St. John Koukouzeles

Свети Йоан Кукузел

Author(s): Svetlana Kujumdzieva / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 3-4/2007

St. John Koukouzeles is one of the most famous medieval musicians of Bulgarian origin. According to sources, he lived approximately from 1280-1341. Koukouzeles’ reformative work adapted Orthodox music to the rituals of the revised Jerusalem liturgical order, which started to be introduced in the Balkan Orthodox countries during the 13th century. This paper argues that Koukouzeles participated actively in the establishment of the new resurrectional worship: the great Master succeeded in “reading” the tradition of Orthodox music in its depth, richness, and variety. He also succeeded in generalizing much of the past theory and practice of Orthodox music, shifting it onto the level necessary for the needs of the time. Indoing so, Koukouzeles made the theory and practice of Orthodox music viable for centuries to come. His activity is linked to the great spiritual movement of the 14th-century Orthodox East - isychasm. The isychast circle of musicians around him is outlined: Philothei Kokinos, Grigorios Pa lamas, Theoleptos of Philadelphia, Irina Agiopetritis, etc. At the end, one of Koukouzeles’s pieces is analyzed: “Alleluia” from the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostomos. The version studied is found in the 18th-century manuscript D.gr.327 from the library of the Center for Slavo-Byzantine Studies at the University “St. Clement of Ohrid” in Sofia. The piece reveals the musical “vocabulary” used by the great medieval Master.

Bulgarian Musical Medievistic. Studies in the Field of Orthodox Music - the Middle Ages, Renaissance and the New Age (1994-2004). Bibliography

Българска музикална медиевистика. Изследвания в областта на православната музика - Средновековие, Възраждане, Ново време (1994-2004). Библиография

Author(s): Asen Atanasov / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 3-4/2007

Church Singing Schools - Centers of Bulgarian Church Singing During the Revival Period

Църковнопевчески школи - средища на българското църковно пеене през Възраждането

Author(s): Stefan Harkov / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 3-4/2007

This paper traces the understanding of the concept “singing schools” during the Bulgarian Revival Period, taking into account the definition offered by the prominent Bulgarian authority on liturgical singing Petur Dinev (1889-1980). According to his definition, a liturgical singing school refers to a clearly local but Churchill song practice that can be distinguished by its particular manner of interpretation. The author traces the development of the Balkan liturgical singing tradition from the second half of the 17th century, when the process of so-called “musical exegesis”, which was, in the author’s opinion, a process of decoding the previously encoded system of knowledge within the realm of a turtle music. The goal of this decoding was to preserve the tradition. The major schools are identified, i.e. the centers of Bulgarian Orthodox music: Rila Monastery, which played a fundamental role in the founding of contemporary Bulgarian monophonic but Churchill singing in the Church Slavic language; Bachkovo Monastery; and the Zograf and Hilendar monasteries on Mount Athas. The author also adds to the list of monasterial schools for Bulgarian singing the Ukrainian Great Skit monastery (in the village of Manyavsky, Lvov Region) in eastern Carpathians, which was the center of a song style called “Bolgarskij rospev”.Urban liturgical singing schools are also examined, including those in Veliko Tumovo, Sliven, Koprivshtitsa, Ohrid, Struga, Thessaloniki, and Odrin. He also lists the names of the most prominent figures in the singing schools and briefly outlines their activities. The author concludes that despite the tendency toward stylistic unification in liturgical singing after the appearance of printed songbooks, even in the 20th century individual performances of specific regional musical expressions still have a place. This conclusion reinforces the basic principle that the strength of national unity is founded on the richness of regional variety.

The Musical Manuscripts at the Rila Monastery

Музикалните ръкописи в Рилския манастир

Author(s): Asen Atanasov / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 3-4/2007

