Lorraine Byrne Bodley

Lorraine Byrne Bodley is Professor of Musicology at Maynooth University and President of the Society for Musicology in Ireland (2015–2021).  She holds a double doctorate in Music and in German from University College Dublin (2000), and is the first woman in Ireland to be conferred with a DMUS in Musicology, a higher doctorate on published work (NUI, 2012). Major grants and awards for her research on Schubert, on Goethe and Music, include Principal Investigator of an IRCHSS New Foundation Schemes (2016 and 2018); a Gerda Henkel Foundation scholarship (2014); two DAAD Senior Academic’s Awards (2014 and 2010); an Irish Research Council for Humanities and Social Sciences Postdoctoral Fellowship (2001–03) and the Goethe Prize of the English Goethe Society (2001). In 2010 she was Visiting Professor at the University of Leipzig. In 2014 she was Gerda Henkel Research Fellow at Schubert Archive at University of Tübingen and an invited Board Member of the Internationale Schubert-Gesellschaft (Tübingen and Vienna). In 2015 she was elected to The Royal Irish Academy and the first woman to be elected President of the Society for Musicology in Ireland.  In 2016 she was granted a personal chair in musicology at Maynooth University and in 2018 she was re-elected President of the Society for Musicology in Ireland. In 2020 she was invited to be Board Member of the Kommission für Schubert Forschung (Schubert Research Centre, Vienna) at the Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaft and General Editor with Harry White of the international book series Irish Musical Studies (Four Courts Press 1990–2020 and Boydell and Brewer, 2020–) 

Lorraine Byrne Bodley is widely regarded as one of the world’s foremost authorities on Schubert, on Goethe and Music, on which she has lectured and published prolifically. She has given over 120 international guest lectures and keynote addresses (in German and in English) in Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, the Nederlands, Russia, Scotland, UK, USA. She has published 14 books including five essay collections on Schubert including Rethinking Schubert (Oxford University Press, 2016 pb 2017) and Schubert’s Late Music: History, Theory, Style (Cambridge University Press, 2016, pb 2018). She is currently completing a major new biography on Schubert which has been commissioned by Yale University Press. In addition to her monographs and edited collections, she has written over 50 book chapters and articles reflecting her interest in Music and Culture which have appeared in the Schubert-Jahrbuch, The Schubertian, Music and Letters; Musiktheorie; Nineteenth Century Music Review; The Musical Times; Publications of the English Goethe Society; German Quarterly, Oxford German Studies and the Goethe-Jahrbuch.

Bodley’s research is internationally recognized in two disciplines: Musicology and Germanistics. Publications on Goethe and Music include: Music in Goethe’s Faust: Goethe’s Faust in Music (Boydell & Brewer, 2017) and Goethe and Zelter: Musical Dialogues (Ashgate, 2009) which was named an Outstanding Academic Book of 2010 by Choice and has been widely acclaimed as an ‘excellent translation’ and ‘a major contribution’ to musicology and Goethe studies (Music and Letters, The Schubertian, Choice, Modern Language Review, German Quarterly). Her critical edition of Eberwein and Goethe’s melodrama, Proserpina, was premiered by the National Symphony Orchestra (2007) toured by the Thüringer Symphoniker (2010) and most recently performed by the Munich Symphony Orchestra in 2016. 

A large part of Lorraine’s work includes public outreach including an invitation to curate a pre-concert lecture series on Schubert Symphonies performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic conducted by Gustavo Dudamel (2016) and Schubert. Dreaming the Sublime, a Festival of Schubert Late Works at the Kilkenny International Arts Festival Ireland (2017). She is a regular speaker at the Oxford Lieder Festival (2012–) and is part of the Beethoven Ringvorlesung at the Barenboim-Said Akademie (Berlin, 2021).

In her role as Professor of Musicology in Maynooth, Prof. Byrne Bodley is a deeply committed teacher and mentor of doctoral and postdoctoral research. She has supervised 40 graduate students including 16 doctoral and postdoctoral students. She has been a leader of 8 research projects in the past 10 years, including full-time positions of pre- and post-doctoral researchers. 

