Introduction: The Roots of Popular Dislike
The essay opens by addressing the persistent public discomfort and “instinctive dislike” toward Jews in the realm of art, and especially music. The author claims that this feeling is not the result of conscious malice or invention, but rather something deeply rooted and widely felt. He argues that, even as liberal ideals call for emancipation and equal rights, there remains a powerful, largely unspoken sense of alienation and separation between Jews and the non-Jewish majority, particularly when it comes to aesthetic and cultural life.
Jews and the Question of Belonging
The essay asserts that, despite assimilation and legal equality, Jews remain outsiders in European society. It is claimed that Jews lack the historical and organic connection to the national community that gives rise to authentic artistic expression. Their distinct physical appearance, speech, and manners are said to set them apart, making them unsuited for true participation in the creative life of the nation. This sense of otherness, the essay argues, cannot be overcome by surface adaptation or by mastering the forms of a foreign culture.
Language, Art, and the Limits of Assimilation
According to the essay, language is central to artistic expression because it embodies the spirit and history of a people. The author contends that, as Jews have only “learnt” the languages of Europe as outsiders, they are unable to participate fully in the creation of idiomatic poetry, drama, or music. This argument extends to the realm of music, where the essay claims that Jewish composers and performers, regardless of technical skill, cannot produce works with the deep, instinctive feeling or “native” quality associated with national art.
Critique of Jewish Influence in Modern Music
The essay claims that Jewish musicians have risen to prominence in a period when art has become increasingly commercialized and detached from its supposed roots in communal life. It argues that Jewish composers, despite their talent, produce works that are superficial, imitative, or lacking in genuine passion, mirroring the perceived alienation of Jews themselves. The author cites prominent Jewish musicians as examples, characterizing their work as technically proficient but emotionally empty, and uses this to generalize about Jewish influence as symptomatic of a broader cultural decline.
The Future of Art and the "Problem" of the Jew
The essay concludes with a call for artistic and societal “regeneration” through the restoration of authentic, organically rooted national art. It suggests that both Jews and the societies in which they live must overcome their alienation through self-renunciation and transformation. Only by “going under”—that is, by abandoning separate identity and assimilating completely—can Jews, the essay argues, hope to be redeemed, and only then can true, vital art flourish once more.