The Seattle Audubon Society recently changed its name to "Bird Connect," the only chapter in the country to do so. Why? Despite his legacy as an artist and great naturalist, Audubon was a slave owner and openly racist.
Here's another wokeful example. Each concert at Benaroya Hall now starts with this solemn announcement over the PA system: The Seattle Symphony recognizes that we gather on indigenous land, the traditional territory of Coast Salish peoples, specifically the Duwamish Tribe.
Then we settle into the program, yesterday "Carmina Burana," by Carl Orff. Written in 1936, this is one of the most famous choral works, right up there with "The Messiah." The 60 minute work is beloved by symphony and ballet audiences for its simple repeated melodies and loud pounding rhythms.
Few people know or perhaps care that "Carmina" was originally used as Nazi political propaganda. In the 1940's, the Nazis performed the piece to rile up crowds at rallies. (Similar to Trump playing loud Rolling Stone music at his rallies, much to Mick Jagger's chagrin.)
It still works. The crowd at Benaroya gave the performance a long and rousing standing O. You could feel the physical excitement in the hall. A visceral piece of music if there ever was one.
OK. If they eliminated all politically incorrect music from the classical repertoire, there wouldn't be much left. Anti-Semitic Wagner, for example, was Hitler's favorite composer. Wagner was informally banned in Israel for years, although even that's changing now with the younger generation.
I don't have any problem separating the artist from their works, although here in Seattle, it seemed ironic the program didn't mention this interesting historical fact about "Carmina Burana."
The program described the wheel of fortune with boys and girls frolicking in springtime, but this a dark piece with some bad baggage. Frankly, it gives me the creeps.
Switching gears, how does French Polynesia sound to you this morning? This record cold west coast spring seems endless.
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