As a biographer she is aware of the privilege and responsibility of an artistic bequest, and the central role a family can play in a composer’s reception history. As curator of her husband’s manuscripts, she corresponds regularly on his behalf and is deeply committed to the promotion of his life’s work. She has commissioned three song cycles; arranged numerous performances and edited critical editions of his music including A Community of the Imagination: Seóirse Bodley’s Goethe’s Settings (Carysfort Press, 2013); A Hazardous Melody of Being: Seóirse Bodley’s Song Cycles on the Poems of Micheal O’Siadhail (Carysfort Press, 2008) and Seóirse Bodley: Three Congregational Masses (Dublin: Carysfort Press, 2005). 

BOOKS PUBLISHED AS SOLE AUTHOR: 
Schubert. A Musical Wayfarer (London and New Haven: Yale University Press, in progress)
Goethe and Zelter: Musical Dialogues (London: Ashgate, October 2009), 585pp.  
Schubert’s Goethe Settings (London: Ashgate, May 2003), 512pp.   

BOOKS EDITED/JOINTLY AUTHORED:

Music Preferred: Essays in Musicology, Cultural History and Analysis in Honour of Harry White (Vienna: Hollitzer Verlag, 2018), 784pp. 

Music in Goethe’s Faust: Goethe’s Faust in Music (Boydell & Brewer, 2017), 355pp. 

Rethinking Schubert (Oxford University Press, 2016, pb December 2017) Co-Editor (with Julian Horton), 528pp.

Schubert’s Late Music in History and Theory (Cambridge University Press, 2016, pb 2018), 458pp.

A Community of the Imagination: Seóirse Bodley’s Goethe Settings (Dublin: Carysfort Press, 2013), 158pp.  

The Unknown Schubert (Aldershot: Ashgate, 2008). (with Dr Barbara Reul) 256pp.
A Hazardous Melody of Being: Seóirse Bodley’s Song Cycles on the Poems of Micheal O’Siadhail (Dublin: Carysfort Press, 2008), 87pp. 
Proserpina: Goethe’s Melodrama with Music by Carl Eberwein (Dublin: Carysfort Press, 2007), 182pp.
Seóirse Bodley: Three Congregational Masses (Dublin: Carysfort Press, March 2005), 60pp.
Goethe: Musical Poet, Musical Catalyst (Dublin: Carysfort Press, 2004).
Goethe and Schubert Across the Divide (Dublin: Carysfort Press, 2003), 247pp.
Claudine von Villa Bella: Goethe’s Singspiel set to Music by Franz Schubert (Dublin: Carysfort Press, 2002), 153pp.

RECENT GUEST LECTURES INCLUDE:
 4–16 November 2019 Invited Lecture, ‘Schubert and Friendship’, Schubert am Klavier Conference, Neue Schubert Ausgabe, University of Tübingen

21–23 June 2019 Presidential Address and Paper, Society for Musicology in Ireland Annual Plenary Conference, Maynooth University
10 May 2019 ‘Schubert’s Dramatic Music’, St Hilda’s College, University of Oxford

8 March 2019 Ars et Amicitia: Schubert and the Aesthetics of Friendship

11 January 2019 Presidential Introduction, ‘Joseph Joachim’s Ireland’, SMI-ICTM.IE Postgraduate Conference, Dundalk Institute of Technology

21–24 Nov. 2018 ‘Why Musicology Matters?’, Society for Musicology in Ireland Panel, KVNM Symposium ‘Musicological Societies as Intermediaries between Society, Musical Life and Academia’

23 October 2018 ‘Schubert’s Teenage Symphonies’, Palacky University, Czech Republic

9 October 2018 John Byrd Research Lecture, ‘Schubert and the Making of the Self’ And ‘Key Issues in Schubert Reception’ Graduate Symposium, University of Cardiff.

15 August 2017 Public Lecture, ‘Late Works or Last Works? On Schubert’s Final Years’, Kilkenny International Arts Festival  
27 April 2017 Opening Address, ‘Why Musicology Matters’, Public Musicology Sympoisum National Concert Hall.
16–21 May 2017 5 Guest Lectures, Schubert Symphonies Series, Los Angeles Philharmonic.
21 February 2017  Invited Lecture, ‘On the Edge of a Dream: Schubert’s Early Compositions’, University of Durham

28 October 2016 Invited Postgraduate Seminar, Tradition und Innovation: Goethes Proserpina mit Musik von Karl Eberwein, Ludwig Maximilians Universität, Munich.

