Music, History And Politics – A Conductor’s View

Conductor Christoph von Dohnányi is in the middle of a seven concert series of Beethoven’s music with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. After this, the 84 year travels to Cleveland, Philadelphia, New York, San Diego and Chicago before returning to Europe in early May.

He talks to David Mermelstein of the Wall Street Journal about Making Music in History’s Shadow. He says in the interview  “I don’t like the idea that artists should keep out of politics,” he said. “The more you know and understand art, the more you have to defend values. You should speak up—and early enough to matter.”