CENSORSHIP, CONTROL, AND COMPLIANCE IN BYZANTINE MUSICOLOGY IN COMMUNIST ROMANIA
CENSORSHIP, CONTROL, AND COMPLIANCE IN BYZANTINE MUSICOLOGY IN COMMUNIST ROMANIA
Author(s): Cătălin CernătescuSubject(s): History, Philosophy, Special Branches of Philosophy, Special Historiographies:, History of Communism, Philosophy of History
Published by: NEW EUROPE COLLEGE - Institute for Advanced Studies
Keywords: Byzantine musicology; sacred chant; censorship; ideology;
Summary/Abstract: My paper examines censorship and control in Byzantine musicology during the communist regime in Romania. The investigation draws upon archive materials from the Romanian Composers and Musicologists Union which reveal a previously unknown narrative. Within these records, covering the years 1950 to 1989, I unearthed unpublished accounts on Byzantine musicology and on scholars writing on church chant. In addition to identifying explicit instances of censorship, I have sought evidence for the compliance with the policies that heavily restricted the use of theological vocabulary. Furthermore, I have examined how musicologists outside such expert groups engaged with the research conducted by their peers. Through this pursuit, I aim to enhance the understanding of how specialists in sacred chant navigated the intricate landscape of cultural dynamics during a tumultuous historical period.
Journal: New Europe College Yearbook
- Issue Year: 1/2024
- Issue No: 21
- Page Range: 9-45
- Page Count: 37
- Language: English