Neidhart von Reuental

The poems in this collection were written by a poet called Neidhart in the first half of the 13th century, in the south of Germany and Austria. They are not strictly courtly love songs, although they include some elements of that, but rather humorous songs in which peasants appear who often act unruly and wildly. There are twenty poems in this book, which are divided into summer and winter songs. The poems typically start with a description of the natural world and then become love songs, either describing village dances and gatherings or resembling a courtly song about a lady, who usually is a village girl. Some songs also reference the crusades and conflicts between peasants and the gentry.
Apparently, Neidhart's poems/songs were very popular, even until the 16th century.
This book includes the scores to nine of the texts, as well as an introduction to each poem and a commentary on the language.
Each poem is presented in the original Middle High German and in a Modern High German translation. I first read the original (sometimes understanding more, sometimes less), and then the translation. I must admit, though, that I found the poems rather boring. While I appreciate their historical relevance, their rarity and their elaborate structure, the humor is lost on me and I just cannot really connect to these texts. I'd much rather read romances and epics when it comes to medieval literature.… (mehr)