27 October 2016 Invited Guest Lecture, ‘Schubert und der Weg zu seiner Identität als Komponist’. Ludwig Maximilians Universität, Munich.

4 October 2016 Invited Lecture ‘The Makings of a Music: Reflections on Early Schubert’, Palacky University and Visiting Professorship, Olomouc, Czech Republic.

1 September 2016 Invited Guest Lecture, ‘A new and surprising Schubert’, In celebration of Susan Wollenberg’ University of Oxford, 

10 June 2016 Paper Read, ‘Gathering up Fragments: Schubert’s Italianità’, SMI Plenary Conference, St Patrick’s College Drumcondra, Dublin 3.

2 March 2016 Invited Lecture, ‘Franz Schubert and the Making of the Self’, UCD Research Seminar Series.

16 October 2015: Invited Lecture, Singing Poets and their Songs, Oxford Lieder Festival, University of Oxford
13 June 2015: In Search of Schubert’, SMI Plenary Conference, University College Cork
12 June 2015: ‘Musicology Matters’ Inaugural Address, President of the Society for Musicology in Ireland, University College Cork
9-11 April 2015 : Paper read, ‘Imagining Franz Schubert’, Musical Biography: National Ideology, Narrative technique and the Nature of Myth, Institute for Musical Research, London

25 November 2014: Invited Guest Lecture, ‘Proserpina. Carl Eberweins Vertonung von Goethes Melodram’, Musikwissenschaftliches Institut, University of Tübingen
10 October-17 November 2014: Keynote Address, ‘Goethe and Schubert: The Wonder of Song and Vicissitudes of the Singspiel’, Schubert as Dramatist University of Oxford, as part of the Oxford Lieder Festival, Schubert Extravaganza: Live Performances of all of Schubert’s Lieder
7 June 2014:  Paper Read, ‘A Place at the Edge: Reflections on Schubert’s Final Years, 12th Annual Conference for the Society for Musicology in Ireland’, University College Dublin

28-30 November 2013: Invited Guest Lecture, ‘Nachdenken über Schuberts ,,Gretchen am Spinnrade,,’ Kunstuniversität Graz, Austria
17 October 2013: Invited Guest Lecture, ‘Hugo Wolf’s Goethe Settings’, Oxford Lieder Festival featuring performances of Hugo Wolf’s 51 Goethe Lieder
18 September 2013: Invited Guest Lecture: Schuberts Goethe Vertonung, ‘Der Musensohn’, Goethe-Museum Düsseldorf, Germany
7-10 August 2013: Paper Read. ‘Silence, Absence and Ellipsis in Schubert-Berio Rendering for Orchestra’, International Association for Word and Music Studies: Ninth International Conference, Institute of Musical Research, London.
21-23 June 2013: Paper read, ‘Imagining Franz Schubert’, 11th Annual Conference for the Society for Musicology in Ireland’, National University of Ireland Maynooth.
3 May 2013: Invited Lecture: ‘Tradition, Thresholds, Transformation: On Seoirse Bodley’s Goethe Settings’, Sonic Symbiosis: The Relationship between the Composer and Musicologist, NUI Maynooth, Co. Kildare.
15 March 2013: Research Lecture, ‘Challenging the Context: Reception and Transformation in Schubert’s “Der Musensohn”’, Department of Music Research Seminars.
28 February 2013: Invited Lecture, ‘Schuberts Lehrjahre Settings’ in collaboration with the Mezzo-Soprano Alison Browner, Irish Songmaker’s Almanac Master Class, Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin.

