Wednesday, August 31, 2011

To the Best of Our Knowledge: The Soundtrack to War and Peace

The Soundtrack to War and Peace
To The Best of Our Knowledge (Wisconsin Public Radio)

"Music can change the world." It's been said so many times - I wonder if it means anything anymore. Can it? Really, can music change the world? Can a song bring about peace? Or, overthrow a government? In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, we'll listen in on the soundtrack to war and peace. From Benin to Andalusia. From East LA to Sierra Leona. And, the politics behind Beethoven's 9th.

Black Nature on the Sierra Leone Refugee All-Stars
A young man named Black Nature is one of the Sierra Leone Refugee All-Stars. He tells how the group formed while fleeing from the brutality and bloodshed of their country's civil war.

Dwight Reynolds on Religious Tolerance
Dwight Reynolds talks with Steve Paulson about the history of religious tolerance in Al-Andalus and how it was reflected in the music of Moorish Spain.

Angelique Kidjo on Benin
Angelique Kidjo is "Africa's Diva" and its most celebrated female musician.

Beverly Lapp on "The Star Spangled Banner"
Essayist Beverly Lapp explains what "The Star Spangled Banner" means to her as a Mennonite.

Harvey Sachs on "The Ninth: Beethoven and the World in 1824"
Harvey Sachs and Jim Fleming talk about Beethoven's political leanings and philosophical aspirations and how they're reflected in his last symphony.

To Listen to this Episode

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