In modern history, how did many nationalist music composers express their sense of nationalism through their songs and musical works?

Introduction / Context:
This question explores the cultural side of nationalism, especially in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Nationalist movements did not rely only on speeches and political organisations; they also drew strength from literature, art and music. Nationalist composers used songs to awaken pride, unity and resistance. Understanding the themes they used in their songs helps you see how culture became a powerful tool in building national feeling.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The focus is on nationalist music composers and how they expressed nationalism.
- The options mention songs about dances, people, peasant life and religious themes.
- Some options limit the subject to a single narrow theme, while one option combines several popular themes.
- We assume the question refers to a broad pattern found in different countries, including India and Europe.

Concept / Approach:
Nationalist composers often turned to the everyday culture of their people. They used folk melodies, rural stories, local dances and images of peasants and ordinary citizens to show that the nation belonged to everyone, not just the elite. By doing so, they made music that felt familiar and emotionally powerful. The correct approach is to look for the option that captures this combination of folk elements, people and peasant life, rather than one that restricts nationalism to a single narrow subject like only leaders or only religious themes.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that nationalist composers in many countries collected folk tunes and dances and turned them into patriotic songs. Step 2: Understand that these songs often spoke about the life of ordinary people, peasants, workers and villagers, who were seen as the heart of the nation. Step 3: Notice that purely elite or purely religious themes without any link to the people did not fully represent the broad nationalist message. Step 4: Examine the options and see which one brings together folk dances, ordinary people and peasant life as a unified theme. Step 5: Identify option D as the only one that describes this rich combination and therefore select it as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this by thinking about well known nationalist songs. In India, for example, many patriotic songs use folk tunes, local images, fields, rivers and village life, rather than just praising leaders. Similar patterns can be seen in European nationalist music, where composers drew on local dances and peasant culture. Very few successful nationalist songs were limited only to classical dance or only to religious chants with no national content. This consistent pattern across countries supports option D.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
By composing songs only about classical dances, carefully avoiding social or political themes: This is too narrow and deliberately avoids the broad human content that nationalism needs.
By writing songs only in praise of a few great political leaders and ignoring common people: Nationalist music did praise leaders, but it also drew heavily on common people and folk culture, so this description is incomplete and misleading.
By composing songs only on peasant life and rural hardship, without using folk dances or wider imagery: Peasant life was important, but composers also used dances, festivals and other symbols, so saying only peasant life is not accurate.
By composing only devotional hymns about ancient gods with no reference to the nation or its people: Such purely religious hymns may be spiritual but are not necessarily nationalist if they do not refer to the nation or its people at all.

Common Pitfalls:
A common pitfall is to assume that nationalism works only through high politics and big leaders, so students may be drawn to options that overemphasise political figures. Another mistake is to think that any patriotic song must be purely religious or purely about suffering peasants, ignoring the joyful side of folk dances and festivals. Remembering that nationalist culture tried to unite people by using many familiar elements at once will help you choose the option that reflects this richness rather than a narrow, one dimensional view.

Final Answer:
Nationalistic composers expressed their nationalism mainly by creating songs that drew inspiration from folk dances, ordinary people and peasant life together, celebrating the nation.