17 November 2012: Keynote Address, ‘Schubert’s Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre Settings’ 25-Year Celebration of the Schubert Institute UK, Institute of Musical Research, London.
28 September 2012: Invited Lecture, ‘Wassermetaphorik und Wandermotive in Schubert’s Goethe Vertonungen, Internationaler Schubert-Kongress, Deutsche Schubert Gesellschaft, Duisberg, Germany.
28 June 2012: Invited Lecture, ‘Transitions and Translations: Goethe’s Proserpina with Music by Carl Eberwein’, Comparative Literatures Association of Ireland 1st International Conference, ‘Transitions in Comparative Studies’, UCC.
17 June 2012: Paper Read ‘Who was Schubert’s Gretchen?’ at NUIM Panel of Staff, Doctoral Graduates and Students ‘Music and Text: Schubert, Wagner and Britten’s Renderings of Goethe’s Faust, 10TH Annual Conference of the Society for Musicology in Ireland, DkIT.
20 April 2012: Paper Read, ‘Goethe and the Allure of Music’, International and Interdisciplinary Conference, Music in Goethe’s Faust: Goethe’s Faust in Music, NUI Maynooth.
4 April 2012: Invited Lecture, ‘Why Musicology Matters’ in: Musicology in Ireland: A Symposium, UCD Humanities Institute.

9 December 2011: Paper Read, ‘From Mythology to Social Politics: Goethe’s Proserpina with Music by Carl Eberwein’, Women and the 19th Century Lied Conference, NUI Maynooth.
16 November 2011: Invited Lecture, ‘Nachdenken über Goethes Freundschaft mit Felix Mendelssohn’, University of Heidelberg Distinguished Guest Lecture Series.
22 October 2011: Paper Read, ‘Music of the Orphaned Self: Schubert’s Late Lehrjahre Settings’, International Conference, Schubert and Concepts of Late Style, NUI Maynooth.
1-3 July 2011: Paper Read, ‘Musical Mimesis and the Representation of Reality: Goethe’s Proserpina with Music by Carl Eberwein’, University of Athens, Greece.
24 June 2011: Paper Read, ‘Leave-takings: On Goethe’s Correspondence with Reichardt’, SMI Annual Conference, RIAM Dublin.
27 May 2011: Guest Lecture, ‘Auf der Spur einer verlorenen Welt: Über Goethes musikalische Dialoge mit Zelter’, Goethe-Gesellschaft Ludwigsburg, Germany.
19 May 2011: Guest Lecture, ‘Durch Schweigen verschleiert: Über Goethes musikalische Dialoge mit Zelter, Goethe-Gesellschaft Kassel, Germany.
19 April 2011: Invited Lecture, ‘Goethe und die Verlockung der Musik’, Goethe-Gesellschaft Weimar, Germany.
7-10 April 2011: Invited Lecture, In dem Fußstapfens des Meisters: Carl Friedrich Zelter, Protégé von Fasch, Internationale Wissenschaftliche Konferenz, ‘Fasch Vater und Sohn’, zu den 11. Internationalen Fasch-Festtagen 2011 in Anhalt-Zerbst, Germany.
2 February 2011: Paper Read, Department of Music Research Seminar Series, ‘The Solitary Musician: On Reichardt’s Correspondence with Goethe’, National University of Ireland Maynooth.
25 January 2011: Invited Lecture, ‘A Vanished World Revisited: On Goethe’s Musical Dialogues with Zelter’, Department of Music, University of Durham.

24 November 2010: Guest Lecture, ‘Striking the Right Note: Translating Music for Page and Stage’, Research Centre for Translation and Textual Studies, School of Applied Languages and Intercultural Studies, Dublin City University. 
20 October 2010: Guest Lecture, ‘A Veil of Silence: On Goethe’s Musical Dialogues with Zelter’, Centre for Anglo-German Cultural Relations, Queen Mary, University of London.
11-14 July 2010: Paper read, ‘Swaying on hinges of our everyday’: On Seóirse Bodley’s O’Siadhail Settings’, International Conference on Irish Music and Musicians, University of Durham, UK.
5 & 11 June 2010: Two invited public pre-performance lectures, ‘Eberweins Vertonung von Goethes Proserpina’ at the German premiere of Lorraine Byrne Bodley’s edition of Goethe’s Proserpina, performed by the Thüringer Symphoniker Orchestra on 4 June 2010 in the Rudolstädter Heidecksburg, with a repeat performance on 10 June in the Saalfelder Schlosskapelle, Germany. 
30 March 2010: Lecture at the invitation of the Irish Ambassador to Germany, ‘Gegenwart und Führung: Nachdenken über Goethes Freundschaft mit Felix Mendelssohn’. The Irish Embassy’s Inaugural lecture at the Mendelssohn Haus, Jägerstrasse, Berlin, Germany.