Franco-German Identity Issues and the Use of the Expression ‘Return to Bach’ in the Interwar French Press

Abstract

This article examines the circulation and ideological weight of the expression ‘Return to Bach’ in the French press between 1918 and 1939, with a focus on its entanglement with neoclassicism and Franco-German identity dynamics. Drawing on a combined lexicometric and qualitative analysis of general, cultural, and musical periodicals, it investigates how this expression operated not only as an aesthetic marker but also as a cultural and political signifier. The “Return to Bach” enjoyed notable success in the late 1920s before experiencing a marked decline, eventually becoming a formula used with increasing irony and critical distance. By analysing references to composers and musicians such as Stravinsky, Koechlin, and Landowska, the study reveals the profound ambivalence characterizing the uses of this expression. It ultimately argues that the ‘Return to Bach’ helped construct a French-centred vision of universality, while marginalizing contemporary German contributions and reinforcing a selective narrative of musical heritage in interwar France.