Review of the work: Música, historia y política. Aportaciones musicales al análisis historiográfico, Téllez, E.

New musical-political approaches

Abstract

This review examines Music, History and Politics: Musical Contributions to Historiographical Analysis (EdictÒlia, 2025) by Enrique Téllez, a collection of four essays exploring the relationships between music, history, and political engagement in different periods of contemporary Spanish history. The volume first addresses the role of the Himno de Riego during the Liberal Triennium and its significance in the symbolic construction of Spanish constitutionalism. It then focuses on the figure of Pau Casals, highlighting his commitment to the Second Spanish Republic and his involvement in cultural initiatives aimed at working-class audiences. The final two essays examine the consequences of the Spanish Civil War through the experience of Republican exile and the career of the composer Carlos Palacio. The review emphasizes the breadth and diversity of the documentary sources employed by the author, as well as the book’s value for understanding music as an active agent in the historical, political, and cultural processes of contemporary Spain.