Bulgaria’s acceptance of Christianity in 864 marked the beginning of its monasteries, which are a basic form of the organization ofreligious life. After the advent of Slavic literacy, they became centers and active distributors of medieval culture. During the Ottoman period and up until the beginning of the 19th century, they were the only cultural institutions that had libraries and that preserved Bulgarian linguistic and spiritual traditions. In a number of monasteries literary and Damaskin homily schools arose, creating conditions conducive to the development of various types of art, including wood carving, icon painting, fresco painting and miniatures. Music as a specific kind of art, in that it is temporal rather than spatial, was primarily developed inland the large monastic centers. Over the centuries the rich usual life and vigorous literary activity of Rila Monastery led to the formation of an impressive manuscript collection, which also eventually included printed books. The monasteries singing school adapted late Byzantine musical models, judging from the numerous Greek musical manuscripts from the second half of the 18th century that are preserved in the library and which are notable for their rich song repertoire. Church Slavic musical manuscripts are important evidence of the historical role played by monks at Rila, as well as being a valuable source of information about the Revival-era musico-historical process. The carefully selected collection of printed Greek anthologies bears witness to the fact that the acceptance of new elements in the development of Eastern Orthodox church music (the New Method system) led to specialized and deliberately selected musical activity. During the 19th century the Rila song school was an important musical and creative center which gave rise to chance that is notable for its unique characteristics.

Concluding Discussion from the Seminar "Orthodox Music"

Заключителна дискусия на семинара „Православна музика"

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 3-4/2007

The Missionary Deeds of the Holy Brothers Saints Cyril and Methodius and of their Disciples According to Musical and Hymnographic Evidence

Мисионерското дело на светите братя Кирил и Методий и техните ученици според музикалните и химнографските свидетелства

Author(s): Ivan Ivanov / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 3-4/2007

This article observes fundamental problems linked to the liturgical, musical and hymnographical tradition of Saints Cyril and Methodius, as they have reflected in a number of musical and hymnographical codices. An analysis is undertaken of the most important medieval theological and liturgical evidences from the 9th to the 12th centuries when the liturgical practice of the Eastern Slavs became established as part of the practice of the Byzantine Church. It was time when the new liturgical language-the Old-Bulgarian evolved and disseminated due to the prestige of the Holy brothers Saints Cyril and Methodius and their disciples.

Bulgarian Polyeleos Settings in Late Byzantine Sources from the 14th - 15th Centuries

Български полиелейни мелодии в късновизантийските извори от XIV-XV век

Author(s): Elena Toncheva / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 3-4/2007

Intrigued by the thematic motif in the Vita of St. John Koukouzeles telling about the creation of the work Polyeleos of the Bulgarian Woman, which is said to have been inspired by his mother’s lamentations, Professor M. Velimirovich discovered in the Polyeleos repertory of late Byzantine manuscripts three melodies whose headings are connected with Bulgaria: the melody “e boulgara” (The Bulgarian Woman) in the first authentic mode (in the repertoire associated with Psalm 134) and two melodies called “boulgarikon” (Bulgarian) in the fourth and the second plagal modes (between the melodies for Psalm 135). In the first half of this report the melody “e boulgara” is traced in manuscripts from the 14th and 15th to the 17th 18th centuries, with comments about its various attributions: it was originally attributed to John Glykys, but from the end of the 16th century on was attributed to John Koukouzeles. The phonetic variants of the headings are also discussed. The melody used to sing various verses from Psalm 134, and it is especially frequently connected with verse 13b. The analysis in the context of the late Byzantine polyeleos repertoire reveals the periodic repetition of melodic sections in both of its parts. Special attention is given to development of the repeating melodic episode that modulates within the second authentic mode (through a corresponding sign for modal change phtora). The hypothesis is suggested that the appearance of the heading “The Bulgarian Woman” is due to this unusual episode in melodic development that adds a crying intonation and most probably “imitates Bulgarian lament” (which corresponds to Dokeian’s heading written above a kratema): thus, the “e boulgara” melody falls under the practice of intonational mimesis, characteristic for the period when musical manuscripts included headings connected with intonational realia (such as instrumental sounds or natural sounds). On the basis of this analysis, a melodic connection is sought between the Renaissance version Polyeleos of the Bulgarian Woman by John Koukouzeles (which underwentthe changes of musical “exegesis” in the post-Byzantine period) and the medieval melody “e boulgara.” The existence of a link between the heading and the thematic motif in the life of St. loan Kukuzel is accepted. The second half of this report traces in manuscripts from the same time the two others “Bulgarian” (boulgarikon) melodies. An analysis of these melodies in the context of polyeleos repertoire of Psalm 135 once again reveals the same compositional peculiarity: the existence of periodic repetition in the ordering of combined melodic episodes; this repetition is particularly clear in the “boulgarikon” melody in the second plagal mode, in which the series of melodic episodes is repeated four times. The definitions that also frequently accompanied these two melodies, dysikon “western” are also analyzed, as they also most probably refer to the region of the Balkans. The hypothesis is suggested..

