Singing in the Age of Anxiety : Lieder Performances in New York and London Between the World Wars

In New York and London during World War I, the performance of lieder—German art songs—was roundly prohibited, representing as they did the music and language of the enemy. But as German musicians returned to the transatlantic circuit in the 1920s, so too did the songs of Franz Schubert, Hugo Wolf, and Richard Strauss. Lieder were encountered in a variety of venues and media—at luxury hotels and on ocean liners, in vaudeville productions and at Carnegie Hall, and on gramophone recordings, radio broadcasts, and films. Laura Tunbridge explores the renewed vitality of this refugee musical form between the world wars, offering a fresh perspective on a period that was pervaded by anxieties of displacement. Through richly varied case studies, __Singing in the Age of Anxiety__ traces how lieder were circulated, presented, and consumed in metropolitan contexts, shedding new light on how music facilitated unlikely crossings of nationalist and internationalist ideologies during the interwar period. In New York And London During World War I, The Performance Of Lieder - German Art Songs- Was Roundly Prohibited, Representing As They Did The Music And Language Of The Enemy. But As German Musicians Returned To The Transatlantic Circuit In The 1920s, So Too Did The Songs Of Franz Schubert, Hugo Wolf, And Richard Strauss. Lieder Were Encountered In A Variety Of Venues And Media - At Luxury Hotels And On Ocean Liners, In Vaudeville Productions And At Carnegie Hall, And On Gramophone Recordings, Radio Broadcasts, And Films. 0laura Tunbridge Explores The Renewed Vitality Of This Refugee Musical Form Between The World Wars, Offering A Fresh Perspective On A Period That Was Pervaded By Anxieties Of Displacement. Through Richly Varied Case Studies, Singing In The Age Of Anxiety Traces How Lieder Were Circulated, Presented, And Consumed In Metropolitan Contexts, Shedding New Light On How Music Facilitated Unlikely Crossings Of Nationalist And Internationalist Ideologies During The Interwar Period. Introduction An Anxious Age -- Transatlantic Arrivals -- Languages Of Listening -- Lieder Society -- Saving Music. Laura Tunbridge. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.

In New York and London during World War I, the performance of lieder—German art songs—was roundly prohibited, representing as they did the music and language of the enemy. But as German musicians returned to the transatlantic circuit in the 1920s, so too did the songs of Franz Schubert, Hugo Wolf, and Richard Strauss. Lieder were encountered in a variety of venues and media—at luxury hotels and on ocean liners, in vaudeville productions and at Carnegie Hall, and on gramophone recordings, radio broadcasts, and films.Laura Tunbridge explores the renewed vitality of this refugee musical form between the world wars, offering a fresh perspective on a period that was pervaded by anxieties of displacement. Through richly varied case studies, Singing in the Age of Anxiety traces how lieder were circulated, presented, and consumed in metropolitan contexts, shedding new light on how music facilitated unlikely crossings of nationalist and internationalist ideologies during the interwar period.

This work investigates the culture of lieder performance in New York and London between the two world wars. Treated with hostility initially, German music and musicians became an important barometer by which to gauge questions of identity in an age increasingly anxious about nationalism, internationalism, race, technology, and taste. Through case studies of individual singers, venues, and media history, this text reveals the ways in which transatlantic networks were negotiated by musicians through their choice of repertoire, the spaces in which they played, and the manner in which their performances were disseminated