Souveränes Schweigen, zorniger Schall

Zum klanglichen Potential der Rolandserzählung in Text und Bild

Abstract

Auditory phenomena have a particular power in the various narrations of Roland’s defeat in the battle of Roncesvalles: in the French ‘Chanson de Roland’, the Middle High German ‘Rolandslied’ of Konrad der Pfaffe, and in Stricker’s adaptation (‘Charlemagne’), sounds contribute to the continuity of the narrative, establish temporary spatial structures or social distinctions and serve to affect the hearing characters within the narrative as well as the readers and beholders. Sound − or its absence − is employed in a sophisticated way and often assigned to certain characters. Although a few studies have already addressed audible aspects in the narration of Roland, a closer look has yet to be taken at the acoustic variety, its design and functionality. With this interdisciplinary approach, we would like to make a start and stimulate future studies by combining the perspective of medieval German studies with that of art history.

Keywords Sound Studies; Roland; Stricker; Konrad; Violence; Olifant