Songs for a Revolution - The 1848 Protest Song Tradition in Germany

Songs for a Revolution provides access to twenty-two protest songs from the Vormärz and 1848 Revolution in Germany, along with a reception history of their revival after 1945. The songs reflect the new political consciousness that emerged during the post-1830 period and led to the revolution, and the book documents their transmission and reception through broadsides, songbooks, newspaper reports, and manuscripts. It also demonstrates how the appropriation of these songs by the German Liedermacher and folk scene shaped today's cultural memory of the 1848 period.

Format: Hardback
Length: 384 pages
Publication date: 13 October 2020
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer Ltd

The socially turbulent era of the Vormärz (1830-1848) and the 1848 Revolution in Germany gave birth to a rich tapestry of political protest songs. Songs for a Revolution presents a collection of twenty-two notable protest songs from this period, encompassing both the German and English lyrics and melodies. This comprehensive volume also delves into the reception history of these songs, charting their suppression following the revolution, their gradual obscurity amidst intermittent revivals by the workers' movement and later in the Weimar Republic, and their eventual appropriation as democratic cultural heritage by the folk and political song movements of East and West Germany after 1945.

The songs captured the essence of the new, oppositional political consciousness that emerged during the post-1830 period of restoration, ultimately paving the way for the revolutionary fervor that unfolded. The book employs a diverse range of sources, including broadsides, songbooks, newspaper reports, and manuscripts, to document the transmission of these songs and shed light on the milieus in which they circulated. Furthermore, it showcases how the appropriation of these songs by the German Liedermacher and folk scene shaped the cultural memory of the 1848 period today. By examining the functioning of political ideology in these reception processes, the book uncovers the myths that have influenced the discourse surrounding the 1848 songs.

This rich tapestry of protest songs not only serves as a testament to the power of music in shaping social movements but also provides valuable insights into the complex dynamics of political ideology and its impact on cultural memory. As we delve into the melodies and lyrics of these songs, we gain a deeper understanding of the historical events that shaped the world we live in today.

Weight: 798g
Dimension: 158 x 234 x 32 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781640140486