The People United Will Never Be Defeated! (1975) by Frederic Rzewski 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Musical characteristics

-Theme and variations based on the model Beethoven's Diabelli's Variations

-Written for Ursula Oppens, premiered at Kennedy Center

-Polystylistic: elements of folk music of the Americas, jazz, and serialism; improvised cadenza

-Grouped in 6 cycles: 1) simple events; 2) rhythm; 3) melodies; 4) counterpoint; 5) harmonies; 6) combinations

 

Political inspiration:

-Based on  Sergio Ortega's unofficial anthem of the Chilean democratic movement

-"The result is a form of music which functions... as a symbol of the broad unity of social classes which was the ideal of Chilean society at that time." - Rzewski

-Additional songs: Italian revolutionary song "Bandiera rossa" about refugees from Chilean fascism

      and Hanns Eisler's 1932 antifascist "Solidaritatslied"

-The length of composition alludes to the idea that "unification of people is a long story and that nothing worth winning is acquired without effort."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rzewski performing 2007, Miami Piano Festival, FL             Ursula Oppens performing 2007, Berkeley CA