Cabaret songs have become a delightful and popular addition to the art song recital, yet there is no concise definition in the lexicon of classical music to explain precisely what cabaret songs are; ...indeed, they exist, as composer Richard Pearson Thomas says, "in that world that's somewhere in between" other genres. So what exactly makes a cabaret song a cabaret song? This document will explore the topic first by tracing historical antecedents to and the evolution of artistic cabaret from its inception in Paris at the end of the 19th century, subsequent flourish throughout Europe, and progression into the United States. This document then aims to provide a stylistic analysis to the first volume of the cabaret songs of American composer Richard Pearson Thomas.
Lucifer, it must be remembered, had once been the most beautiful of all the angels, and he is traditionally depicted as being entirely red in color. ... Lucifer's name is derived from the Latin for ..."light-bearing"; while Lula herself is no figure of light, it may be worth pointing out that Baraka's mistress at the time he was writing Dutchman was a white, red-haired woman by the name of Lucia, or "light" in Italian (Watts; and Baraka, The Autobiography).
My dissertation is built around an annotated translation of Eduard von Keyserling’s 1907 essay, “Über die Liebe.” The author’s citations are often made from memory and consequently, are not always ...entirely accurate. This fact is discussed and inaccuracies are corrected. Chapter One begins with an overview of the historical background of the Keyserling family. It includes biographical material that describes the author’s life and experiences, and introduces his illustrious forbears. It also points to the writers and philosophers who influenced the author’s thinking. Chapter Two, a review of the literature, discusses some of the dissertations, articles and books that were published about Eduard von Keyserling during his lifetime and in the years succeeding his death. In some cases, certain conclusions are challenged. Chapter Three consists of the annotated translation of “Über die Liebe.” Chapter Four is a commentary on the essay, discussing how it relates it to Keyserling’s fiction as well as his reviews and several other of his essays. Chapter Five deals with the themes found in Keyserling’s fiction. These themes are discussed and analyzed, including the particular works in which these themes appear, namely the novels, short stories and essays. The Conclusion expresses the dissertation’s main argument, namely, that to understand Keyserling’s point of view and the reasons why unhappy love figures in almost all his stories, the essay “Über die Liebe,” must be read because it, along with the earlier 1905 essay “Zur Psychologie des Komforts,” contain Keyserling’s ideas about love and thus clarify how those ideas have influenced his fiction. Finally, the dissertation suggests that more of Keyserling’s reviews and essays, as well as his fiction, ought to be translated so as to introduce him to the non-German speaking world and to ensure that he is recognized as the important fin du siècle writer that he is.
Expressionism was the major literary and art form in Germany beginning in the early 20th century. It flourished before and during World War I and continued to be the dominant art for of the Early ...Weimar Republic. By 1924, Neue Sachlichkeit replaced Expressionism as the dominant art form in Germany. Many Expressionists claimed they were never truly apart of Expressionism. However, in the periodization and canonization many of these young artists are labeled as Expressionist. This thesis examines the periodization and canonization of Expression in art, drama, and film and proves that Expressionism began much earlier than scholars believe and ended much later than 1924. This thesis examines the conflicts in Germany that led to Expressionism and which authors and artists influenced Expressionists. It will also show that after Expressionism ceased to be the dominant art form in Germany, many former Expressionists continued to use expressionistic form in their works but ceased to use expressionistic content. This thesis argues that both the periodization and canonization of Expressionism should be expanded to include all works that may be classified as having expressionistic form.
This dissertation explores the intersection of gender and humor in German-language literature of the fin de siècle. At the turn of the century, the German-speaking countries of central Europe ...experienced a surge of interest in humor theory as well as unprecedented feminist activity, making the relationship between humor and gender a fruitful area of study. However, most literary criticism on gender and humor published in the last forty years has focused on the gender of a humorous literary text’s author rather than how humor affects representations of gender within the text. This dissertation therefore examines literary works by decidedly non-feminist authors like Theodor Fontane, Thomas Mann, and Frank Wedekind as well as the feminist activist Hedwig Dohm and analyzes how humor works to influence gender representation in novels, short stories, dramas, and polemic essays. Ultimately this dissertation argues two main points: First, humor in literature of the fin de siècle often acts as a social leveler and creates a space in which men and women can prove themselves intellectual and moral equals. Second, humor in this literature often goes beyond depicting men and women simply as equals and challenges traditional and essentialist gender roles by exposing them as social constructs devoid of any “natural” foundation. In order to make these arguments, this dissertation engages with humor theory, classical to contemporary, as well as Judith Butler's theory of gender performativity.
The purpose of this academic thesis is to study and analyze Frank Wedekind's Spring Awakening and its adaptation Spring Awakening: A New Musical, written by Steven Sater. This study includes an ...analysis of musical theatre and its history, an analysis of Frank Wedekind's original work and a comparative analysis with Sater's adaptation. Also, the thesis explores the "Post-Modern Musical," a new form of production currently being produced on Broadway. The main focus of the thesis is to analyze how Spring Awakening affects contemporary audiences, this is done through an analysis of the music and themes associated with the modern production.
Playgoing in Manhattan Minus, Ed
The Sewanee Review,
2008, Volume:
116, Issue:
1
Book Review, Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Minus criticizes several recent live theater productions in Manhattan NY. Live theater continues to flourish in Manhattan--more plays that one can shake a fifty-dollar bill at, and more plays than ...theater to accommodate them. He notes that it's not just old movies that are turned to plays; old movie houses are being turned into legitimate theaters.
Frank Wedekind's notorious personality has been widely acknowledged by contemporaries and critics, but the nature of his notoriety has seldom been explored. The dramatist's scandalous public image ...was not merely a byproduct of an artistic lifestyle and consciousness, but a deliberately cultivated work in its own right. As this article shows, his interest in perpetuating his scandalous reputation was most evident in the aftermath of the Simplicissimus affair, when Wedekind used the cabaret stage to enhance his profile, but also to rehabilitate the infamous reputation he had compromised in his effort to defend himself against the charge of lese majesty. Reprinted by permission of the German Studies Review
This paper explores two adaptations by rock musician Lou Reed of the Velvet Underground and Metal Machine Music fame. Reed has always been a complicated and controversial figure, but two of his ...albums—The Raven (2003), a collaborative theater piece; and Lulu (2011), a collaboration with heavy metal band Metallica—have inspired confusion and vitriol among both fans and critics. However, both adaptations, rich in intertextual references, at once show Reed to be what music historian Simon Reynolds calls a portal figure—offering a map of references to other texts for fans, indicating his own indebtedness to prior art—and to also be an uncompromisingly unique and original artist. This thesis analyzes both The Raven and Lulu and their adaptive connections to their source texts (the collected works of Edgar Allan Poe and the Lulu plays by German modernist Frank Wedekind) through the lens of adaptation theory. Although both albums, especially Lulu, were vilified by fans and critics alike, an exploration of both texts and their sources reveals a more complicated reading of the albums, as well as shedding light on adaptation theory. Reed's adaptations, in particular, offer compelling new insights into notions of fidelity—between an adaptation and its source, as well as between Reed and his career—and also promote alternative forms of listening pleasure, which challenge cultural and music industry boundaries regarding contemporary music. Lou Reed and his adaptive practice occupy a crucial position in the adaptive process, in both rock and heavy metal music.
