The dialect poems of Peter Gottlieb Lindemayr (1741-1799)

Unlike his brother Maurus, who found his way into the histories of literature as most important Austrian dialect poet of the 18th century, Peter Gottlieb Lindemayr, almost a generation younger, is hardly known today. But not lacking quality of his poetry let fade the memory of the `Stadelschreiber`. His songs in Upperaustrian dialect often show, especially in the anacreontic genre, an astonishing vividness and technical aplomb. His emphasis on the subjective and private leads away from the stereotyping role lyric of the baroque tradition to a new inwardness, as it becomes determinant in the uppergerman dialect poetry decades later. The focus on specific situations and persons, however, which characterizes his works, prevented an intensive reception of his songs similar to those of his brother. Therefore just one-fifth of his poems have been edited so far, partly without proper assignment. The rest has been unknown even in research. Aim of the project is the first scientific compilation and examination of Peter Gottlieb Lindemayr`s complete works in dialect, which are remarkable documents of everyday culture in the rural regions of Upperaustria and provide an insight into folklife during an era of incisive changes. As authentic pieces of evidence for the contemporary state of language use, this songs give a representative impression of the formal stock of dialect poetry and uncover the conditions of emergence, performance and tradition. That they are on this account - like the poems of Maurus Lindemayr - of excellent interest not only for literature and musicology but also for other disciplines like dialectology, ethnology or history is quite evident. Beyond that, the complete collection of the work of a `minor` master reveals that the dialect poetry of the 18th century in the uppergerman language region consisted not (only) of excellent individual performances of famous `father figures` like Ignaz Anton Weiser, Maurus Lindemayr or - in regard to the Swabian dialect - Sebastian Sailer. It possesses a much wider scope with ancestors, coevals and successors, as long-obsolete, but still consulted interpretations in literature and musicology indicate.

Unlike his brother Maurus, who found his way into the histories of literature as most important Austrian dialect poet of the 18th century, Peter Gottlieb Lindemayr, almost a generation younger, is hardly known today. But not lacking quality of his poetry let fade the memory of the "Stadelschreiber". His songs in Upperaustrian dialect often show, especially in the anacreontic genre, an astonishing vividness and technical aplomb. His emphasis on the subjective and private leads away from the stereotyping role lyric of the baroque tradition to a new inwardness, as it becomes determinant in the uppergerman dialect poetry decades later. The focus on specific situations and persons, however, which characterizes his works, prevented an intensive reception of his songs similar to those of his brother. Therefore just one-fifth of his poems have been edited so far, partly without proper assignment. The rest has been unknown even in research. Aim of the project is the first scientific compilation and examination of Peter Gottlieb Lindemayr`s complete works in dialect, which are remarkable documents of everyday culture in the rural regions of Upperaustria and provide an insight into folklife during an era of incisive changes. As authentic pieces of evidence for the contemporary state of language use, this songs give a representative impression of the formal stock of dialect poetry and uncover the conditions of emergence, performance and tradition. That they are on this account - like the poems of Maurus Lindemayr - of excellent interest not only for literature and musicology but also for other disciplines like dialectology, ethnology or history is quite evident. Beyond that, the complete collection of the work of a "minor" master reveals that the dialect poetry of the 18th century in the uppergerman language region consisted not (only) of excellent individual performances of famous "father figures" like Ignaz Anton Weiser, Maurus Lindemayr or - in regard to the Swabian dialect - Sebastian Sailer. It possesses a much wider scope with ancestors, coevals and successors, as long-obsolete, but still consulted interpretations in literature and musicology indicate.