Russell, Peter

Dr. Peter Russell is Reader in German at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, and author of The Divided Mind: A Portrait of Modern German Culture and a study of Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder. He is also a professional singer with over twenty-five years of public performance in recital, oratorios and opera, and as a national recording artist of Radio New Zealand.

Themes of the German Lied: From Mozart to Strauss

2002 0-7734-7293-2
This is the first study systematically to map and classify the major German lieder according to the themes of their texts. It also traces in detail the extent to which each theme as evolved from German folk-song, or derives from elsewhere, notably the Romantic movement. This analysis also affords new insights into the differing personalities of the major lieder composers. It constitutes a comprehensive reference-work, an encyclopedia of lieder themes. Through its lists of contents and its detailed indexes (by composers, poets, song-titles, and themes) it provides an easy means of racing lieder by theme.