A Tale of Two Novalises: The Legacy of Romantic Literature in German Alternative Pop Music

This article explores the reception of literary romanticism in two genres of German alternative pop music, Krautrock and Goth. It discusses two bands named after romantic writer Friedrich von Hardenberg that reference romanticism for opposite purposes: Novalis, a 1970s band, champions utopian visions typical of left-wing counterculture, while their present day counterpart, neofolk band Novalis Deux, formulates an implicitly right-wing criticism of Western liberalism. Both bands also highlight different aspects of the artistic movement: while Novalis invokes the utopian leanings of early romanticism, Novalis Deux focuses on the dark side of human nature, a vital undercurrent throughout the entire romantic period.