A new painting by the maestro of Trumpian kitsch offers a fever dream of musical unity – and fundamentally misunderstands orchestras and conductors. And where are the music stands?
E
vents in the United States of Trumpland continue to reveal staggering new dimensions to the possibilities of orchestral music. Trump’s announcement that his “Trump Kennedy Center” is to be shut for a refit is a brilliantly cynical way to stop the noise when artists try to cancel their appearances during the rest of his presidential tenure: it’s shut already! Bigly losers, all of you!
But that’s not the new dawn for the artform I’m talking about. I mean the inspirational painting unveiled by the maestro of Trumpian kitsch, Jon McNaughton (and stamped with the presidential seal of approval – ie a post on Truth Social).
Maga Symphony depicts Trump as a conductor of the politicians and cultural figures who are Making the Orchestra Great Again. Who’s in this Maga fever dream of an orchestra? Marco Rubio leads the violins, JD Vance takes the cellos (Melania is relegated to the second desk), his sons and Roger Stone are on double basses, the foundation of the orchestra’s ideological soundworld. A bizarrely configured woodwind and brass lineup features four flutes and no oboes – mind you, there are no violas either, those shape-shifting probable Democrats! – plus Tom Homan on horn, with Tucker Carlson cheerleading on the cymbals. Where’s Elon Musk, you ask? On electric guitar, of course: the joker in the orchestral pack.
