[AMS-announce] CFP: Austrian Studies, 16 (2008): Words and Music

[ams-announce-admin at list.bowdoin.edu]

AUSTRIAN STUDIES, 16 (2008)
CALL FOR PAPERS

WORDS AND MUSIC

Web page: http://www.rhul.ac.uk/German/AS-papers/vol16.html

The Austrian lands have been at the heart of European musical development
from the middle ages. At least three Viennese schools have made
substantial impact: the first, that of J. J. Fux, J. H. Schmelzer and
other composers of the 17th-century Baroque Viennese court; the second,
that of high Classicism and the music of that well-known trinity of
composers, Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven - but also Schubert; and the third,
that of the pioneering high modernism of another trinity, Schoenberg, Berg
and Webern - but anticipated by Mahler and others in the late 19th and
early 20th centuries. There is also a lively contemporary music scene.
Popular music has held an important place at least since the waltzes of
Johann Strauss; folk music of various kinds has always been important,
especially regionally; and Austrian writers have made outstanding
contributions to music theory and criticism over the centuries.

The theme of Austrian Studies, 16, is broadly conceived but the editors
are aiming for a focus on the interrelationship of the two elements 'Words
and Music' - not only from the perspective of the musician using words as
a stimulus for musical settings, but from 'logocentric' positions, too,
those of the author or the critic. Possible themes or topics might
include:

* musical settings of texts by Austrian writers - poetry, prose, drama
* Austrian composers and their choice of writers
* the Lied in Austria
* Austrian vocal music
* national and regional hymns and anthems
* music and religion
* opera and opera libretti (the Austrian opera tradition, individual
 composers, the relationship of composer and librettist) - Literaturoper
 based on Austrian texts - operetta
* public musical discourse in key periods
* folk song
* musical cabaret
* film and music
* the language of music / music as language
* music festivals in Austria (e.g. Salzburg)
* improvisation and the literary text (e.g. Franz Koglmann)
* music and musicians as the theme of Austrian writing (e.g. Schnitzler's
 Der Weg ins Freie, Werfel's Verdi, Jelinek's Die Klavierspielerin)
* Austrian musicians and composers as the subject of drama and film
 (e.g. Leise flehen meine Lieder/The Unfinished Symphony, Wen die Götter
 lieben, Amadeus)
* music and the critics (e.g. individual figures such as Eduard Hanslick,
 or the public conduct of debates about music in Austria)
* Austrian musicology and musicologists
* the reception in the press and literature of key musical events
 (e.g. the 'Skandalkonzert' of 1913)
* the relationship to music of key Austrian literary figures

Proposals should be sent by 28 February 2007 to either of the editors:
Professor Robert Vilain (r.vilain at rhul.ac.uk) or Dr Judith Beniston
(j.beniston at ucl.ac.uk). It is anticipated that the deadline for completed
articles will be 31 December 2007.