The Scribes of the Byzantine Music Manuscripts - Some Scribe Schools and Scriptoria. Part I

Писачите на византийски музикални ръкописи - наблюдения върху някои школи и скриптории. Част 1

Author(s): Yanko Marinov / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 3-4/2007

This article presents connections between palaeography of the textual ductus (stylistic tendencies) and the writing of the notation in the 12th and 13th centuries. A number of identifications of the sources that are the work of only one scribe are discussed, and the links between groups of manuscripts are established. In the first part of the paper the connections between several groups of manuscripts are pointed out: the sticherarion Rizov F1650k/op4/3 and the heirmologion Lavra Beta 32; the catenas on Paul’s Epistles Oxford Magd. MS. Gr. 7 and the praxapostol Dujcev gr. 369; the sticherarion Sinai gr. 1218, the psaltikon Patmos 201 and the tipikon Patmos 265. The newly discovered source (Sticherarion Rizov F 1650k/op4/3) containing the earliest stages of both types of Palaeo Byzantine notation (Coislin I and Chartres I) is presented. A hypothesis uniting the sources on the basis of the medieval scribe’s notion to prepare a standardized service corpus is suggested.

Joasaph of Rila

Йоасаф Рилски

Author(s): Svetlana Kujumdzieva / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 3-4/2007

Joasaph of Rila is a distinguished music teacher and composer. According to some new evidences found, he lived between 1780 and 1852. Joasaph left two inscriptions in two copies of the book containing Service for St. John of Rila that was sponsored by him and published by Neophit of Rita in 1836. The inscriptions prove that he was Bulgarian by birth: he was born in village of Rajovo near the town of Samokov in the south-western part of Bulgaria. His activity was linked to the Rita monastery, and especially to the Rita singing school, one of the greatest singing schools in the Balkans during the 18th and 19th century. According to Neophit of Rita Joasaph, as a Rita monk, was sent to Mount Athos in 1802 to learn the Eastern chant. He spent 10 years there and after his coming back to the monastery in 1812, he was appointed as a teacher of this chant there. In 1816 Joasaph was sent for six months to Istanbul to learn the “New Method” that was established by the three “teachers”: Chrysantos, Chourmusius and Grigorios Protopsaltis. Coming back for the second time to the Rila monastery, Joasaph was the first to teach this method at the Rila singing schoAs a composer, Joasaph wrote pieces in Greek and Slavic. His works are found in 15 manuscripts preserved now at the library of the Rila monastery and at the two monasteries on Mount Athos ­ Xenophontos and Dionisiatos. The pieces are labeled as “translations”, “interpretations” (“exegeseis”) and “original” works. They were designated for the Great Vespers, the three liturgies (the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostomos, the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great and the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts), for some special services like the beginning of the new church year (September 1), Pasha, the Elevation of the Cross (September 14), etc. The study of the pieces reveals virtuosity and invention and represents Joasaph as both fine chant teacher and composer. The pieces, also, represent Bulgarian contribution to the development of the Balkan Orthodox music at the time of Joasaph.

The Theological Aspect of Medieval Musical Treatises

Богословски поглед върху средновековните музикални трактати

Author(s): Ivan Ivanov / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 3-4/2007

This article focuses on Medieval musical treatises. Some of the texts from the Papadite are analyzed in order to reveal in detail their essence and function as complete musical theories or as a mystical combination of sign and symbol. The article covers the 13th and 14th centuries, a period which marked the pinnacle of the dissemination and application of the doctrine of Hesychasm, a doctrine which lies at the basis of the new musical and hymnographic style. This work discusses the collections of songs known as αηκολουθι, αϊ linked with a newly-composed stylistic layer (defined as νέον in the earliest documents). The newly-composed repertory is defined as καλοπισμός, καλοφωνικός, i.e. decoration and sweet-singing (καλοφωνια from καλός “beautiful” and φωνή “voice”). Special attention is devoted to the so-called kratimataria - collections of kratimata, a kind of teriteme - tunes without words that rest on syllables without meaning. The work presents the so-called great hypostases (μεγάλες υποστάσεις), which were seen for the first time in the Athens 2458 MS from the year 1336, a manuscript containing works by St John Koukouzeles, including polyeleion calophonic (sweet-sounding) verses. An analysis is offered (on the basis of a theological and hermeneutical interpretation of the text) of Papadike, the musical theory treatises (in Greek and in Slavonic languages) dating from the end of the Byzantine epoch (the 15th through the 17th centuries). These treatises show the methods of teaching the Faith through the singing practice of the Byzantine Church. This analysis provides grounds to give new meaning to the liturgical life of that church. The Papadike are defined as musical theories and mystical combining of sign and symbol. An analysis is made of texts from the Hilendar 311 MS from the 18th century (and its Church Slavonic version translated from the Greek), Codex Vatic. Gr. 872, from the beginning of the 14th century, as well as other documents. The article reveals the hidden meaning of the introductory intonation formulae (άπήχημα, ενήχημα), which were deciphered in a technical sense by Byzantine musical scholars. That hidden genuine sense can be revealed only through theological interpretation. The introductory intonation formulae are defined as fundamental devotional and confessional formulae. The article draws a comparison with specific texts from the prayers and sacraments of the Church.

