«Ob in Lächeln, ob in Thränen»
Romantic guitar song writing by Lake Constance
Christoph Jäggin
Closely connected with the new currents of thought of the late 18th century, the guitar increasingly represented the ideal of the liberated man in the whole of Europe, as well as in Switzerland. Ideal as an accompaniment instrument for popular songs, it acquired an important status first in the centres, from where its presence spreads to the less industrialized regions, such as around Lake Constance. This essay attempts to reconstruct the background of this expansion, and to propose ways in which this forgotten romantic guitar repertoire could be brought to life again.
