ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in this book. The book looks at two aspects of wartime song, both included under the term 'voices'. It also looks at the sound material of the World War-I singers: what different voices did they use on stage, why did they make those choices and what did they mean? The voice was one of the few musical aspects of First World War music hall to remain under the comprehensive control of the artiste, and its theatrical usage and technological constraints can tell us much. The book provides an analysis of the German military repertoire during the First World War. It stays with the anti-war theme, but attempts to look beyond the war years and understand how a classic anti-war song gained the meanings it has for people today. The book further examines the representation of military women in songs, and the songs produced by women in and close to the military.
