Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco
Take a moment to sit back, relax, and let me tell you an incredible story. This is the story of composer Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco whose second violin concerto I stumbled upon in preparation for my senior violin recital. His story is one of perseverance and strength in the midst of struggle and persecution, a story of faith, freedom, and hope. Let it inspire you and encourage you to persevere no matter what trials you are faced with today. God is writing your beautiful story like he did with Mario.
https://mariocastelnuovotedesco.com/timeline/
It was over 100 years ago in Italy where our story sets its scene. In 1909, the young musician, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, graduated university with a piano degree and later a composition degree in 1918. Using what he learned at school, he started composing and come to find out, he was good at it! He grew in popularity and accomplishments as he made a career for himself performing, writing music critiques, and composing. He won the Concorso Lirico Nazionale prize for the comic opera he composed and even played in the Italian premiere of Les Noces by Stravinsky. All was well and looking up for him except for one small detail about his life. He was a Jew. Not only was he a Jew, but he was a composer who put his faith on full display in his music. Many of his compositions are based on Jewish liturgy and the Bible. Some examples of this are his pieces like “The Dances of King David – Hebrew Rhapsody on Traditional Themes,” “Genesis Suite,” “Naomi and Ruth,” “Prayers my Grandfather Wrote,” and many other compositions that also have their roots in his Jewish faith. To me, it’s clear that this is a man who was not only proud of his heritage but also of his faith. I’m encouraged by the way he used his musical gifts to glorify the Lord through beautiful and excellent music making.
Tedesco was friends with the world renowned Jewish violinist, Jasha Heifetz, who asked him to write a violin concerto. The end result of this request was Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s Violin Concerto No. 2 titled, “I Profeti,” meaning “The Prophets.” Each movement in this work is based on a different Old Testament Prophet; Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Elijah. A unique way Tedesco incorporates his Jewish heritage into this piece is that the first movement develops a simple 5 note motive that is based on old Hebraic chant. Chants like these would have been the 9th and 10th century equivalent of Christian worship music today. When you listen to this concerto, you get transported back to Old Testament history. You get to travel alongside the people of Israel as they hear the Word of God through the prophets and worship Him through His judgements and His glorious promises.
Tedesco with Heifetz at the Florence premiere of “I Profeti,” 1934
https://mariocastelnuovotedesco.com/timeline/
Tedesco’s future was bright until the political tides in Italy started to darken the world with antisemitism infiltrating countries all over Europe. By October, 1938, Italian dictator, Benito Mussolini, enacted the Italian Racial Laws which officially enforced segregation of Jews and native Africans living in Italy. Immediately, Mario was what we call today, “cancelled.” Because he wrote music that was inspired by his Jewish background, his music was no longer played on radios or in concert halls. “I Profeti” and many other musical works like it were cancelled because of how overtly Jewish they were. Not only were his compositions in danger, but so was his life, because he loved God and expressed that through his music. Thankfully, with the help of Jasha Heifetz, Tedesco was able to flee the growing tensions in Italy to find solace and safety in America.
You know that lion that always roars at you before you watch a movie made by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) film studio? Yep, that’s who Tedesco signed a contract with and where he continued to build his composing career once he moved to America. He settled in Hollywood and became one of the leading film composers of his time. He worked on close to 200 movie film scores with Universal, Warner Bros, and more! He even became a teacher of the one and only John Williams!!! Where would movie music be without John Williams? And where would John Williams be if it wasn’t for Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco? We may never know, but it speaks to how wide Mario’s influence is even to this day. As I play “I Profeti,” I feel Tedesco’s music is very picturesque and I can even hear Indiana Jones-like qualities in it. Can you hear it too?
One thing is certain, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco was a fighter. Even when the Italian fascist government persecuted him, shunned his music, and caused him to flee, he bravely came to America to build a new life and an impressive career. Imagine how thankful he must have been to have escaped Europe since many others Jews were not as fortunate, and we sadly know how that ended. When his music was being erased in Italy because of his faith, imagine how relieving it would be to come to a new place where he assumed the freedom to write however he pleased. Tedesco embraced America as his new home and it embraced him back with the tidings of freedom, opportunity, and a long life ending peacefully in 1968.
It’s a sad reality, yet true that Tedesco’s story is not unique. He joins the long line of musicians, artists, and composers who were cancelled because of their Jewish background. They bore the persecution with gentle strength and clung to their heritage, their people, and their God through it all. I feel that by divine intervention, the Lord lead me to discover Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s Violin Concerto “I Profeti” because I believe it still has so much to say to us and our world today. For God’s people marked by lives of waiting on His return, this music wants to remind them that He was faithful to provide for the tired and weary Jews of the Old Testament, and He will be faithful to provide for us now. It wants to ignite a heart of worship in those clinging to the promises of God while they wait on Him. “I Profeti” isn’t part of the standard repertoire… but could it be that it’s not more widely known because it was cancelled and suppressed by those who were offended by its message almost 100 years ago? May we all do our part to ensure this never becomes a reality in our own country. I believe it is time for audiences to hear this message and I intend to share it through this concerto.
I’m encouraged by this story to:
Let my faith be evident through whatever it is I do.
Keep waiting on the Lord no matter what circumstances look like.
Not give up.
Worship the Lord. He is worthy of it and is coming back to redeem and restore some day soon.
Be thankful to live in a free country where we all get to play, write, sing, and listen to whatever music we want, whenever we want, because that has not always been the case throughout time.
If you would like to read more about this story and this incredible man, here are some helpful resources:
https://www.milkenarchive.org/artists/view/mario-castelnuovo-tedesco
https://www.milkenarchive.org/music/volumes/view/a-garden-eastward/work/violin-concerto-no-2/
https://mariocastelnuovotedesco.com/timeline/
I hope this has been an encouraging and insightful read for you! Let me know if you can hear some Indiana Jones in this first movement!
