Il suono della guerra. La rappresentazione musicale dei conflitti armati

A survey on how music has portrayed, accompanied, supported or condemned armed conflict over time – from Renaissance cantus firmi to revolutionary chants, and war marches to 1960s peace songs – that manages to be comprehensive and erudite while also accessible to a broad audience, Carlo Piccardi provides a compact yet thorough account of the history of war music, including sheet music, song lyrics and other valuable accompanying documents. How has the meaning of music changed during armed conflicts, and how has it portrayed such conflicts: as painful necessities, heroic acts in support of the homeland, or futile bloodbaths? What has music signified, and what roles has it played, during historic conflicts from the Napoleonic Wars on through the two World Wars? As war once again rages in Eastern Europe, music can still convey powerful messages. Piccardi’s book is both an invaluable guide and a beacon of hope; battles have often been fought to the beat of marches, but so too has music been used to seal the peace.