Ernest Bloch is known as an America composer, but despite this, he was not actually born in America. Bloch was born in Switzerland, and he became a United States citizen in the early 20th century. But shortly after Bloch came to America, things would begin to change. The government would pas new immigration acts, which greatly limited the immigrants allowed to come to America. While it would not affect Bloch directly, it is important to discuss, as it will provide a wider context for his arrival in America. And around the same time period as these acts being passes, Bloch would write his multi-movement piano piece, Poems of the Sea, B.46. It is a poetic work showcasing the character of the sea in each movement. And, as we will come to discuss, it showcases one immigrant’s victory against America’s racist policies.
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