To the medievalist, Tannh user is the author of ironical and highly original lyrical verse; to the folklorist, the subject of one of Germany's oldest ballads; to the musicologist, the composer of the only extant music for a Tanzleich and the hero of several operas.
J. W. Thomas examines the content and style of Tannh user's verse, discusses his sources and his influence on other medieval poets, and gives a history of the ballad material in which he appears. Also included is a diplomatic edition of Tannh user's poems, both verse translations of the poems and a version of the ballad, and an extensive bibliography.