| Abstrakt: |
This article sheds light on the debate concerning the aesthetic value of programme music during the second half of the 19th century. Specifically, I will examine Viennese press statements on Camille Saint-Saëns ad their frequent and explicit references to his national identity. The Viennese reception of his symphonic programme music underwent a radical transformation in terms of its aesthetic value. In the press, this shift was primarily made evident through references to national stereotypes. After Saint-Saëns's first visit to Vienna as a pianist, organist, composer, and conductor in 1876, the press celebrated him as a 'German' Frenchman, who, having realized that the German ideal of art was the highest in international standards, had succeeded in integrating this ideal into his own art. However, after additional performances in 1879, 1888, and 1889, this journalistic recognition turned into utter contempt. He was then no longer perceived as belonging to the Bach-Beethoven line, as stereotypically 'German,' but instead as a product of the Berlioz-Liszt line, as stereotypically 'French'. Here I explore the driving forces behind this shift and its relation to national identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
