution of the 1950s, it caused all sorts of racial panic and social unrest in the early 20th century, as it shocked a calm white audience with its black rhythm and blues translations. Long before the rise of European fascism, Many American groups have expressed extreme fear and upset at the rise of minority cultural forms. By World War II, however, jazz had essentially been woven into the structure of American majority culture, but often in a version that was rubbed with undertones of blues. Of course, this was not the case in Europe under Nazi occupation, where jazz was suppressed. Like most forms of contemporary art, it had a stigma of impurities, innovation, and passion… all qualities all frown (even anti-fascist theorists) Theodor Adorno had serious beef with jazz).
And while it’s not a big surprise that the Nazis hated jazz, they seem to have expressed their disapproval in a very strangely specific way, at least in the memories of Czech writers and dissidents. Josef Skvorekky.
On the occasion of Skvorecky’s death, JJ Gould pointed out Atlantic Ocean The writer himself was one of the characters interested in Cubric. Skvorekky, an aspiring tenor saxophone player living in Czechoslovakia under the Third Reich occupation, had ample opportunity to experience the hatred of the Nazi “jazz control freaks. In the intro to his short novel Base saxHe speaks of a set of 10 strange regulations published by, from memory. Gauleitera local Nazi official who tied up local dance orchestras during the Czech occupation.
- The pieces of foxtrot rhythm (so-called swing) should not exceed 20% of the repertoire of light orchestras or dance bands.
- In this so-called jazz-type repertoire, preferences for key key compositions and lyrics that express the joy of life rather than the gloomy Jewish lyrics.
- In terms of tempo, we are also given the preference for lively compositions (so-called blues) rather than slow. However, the pace should not exceed a certain allegro that is commensurate with the Aryan sense of discipline and moderation. Accounts do not tolerate excessive excess in tempo (so-called hot jazz) or solo performance (so-called breaks).
- The so-called jazz composition can include up to 10% fainting. The rest should consist of natural legato movements covered in hysterical rhythmic inverted.
- Strictly prohibited are the use of musical instruments alienated in the German spirit (such as cowbells, flexichetones, brushes, etc.), and all mutes (such as the so-called freemasonic yors of the Jewish people) that transform the noble sounds of wind and brass instruments into Jewish freemasonic yors;
- Also, four-quarter beats (except stylized military marches) are forbidden to have a so-called drum break longer than half the bar.
- Double basses must be played with just the bows of what is called jazz compositions.
- Picking strings is prohibited. Because it damages the instrument and is harmful to the musicality of Aryans. If the so-called Pizicat effect is absolutely desirable for compositional features, what is forbidden for long is that strict care must be taken to ensure that the strings are not allowed to give patterns in Soldin.
- Musicians are similarly prohibited from improvising vocals (so-called scats).
- All light orchestras and dance bands restrict the use of all key saxophones and recommend substituting violin cello, viola, or suitable folk tales.
As Atlantic Ocean “Because it’s Nazi, this civil servant clearly didn’t miss out as many opportunities as possible in racist or anti-Semitistic terms for many of these regulations.” After all, this racialized fear and hatred was the source of the opposite. It’s almost impossible to imagine what kind of music this set of limitations could produce, but that’s definitely not something people would want to dance to. And that was probably the point.
Details of Joseph Skvorekky’s life as a writer under Nazism and his escape from Czechoslovakia after the Soviet invasion, Read his lighting Paris Reviews Interview.
Note: An earlier version of this post was published on our site in 2013.
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Listen to Nazi Bizaro Propaganda Jazz Band “Charlie and His Orchestra” (1940-1943)
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When the Nazis declared war with Expressionist art (1937)
Josh Jones is a Washington, D.C.-based writer, editor and musician. Follow him @jdmagness
Source: Open Culture – www.openculture.com
