ABSTRACT
This chapter gives a brief history of race theory and clarify some related terms, such as nationalism, culture and ethnicity. The 'national music hero' has to use folk traditions, all the same – since, once a nation has independence, these are seen as 'national' traditions and part of what justifies that national autonomy. Bela Bartok had no time for the Gypsy music Liszt so admired, and thought Gypsies appropriated and deformed Hungarian folk music, appealed to those with low artistic sensibilities, and were content to play whatever the customer wanted. The Tohono O'odham people of Southern Arizona, for example, play dance music of Mexican and European origin, something they have been doing since the end of the nineteenth century. Marc A. Weiner is adamant that he is not suggesting Wagner meant Beckmesser to be taken literally as a Jew, since for one thing he could not have held the position of Nuremberg's notary.
