Political Dreams and Musical Themes in the 1848–1922 Formation of Czechoslovakia: Interaction of National and Global Forces by the duet of scholarsJames W. Peterson and William J. Peterson is a tour de force of music history coupled with Czech and Slovak modern political history. The authors dexterously weave the political and the musical, showing off their respective areas of expertise. James, the political scientist, and historian, displays his profound knowledge of Czech and Slovak nationalist movements, while William, the musician and music historian, dazzles with his knowledge of the Czech and Slovak musical worlds during their most creative phase. For the lovers and connoisseurs of Czech and Slovak music, and those interested in these nations’ modern political history, this is an indispensable book.

Jacek Lubecki, Georgia Southern University

This is a fascinating book which fuses historical and political with cultural and musical analysis in its account of the emergence of an independent Czechoslovakia. The authors trace the interaction and mutual influence of both nationalist and global political and cultural influences on this emergence, from the rise of Czech nationalism in the mid-nineteenth century and the subsequent struggles for political autonomy and then independence, to the foundation of a new multi-ethnic state after the First World War. In this innovative account of the Czechoslovak case, the role of music (and culture more generally) as a counterpoint to external political domination is explored, as is the extent to which music reflects political developments but can also be an instrument of political change while helping to shape political identities and outcomes.

Michael Baun, Valdosta State University