The discovery of Franconian folk song (Germany, Bavaria)

During the 20th century, a pan-Franconian consciousness has formed within i ts three Bavarian districts (Upper, Middle and Lower Franconia), a consciou sness that also includes the idea of a common folk music and an own Francon ian folk song. Above all, Ditfurths publication Frankische Volkslieder from 1855 marked the conception of the Franconian folk song. The ideal image th at he outlined through his selection of songs is corrected by the original song transcriptions of the same song collector. Since Volksliedpflege (folk song cultivation) cannot accept the present situation, with its living son g tradition, as being worthy of "cultivation," two contrary alternatives em erge: the use of the Ditfurth songs as timeless, valid expressions of the F ranconian folk song and/or the new creation of songs that, through choice o f topic and use of dialect, can become bearers of identificatory values reg arding Heimat (home, or local region).