Preliminary Research: The Evolution of Music in Berlin

For my research topic I would like to take a look at the music of Berlin. More specifically, I think it would be interesting to research how the musical culture in Berlin has changed over the last two centuries and how these changes have reflected parallel events and the environment of that time in Berlin.

I think this would be a very manageable topic. There are many museums in Berlin (over 170!) which capture the culture from one decade to the next and I'm certain that music would be represented in at least some of these. I've found various music tours offered in Berlin. Also I'm sure that the current Bohemian society that Berlin has become places value on music and the musical background in Berlin, so I believe that I should be able to find many useful resources offering information on the evolution of Berlin music.

What research I've accomplished on this subject so far has been promising. All sources I've found name Berlin as the "musical capital of Germany." Numerous famous musicians ranging from popular artists such as David Bowie, Depeche Mode, and U2 to contemporary "classical" composers such as Richard Strauss, Arnold Schoenburg all spent time working in Berlin. Berlin is also home to one of the world's oldest orchestras the Staatskapelle Berlin.

With this rich music background, music is clearly an important subject in Berlin culture and history. Also, with this emphasis on music there must be many sources readily available for research in Berlin. For these reasons I believe that the evolution of music in Berlin will be a relevant and and manageable topic.