Authors in this issue

Authors in this issue

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English / Issue: 3-4/2007

Authors in this issue.

Ortodox Music. Introduction

Православна музика. Въведение

Author(s): Elena Toncheva,Ivan Ivanov / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 3-4/2007

Church Singing and Spirituality

Църковно пеене и духовност

Author(s): Kiril Popov / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 3-4/2007

Church singing has been defined as a vital necessity for spiritual sustenance, an indivisible part of the liturgy (its “breath”), and the active link between earth and heaven, where the holy hymns are constantly heard (Revelations 4:8): angelic songs of praise, voices from the heavens, and eternal harmonies that inspire the Christian soul to strive towards saintliness. The author traces statements about Church singing made in the Holy Scriptures, as well as by the most prominent church fathers from the time of the apostles until the fourth or fifth centuries, and in the decisions by the Ecumenical Councils. According to the author, the true history of church singing began after the Edict of Milan (313 A.D.) that proclaimed Christianity as the official religion. Rule 15 of the Council of Laodicea in 343 A.D. was also important, since it allowed only ordained singers to participate in the practice of church singing (in contrast to the common practice until that time that had allowed all to sing without conductors, which led to the incorporation of pagan Greek elements). The 75th rule of the Sixth Ecumenical Council (680-681) is cited, which harshly rebukes singers who “use scandalous howls” and “unnatural cries.” It emphasizes that holy chants are not intended to be performed using “vocal ornamentation inappropriate to liturgical needs, such as, for example, dramatic melodies and unnecessary turns of the voice.” According to the author, liturgical eight-voice polyphony, the system of voice parts that forms the basis of liturgical chant was created in the spirit of these recommendations. In the second half of this paper, the author critically analyzes contemporary lit vertical vocal performance, outlining its problems and weaknesses. The first problem is the shortage of qualified liturgical singers and conductors. It is necessary to improve the system of education for liturgical singing by introducing specialized courses not only irreligious, but also in secular musical institutions (such as the National Musical Academy in Sofia). The low spiritual and emotional level of the chance being performed is pointec out as an alarming problem. Prayer is the goal and the meaning of liturgical singing which was called “verbal melody” by the Church fathers. The preceding period (after 1944) is regarded as an unfavorable time for liturgical singing during which it was considered anachronistic. Today, it is once again taken its rightful place on the concer stage; however, this is led to incorrect interpretations and coarse individualism that is not suitable to the liturgical song style: dramatic effects are introduced that an inappropriate manners of performance, such as щрих, staccato, contrasting dynamics and humming. The highly regulated place of each chant within the service is not taker into consideration, thus inadmissible changes are made to the liturgical text. Arrangements and new works are created that allow the incorporation of secular elements...

