Josephine Lang ― Her Life And Songs

Josephine Lang (1815-80) was one of the most gifted, respected, prolific, and widely published song composers of the nineteenth century, yet her life and works have remained virtually unknown. Now, this carefully researched, compelling, and poignant study recognizes the composer for her remarkable accomplishments.

Based on years of study of unpublished letters, musical autographs, reviews, and the autobiographical poetry of Lang's husband, Reinhold Köstlin, the biographical portions of the book offer a stunning portrait of the composer as a woman and an artist.

In-depth musical analyses interwoven with the biography will be illuminating to scholars and to musicians of all skill levels. The analyses reveal Lang's sensitivity to her chosen poetic texts, as well as the validity of her claim that her songs were her diary; the authors demonstrate that many of the songs are directly connected to the events of Lang's life. The analyses are illustrated by an abundance of musical examples, including a number of complete songs. A companion website, featuring 30 songs by Lang recorded by the authors, complements the text.

Harald Krebs is Professor of Music at the University of Victoria. His book, Fantasy Pieces: Metrical Dissonance in the Music of Robert Schumann (Oxford 1999), was awarded the Society for Music Theory's Wallace Berry Award in 2002. He has published widely on 19th- and early 20th-century music, and has lectured and performed as a pianist throughout North America and Europe.

Sharon Krebs holds degrees in human physiology and Germanic Studies. She is active as a singer and performs frequently in Canada, the United States, and Europe. She is the author of several articles on Josephine Lang and Reinhold Kostlin.