First published in 1909, Militarism and Music is a thoughtful exploration of the historical relationship between military organisation and musical culture. Hermann Eichborn examines how military structures have influenced musical institutions, repertoire, and modes of performance, situating military music within a broader social and cultural context. Rather than focusing narrowly on bands alone, the book ranges across musical history, offering reflections on discipline, education, and the public role of music. Written on the eve of profound upheavals in European history, Eichborn’s study provides a valuable perspective on how music has functioned within organised society.
Dr Hermann Eichborn was a German musicologist, critic, and cultural thinker active at the turn of the twentieth century, whose work reflects a deep unease with the uncritical glorification of militarism in European society. Writing in an era when military values permeated education, civic life, and the arts, Eichborn brought a rare ethical seriousness to musical scholarship, insisting that music could not be separated from the social forces that shaped it. Militarism and Music stands as his most provocative work: a testament to an independent mind willing to challenge prevailing assumptions about music’s supposed moral neutrality.