"Bolgarskij Rospev" ("Napel")

„Болгарский роспев" („напел")

Author(s): Elena Toncheva / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 3-4/2007

From the end of the 16th and throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, in Ukrainian and Belarusian manuscripts (and in Russian sources beginning in the middle of the 17th century), a large repertoire was notated using the Kievan quadratic staff notation; this repertoire was long associated with the ethnonym “Bulgarian,” i.e. Bolgarskij napel and Bolgarskij rospev - “Bulgarian chant”. This so-called “Bulgarian chant” became known in Bulgaria during the transition to the New Era (the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries) with the introduction of Russian choral liturgical singing in Bulgaria. A public discussion arose about what authentic old Bulgarian liturgical singing was: Bolgarskij rospev or the traditional Balkan monophonic chant from the revival era (after the Chrysanthos Reform of 1814). The paper briefly traces the opinions of the most prominent Bulgarian composer of that time, Dobri Hristov (1875-1941), about “Bolgarskij rospev,” and also discusses the results of research on this type of chant in the context of Russian liturgical singing by Ivan Boznesenski (according to his 1891 publication). Both authors accept that this singing comes from Bulgaria, having been produced in the oral tradition and possessing very specific stylistic characteristics. Elena Toncheva’s important discovery is also noted: three Hiermologia with such repertoire from the Great Skit Monastery located near Manyava village in the Lvov Region in the eastern Carpathians, which was the center of what the Skit Hiermologia call “Old Bulgarian chant.” A short history of the monastery is presented, as well as an explanation of its connections with the Balkan region. Initial studies of the “Bolgarskij rospev” from Skit revealed a specific psalmodic style of an early kind: the construction of the entire composition through the periodic repetition of a melodic period with a psalmodic appearance, which supports I. Boznesenski’s conclusions. Thus, we arrived at the opinion that Bolgarskij rospev which we find in the Ukrainian liturgical chant tradition, originates from the Balkans, in particular from Bulgaria as early as the time of the acceptance of Christianity (9th century). It was passed on in the oral tradition (only with the use of the so-called short or melisma theta notation). With the establishment of the Revised Jerusalem liturgical order in bilingual Greek-Slavic sources from the 15th century, the transition from oral to written practice was begun. This process can be observed in bi-lingual musical manuscripts notated with late Byzantine notation, such as the so-called Rila Musical Marginal Notes, the Skopje Papadika manuscript (MS Belgrade 93), the Zegligovo Anthology (Athens manuscript № 928), and the manuscript family from the Putna Monastery in Moldova (16th century). The idea occurred to conduct comparative research between chants with parallel Slavic-language texts from the Balkan Greek­ Slavic late Byzantine notational sources on the...

"Chants on the All-Nigth Vigil" by Dobri Hristov and the Idea of Appropriate Church Music

„Песнопения по всенощно бдение" от Добри Христов и идеята за подходящата църковна музика

Author(s): Kristina Yapova / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 3-4/2007

One demand runs through the whole of musical history like a red thread: the demand for music appropriate to its place in the church. The origins of this can be traced back at least to St. Augustine (Confessions), who passed on two words to the following centuries: the profit and the pleasure of singing. The pleasure should not outweigh the profit, while the senses should be guided by reason. These two words were seized upon by the Council of Trent, which, in its “Canon on Music to be used in the Mass”, promulgated in 1562, connected them in the idea of the religious musical ethos. Not to “the empty pleasure of the ear,” but to the lifting of hearts “in the desire for heavenly harmonies and in contemplation of the joy of the Blessed” - this should be the intention of singing in the church. It is musicology as a modern scientific discipline that connects the idea of appropriate church music with the means of expression of music, or with its musical particularities. According to this discipline these elements that are common for church and secular music, when they are used in a church work, will have to be adapted in an appropriate way to fit the aims of the liturgical service. Here two possible approaches to research present themselves. The first of them, leaving the discussion of the musical sense to other disciplines beside musicology, focuses on an analysis of the melodic, rhythmic, structural, notational, and repertoire-related characteristics of church music. The second approach is one that holds open the horizon toward the theological foundations of that music. This paper focuses on a concrete example: “Chants on the All-Night Vigil” by Dobri Hristov. In an attempt to utilize the second approach outlined above, the author has chosen a definite point of departure, situating chants in the context of the theological idea of the all-night service, which is based on Christ’s exhortation :”Be always on the watch,” Luke 21:36. Examining two types of manuscripts from Dobri Hristov’s archives (“Notes on the Order of the Chants” and “Chants for the All-Night Vigil”) in their mutual interconnectedness, this paper attempts to find an adequate way of reading “Chants,” which represents the composer’s most fervent effort to realize his idea of appropriate church music.

