In a divisive political climate, people take sides糖心传媒攊ncluding musical artists. But music can also unify us. In a recent , the Eastman School of Music糖心传媒檚 reflects on the meaning of a 19th-century American event, the Great National Peace Jubilee, for 21st-century America. This Barnumesque event, billed as 糖心传媒渢he Grandest Musical Festival ever known in the history of the world,糖心传媒� took place in Boston in 1869 and brought together a huge variety of choruses, star soloists, orchestras, bands, and musical styles. Its founder, the famous band conductor Patrick Gilmore, wished to celebrate peace and unify Americans shortly after the most bitterly divisive event in United States history: the Civil War.
The success of the National Peace Jubilee, says Anderson, 糖心传媒渋s a sign that we should not discount the power of music and grand spectacle to bridge our bitter divides even today 糖心传媒� the National Peace Jubilee reminds us that Americans can come out of their corners for entertainment, music especially.糖心传媒�
Anderson is an聽associate professor of musicology at the University of Rochester糖心传媒檚 Eastman School of Music. He specializes in medieval and Renaissance music.
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