Der singende deutsche Mann in competition. Concepts of archievement and competitiveness at Preissingen (choral competitions) between 1840 and 1918

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Although it is impossible to ignore competitive performance in the present-day world of music, the origins and development of this modern competitive culture in music in the late 18th and early 19th centuries has until now received little attention from research. This holds particularly for the so-called Preissingen, competitions for male voice choirs, which spread rapidly in various regions of Germany from about 1840. The Bürgertum, especially the Kleinbürgertum, joined choirs that took part in these competitions in huge numbers. It therefore seems reasonable to explore the Preissingen in the framework of an interdisciplinary project, taking into account the results of historical research concerning the German Bürgertum, linking up with theoretical considerations from interdisciplinary research concerning the distinctive social interaction known as competition and with respect to relevant reflections in musicology. The leading question will be what concepts of achievement or competition are manifest in the concrete practice of the participants in Preissingen between 1840 and 1918 and what conclusion can be drawn from these ideas and practices with respect to a specific middle class orientation towards achievement and competition.