Ebraismo e psicologia analitica

Ebraismo e psicologia analitica

Author(s): Gianfranco Tedeschi / Language(s): Italian / Issue: 0/2002

Reviews

Recensioni

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Italian / Issue: 0/2002

Jews in Germany 2001

Jews in Germany 2001

Author(s): Susan Stern / Language(s): English / Issue: 0/2002

Keywords: picture of Jews in Germany today; Jews and non-Jews in Germany; anti-semitism; German-Jewish dialogue; Holocaust

In 2000, I was commissioned by Inter Nationes to update my 1997 brochure on Jews in Contemporary Germany. I submitted the following article in early 2001. Unfortunately, Inter Nationes felt that my new version was too long and too inflammatory; they felt that it might end up annoying too many people. So the Inter Nationes version which has since appeared in several languages is greatly abridged. This ‘original’ version reflects my own opinions, and has not been ‘politically corrected’. I believe, however, that it presents a more comprehensive, better balanced and ultimately more positive picture of Jews in Germany today. THE QUESTION COMPLEXES There are so many aspects to the ‘Jews in contemporary Germany’ theme that I find it practical to group them into three complexes. The first complex concerns Jews among themselves, and I call it ‘Germany’s Jews’. Who are the Jews living in Germany now, the remaining ‘establishment’ (the postwar, pre-unification community) and the newcomers? How and how well do they coexist? What are the major internal issues confronting the Jewish community today, and what is likely to be the future of Jewry in Germany? It is the second question complex which tends to attract the most attention, both within Germany and outside the country: ‘Jews and non-Jews in Germany’. How come there are still any Jews at all living in Germany after the Holocaust? How do these Jews get along with the Germans (a loaded question if ever there was once, since it assumes that Jews are not Germans, and Germans are not Jews) and vice versa? What role does anti- Semitism play in Germany, assuming that it does play one? What do the Jews living in Germany perceive as the major issues confronting their relationship with the ‘outside world’ – that is, with anybody and everybody who is not a Jew living in Germany, and in particular, with Jews living in the United States? And this last question brings us to the third complex, since we are back to considering Jews among themselves, this time not just within Germany but across the Atlantic. I call this complex ‘the American factor’ and extend it to include the current state of the so-called German-Jewish dialogue. This too is a loaded concept, complicated by the fact that the ‘Germans’ in this case are automatically non-Jews, and the ‘Jews’ are usually American Jews. In the pages to follow, I shall try to give a brief overview of all three complexes. The first is probably the most interesting, if only because only the people concerned, the Jews living in Germany, know anything much about it. Certainly, the internal Jewish complex is generally little known to, and even less understood by, the rest of the German population. For the most part, the rest of the world, including other Jewish populations, either have no interest in the topic, or have erroneous ideas based on myth and prejudice. I shall therefore start with the Jews among themselves.

Wahrnehmung und Bild der Großstadt Von Benjamins "Städtebildern" und den ´Berliner Texten´ bis Döblins Berlin Alexanderplatz

Wahrnehmung und Bild der Großstadt Von Benjamins "Städtebildern" und den ´Berliner Texten´ bis Döblins Berlin Alexanderplatz

Author(s): Luca Renzi / Language(s): German / Issue: 0/2002

Keywords: Walter Benjamin

AB Mitte der Zwanzigerjahre des 20. Jahrhunderts entwickelt sich allmählich im Werk Walter Benjamins ein literarisches Projekt, dessen zentraler Gegenstand die Beschreibung und die Erforschung der Physiognomie der modernen Großstadt und ihrer vielfältigen kulturellen Phänomene ist, und zwar sowohl im Hinblick auf die persönliche Erfahrung des Autors, als auch zur Erkundung des ästhetischen Werts jenes Sammelsuriums von Phänomenen, das unter dem Namen ´Moderne´ läuft. Am Anfang dieses Projekts stehen Einbahnstraße aus den Jahren 1925/28, Moskauer Tagebuch von 1926/27 und die ersten Pläne zu Benjamins monumentalem Passagenwerk, jenem unvollendeten Projekt, das den Philosophen sein ganzes Leben hindurch begleitet hat. Dieses Projekt wurde in den darauf folgenden Jahren weiterentwickelt und gewann an Substanz durch die eigentlichen ´Berliner Werke´ Benjamins, die von einem betont autobiographischen Hintergrund geprägt sind, und durch die Serie von Radioprogrammen über Berlin, die einen Zeitrahmen von 1929 bis 1938 umfassen (wenn man die verschiedenen Überarbeitungen der Berliner Kindheit mit in Betracht zieht).[...]