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Sounds of War: Music in the United States during World War II Annegret Fauser. New York: Oxford University Press, 2013.
World War II was an unprecedented example of total war. Everyone is familiar with the mobilization effort that brought homemakers onto the bomb assembly line and drew children into scrap metal drives. The efforts of serious musicians are less well-known and Annegret Fauser's detailed and well-researched account permanently document their contributions.
Although the motion picture industry was early seen as a natural adjunct of the war effort, Fauser discovered that even though government and military officials thought music important, composers and musicians needed to articulate the ways they might contribute. She located surveys conducted by such organizations as the League of Composers to solicit ideas for war time roles. Although some respondents expressed concern over the potential for nationalism to usurp art, most wanted to contribute their skills.
A tradition of military bands meant that instrumentalists sometimes found a place awaiting them. Outstanding string players, pianists, and vocalists also had a chance of getting assigned to orchestras, such as the US Marine Band Symphony Orchestra. While bands might perform to...