Tristan Society
Annual Business Meeting
9 May 2008, 5:15 p.m.
Kalamazoo, MI
The annual business meeting of the Tristan Society took place during the 43rd annual Congress on Medieval Studies at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI.
In attendance: Salvatore Calomino (Secretary), Christopher Clason, Albrecht Classen, Joshua Davis, Ellen Friedrich, Joan Tasker Grimbert, Stacey Hahn, James L. Zychowicz (President).
1. The meeting was called to order at 5:20 p.m. Minutes of the previous meeting held during May 2007 at the annual business meeting were approved as distributed.
2. Participants in the current year’s sessions on “Deconstructed Tristan: Multiple Literary Manifestations of Tristan” and “Tristan Scholarship: Present Standards and Future Goals” were thanked for their contributions.
3. Proposals for sessions to be held during the 2009 conference must be submitted to the Congress administration by 15 May 2008. After discussion of individual proposals, the following titles and abstracts were approved to be submitted for consideration to the administration:
Digital Tristans: A Forum on Electronic Editions of Tristan Manuscripts
Digital technology and Internet accessibility offers a venue for new editions of Tristan manuscripts and other sources that not only address issues raised by editors since the nineteenth century, but surpass them in solving seemingly impossible tasks. This session provides a forum to summarize and assess recent electronic publications and to project other new approaches for Tristan on the Web.
The Tristan Motif: National Traditions and Their Significance
Images of Tristan abound in medieval literature and denote the various international traditions. From the Scandinavian Tristan to its counterpart in the Iberian tradition, Tristan has emerged in various guises, and detailed examination of the specific identities contribute to a deeper understanding not only of their significance, but also the tales in which they occur. Motifs related to Tristan can appear in both heroic narratives and other courtly settings, in each case causing a reassessment of the narratives in which they occur.
4. Albrecht Classen, editor, reported on the status of Tristania and potential areas of focus for the next volume (vol. 25).
5. Events related to the topic of Tristan in the forthcoming year include a new production of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde beginning in February 2009 at Lyric Opera of Chicago. (www.lyricopera.org)
6. The website and Listserv of the Tristan Society continues to be a forum for the exchange of information, deadlines, and ideas. (http://groups.google.com/group/tristan-society)
7. James L. Zychowicz was thanked for his leadership of the Society and the organization of its participation in the Congress during the past year.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:50 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Salvatore Calomino,
Secretary, Tristan Society
Tristan Society
Annual Business Meeting
11 May 2007, 5:15-630 p.m.
Kalamazoo, MI
Minutes of the Meeting
The annual business meeting of the Tristan Society took place during the 42nd Annual Congress on Medieval Studies at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI. Subsequent to two sessions of papers delivered on the topics “Echoes of Tristan, Past and Future” and “Medieval Tristans,” both sponsored by the Society, the business meeting commenced at 5:15. The following points were discussed and voted on:
1. Election of President. Dr. James L. Zychowicz was nominated to assume the office of President by Dr. Christopher Clason, nomination seconded by Dr. Salvatore Calomino. The motion passed unanimously. Dr. Clason was thanked publicly for his service in the role of President during the past four years.
2. Tristan Society Sessions for 2008. After discussion of possible topics, three sessions were proposed for the 2008 Congress on Medieval Studies at Kalamazoo. These topics will be submitted with requisite forms prior to the deadline of 15 May 2007.
3. Tristania. Discussion of the expansion of readership and the interdisciplinary scope of the Society’s scholarly journal Tristania. It was suggested that a broader scope in medieval studies would be optimal, while retaining the fundamental association with the topic of Tristan.
4. Tristan Electronic Group. A Google group for the Tristan Society will be set up with the intention of exchanging information among members of the Society.
