General
17 Sep 05
17 Sep 05
1 edit
Originally posted by Bosse de NageWhat's the context?
Been listening to Billy Bragg's version of this song (I think Woody Guthrie wrote it)--a great little tune, but who or what on earth is Eisler?
Edit: Found it... I was thinking of Hans Eisler, but not knowing the context it was a far shot. But I was actually right: http://www.web.net/~smorton/Billy_Bragg/Eisler_On_The_Go.html
17 Sep 05
Originally posted by PonderableWell if the Bragg song is a W Guthrie cover , it would stand to reason it couldn't be about M Eisner and corporate Disney .
I have to admit: yes...***shamefaced***
I googled it : Hanns Eisler was a composer . He was a WWI vet , was anti Nazi and fought against the Nazi censorship of jazz and modern music . Expelled from pre-war Germany for this , he came to America . He was a social activist through his music (that would be the logical link to Guthrie) , and was deported back to Germany after the war during the McCarthy communist witch hunts . This would probably explain the Guthrie song "Eisler on the Go".
18 Sep 05
1 edit
Went through the same process when I first heard the track. From what I recall he started out as a serialist composer after Schoenberg etc, and then became heavily influenced by socialism during the Russian revolution. Subsequently, shed his abstract influences to adopt a socialist, utilitarian agenda in his music Brecht wrote a number of liede for his music.
1.e4 The primary cause of all white's subsequent difficulties