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• 1 2019-10-17T02:14:25-04:00 Music Powers Protest 26 Fatima Reyes image_header 2019-12-21T13:15:55-05:00             There’s no denying the transformative power of music. This limitless form of communication has been used to convey all types of messages: from saintly glorifications, to propagandic agendas, to romantic pleas. One other message that has been consistently present throughout music history is that of protest. An early example of song as musical protest in the United States is “Yankee Doodle.” While it is often understood as a popular children’s song today, it was originally written by the British in an attempt to bait Americans during the Revolutionary War, before being turned on its head and thrown back in a wave of ironic mockery. Protest has made itself heard all around the world and in all types of genres as well. Another brilliant example of this can be found in the music of Dmitri Shostakovich. A Russian composer during the 20^th century, he was severely limited under the iron grip of Joseph Stalin and at times faced direct scrutiny from other Soviet officials. But shortly after Stalin’s death, and in honor of the 37^th anniversary of the 1917 Revolution, Shostakovich wrote “Festive Overture,” a fantastic piece celebrating the gradual triumph over repressive policies, and a piece demonstrating that sound alone is enough to convey an intended message.
  
              Today, with the rise of a globalized world driven by advances in digital communication, protest music is more visible than it’s ever been. The HONK! Festival is one of the many products of this increased awareness. Founded in 2006, versions of this festival have emerged all over the country from New York to Austin to Seattle. The appearance of copycats means that clearly HONK! has done something right.
              As this year’s parade dwindled down to its last few participants, and volunteers prepared the main stage for performances, a speaker welcomed everyone to the HONK! Festival. “Music in the streets is for everyone,” he reminded the hundreds of observers as they responded with joyous applause. And then immediately following a solemn moment of silence, Forward! Marching Band quickly jumped into the hopeful song “I’ll Fly Away”. Prominent gospel songwriter Albert E. Brumley was picking cotton on his father’s farm when he thought about flying away and felt compelled to write this song in 1929, its tune highly reminiscent of hymns sung by enslaved peoples decades before. In this layered example, we see how music may be used as a peaceful form of protest and generally to express sentiments ranging from sorrow to hope.
  
              Later that Sunday afternoon, Forward Marching Band! also performed “Solidarity Forever”. Having never heard this song before, what immediately caught my attention was the fact that it was a set of lyrics sung to the melody of “Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Even to someone not fully aware of the detailed context behind either one of these songs, the melody has become a recognizable and iconic song meant to counter the evils of the world. After brief research, I became even more enamored with the history of these songs. “Solidarity Forever” is a popular trade union anthem originally written for use by the Industrial Workers of the World in 1915, but it’s still used today for many other unions and rallies. Not only is it sung to the melody of the "Battle Hymn," but also to that of “John Brown’s Body,” both of which were popular during the American Civil War when they served as symbols of abolitionism. So it’s quite fitting that the same melody that once condemned slaveholders is used today as a hopeful cry against the exploitative forces of capitalism.
  
              Of course, it’s difficult to ignore the clear presence of consumerism in our commercialized society, and more so within the entertainment industry. A quick look around the festival was more than enough to notice several booths ranging from food vendors to annoyingly prominent T-Mobile logos.
  
  Perhaps the strongest reminder of HONK!’s vulnerability to the larger forces of institutionalization rested on the stage itself: a giant banner with “harvardsquare.com” plastered across its length. As if being in the vicinity of one of the most prestigious universities wasn’t enough, the blatant advertisement served as a reminder that the space is not truly HONK!’s and that the festival itself is only temporary. Some might argue that this takes away from the overall experience--and maybe it does. But when it comes down to it, can HONK! really be blamed? While the constant presence of consumerism is definitely irritating and tends to distract from the music, it’s near-impossible to avoid the need to cooperate with corporate or governmental institutions. In the end, HONK! did the best with what they had.
  
              After all, the effective relationship between music and activism manages to make up for it. And even outside of the realm of activism and protest, many unknowing bystanders or passersby are quickly drawn in by the music itself. In fact, a number of the bands themselves perform for the pure joy of music. Members of the Band Land Brass Band, a local group of students from Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, proudly proclaimed that they perform “just for fun.” But even if not everyone at HONK! is explicitly activist, there’s so much visible protest that even someone only looking to enjoy the music can’t possibly ignore everything else going on. And that’s where the beauty of music lies. Just as listening to a song or two is able to cheer someone up, an entire festival of activist bands is bound to leave an impact on even the most impartial individual.
  
              As carefully crafted as a poster slogan might be or as moving as a speech may be, there are inevitably times where words fail us. Modern systems of language may be complex, but certainly not as complex as a person’s innermost thoughts and feelings. Music somehow manages to reach into these inner depths without any actual use of words. Even with the presence of lyrics in a song like “I’ll Fly Away,” it was really the general sounds that filled me with an indescribable emotion that made me feel a connection with every single person in the vicinity as we all listened and sang along.
              While protesting is definitely possible through written and visual forms, it’s really the musical aspect that seals the deal. The HONK! Festival did an excellent job in combining music and activism in such a way that anyone can find enjoyment while also being moved by activist sentiment, whether consciously or subconsciously. And if history is any indicator, music will continue to play a major role in activism on the local level and beyond.