A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Liedertafel

by Franz Gehring

LIEDERTAFEL, originally a society of men, who met together on fixed evenings for the practice of vocal music in four parts, drinking forming part of the entertainment. They arose during the political depression caused by Napoleon's rule in Germany; and the first, consisting of 24 members only, was founded by Zelter in Berlin, Dec. 28, 1808. Others soon followed at Frankfort and Leipzig, gradually relaxing the rules as to numbers. Bernhard Klein founded the 'Jüngeren Berliner Liedertafel,' which aimed at a higher standard of art. These societies gave an immense impetus to men's part-singing throughout Germany. Since the establishment of the Männergesangvereine proper (male singing societies), the word Liedertafel has come to mean a social gathering of the 'Verein,' i.e. a gathering of invited ladies and gentlemen, at which the members perform pieces previously learned. They are in fact informal concerts, where the guests move about, eat, drink, and talk as they please, provided they keep silence during the singing. The Liedertafeln of the large male singing societies of Vienna, Munich, and Cologne, are pleasant and refined entertainments, not without a musical significance of their own.

[ F. G. ]