Respectfully submitted,
Salvatore Calomino
Acting Secretary, Tristan Society
Tristan Society
Business Meeting, Kalamazoo, MI
May 7, 2005
Attending: Sal Calomino, Peter Christensen, Chris Clason, Albrecht Classen, Jean Godsall-Myers, Stefano Mula, Jerry and Edmee Reel, Katherine Syer, Jim Zychowicz,
The meeting was called to order at approximately 5:15 PM.
Chris pointed out that the Society-sponsored sessions this year were remarkable for the quality and diversity of the papers presented, with contributions addressing British, German, French and Italian literature as well as music and film. This year’s sessions were particularly stimulating and well-attended.
The main business item was the solicitation of suggestions of topics for Tristan Society sessions at the 40th meeting of the International Medieval Congress in 2006.
The following sessions were proposed: 1) Star-Crossed or Simply Confused: Separating the Strands of Illicit Love in the Tristan and Arthurian Traditions, and 2) Tristan and Manuscripts. The Society proposed that it sponsor a third session, organized by Albrecht, entitled “Troublemakers, Whistleblowers and Rebels in the World of the Medieval Courts.”
Sal and Jim, who proposed the first two sessions, agreed to write up the proposal forms for the sessions. Albrecht would draw up the third proposal.
Albrecht invited all members who read papers in the sessions that day, as well as anyone working on Tristan-related topics, to submit their work to Tristania for consideration for publication.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 5:40 PM.
Tristan Society
Business Meeting
May 9, 2004
Attending: Stacey Hahn, Glenda Carl, Sibylle Jefferis, Christian Clement, Jean Godsall-Myers, Mike MacMahon, Sal Calomino, Jim Zychowicz, Albrecht Classen, Chris Clason
The meeting was called to order at approximately 5:25 PM.
The main business item was the solicitation of suggestions of topics for Tristan Society sessions at the 40th meeting of the International Medieval Congress in 2005.
The following sessions were proposed: 1) Tristan in Film; 2) Tristan in the Late Middle Ages: Fragments and Continuations; 3) Rediscovery of Tristan: Narrative Traditions and Reception. Chris declared that he would argue strongly for the acceptance of all three sessions, based upon the strong showing and interesting papers presented at the two sessions this year.
Sal, Jim and Chris agreed to write up the proposal forms for the sessions.
Albrecht invited all members who read papers in the sessions that day, as well as anyone working on Tristan-related topics, to submit their work to Tristania for consideration for publication.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 5:55 PM.
May 13, 2004
C. R. Clason, President
MINUTES OF THE BUSINESS MEETING, TRISTAN SOCIETY, KALAMAZOO, MI, MAY 10, 2003:
1) Debora Schwartz will be passing the reins of “power” on to the next PIC [“person-in-charge”] of the Tristan Society. Chris Clason of Oakland University was suggested and agreed to act in this capacity.
2) The membership asked Chris to request an email distribution list from Debora.
3) Albrecht Classen made the suggestion that the Society establish a web page, and he agreed to look into this.
4) The following sessions were proposed for Kalamazoo 2004:
a) Editing Tristan (organizer: Salvatore Calomino)
This session considers problems in manuscript transmission of Tristan, as well as their critical assessment – past and present – in producing editions in the vernacular literatures. Topics of interest will include: choices made as the basis of critical editions, problematic editions or problems yet to be solved, and current research in ongoing projects.
b) Tristan and Power (organizer: Christopher Clason)
Power and shifts of power are critical to the Tristan story. This session deals with the way in which power operates in Tristan in political, social, psychological and physical ways. Papers may include approaches to power in the broadest sense.
c) Tristan and the Arts (organizer: James Zychowicz)
For centuries, Tristan has elicited strong responses in music and the other arts. We solicit papers that discuss aspects of Tristan reception in painting, sculpture, music, drama and the other arts. Papers should focus on direct connections with the major tellings, and may discuss the reception of Tristan through the present.
Salvatore, James and Chris wrote up the proposals immediately after the meeting.
May 11, 2003
C. R. Clason