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Arnold Schoenberg(1874-1951)
Pierrot Lunaire – (1912)
For more information on Pierrot, go to this link.
Mondestrunken (No. 1)
German Text:
Mondestrunken
Den Wein, den man mit Augen trinkt, Giesst Nachts der Mond in Wogen nieder, Und eine Springflut überschwemmt Den stillen Horizont. Gelüste, schauerlich und süss, Durchschwimmen ohne Zahl die Fluten! Den Wein, den man mit Augen trinkt, Giesst Nachts der Mond in Wogen nieder. Der Dichter, den die Andacht treibt, Berauscht sich an dem heilgen Tranke, Gen Himmel wendet er verzückt Das Haupt und taumelnd saugt und schlürft er Den Wein, den man mit Augen trinkt.English Translation:
Moondrunk
The wine that only eyes may drink Pours in green streams from the Moon, And submerges in a swell The silent horizons. Bitter sweet desires swim In the love potion in swarms: The wine that only eyes may drink Pours in green streams from the Moon. The zealous poet, With this strange absinth gets drunk, He rapturously drinks until he reels With a crazy gesture, the head in the sky- The wine that only eyes may drink.The form of this poem (and of all the others) is the Rondel. This is a baroque verse form that has obvious associations with the musical rondo form. The poem has 13 lines, divided into three stanzas (4 + 4 + 5). Lines 1 and 2 return in lines 7 and 8. The first line is also the same as the last.
[audio:http://www.jaimeoliver.pe/snd/mh/scho/01-1-Mondestrunken-Intro.mp3]Listen to the introduction and voice entry. Is there a sense of tonality? What sort of an atmosphere is created in these opening bars?
The piano and violin are playing an ostinato made up of notes (mostly) from a whole-tone scale—a scale made up of only tones and no semitones. This gives the opening harmony a particular flavor. But even within the first bar, other notes are introduced. The ostinato uses 9 notes in total, none of which are repeated. It is no coincidence that the first two notes of the voice entry are A-natural and B-natural, two notes that have not been used up to that point. The one remaining pitch, an F-natural, is prominent in the voice part a couple of bars later. Clearly Schoenberg is composing with all twelve tones here.
Another prominent feature of this piece is the use of a singing style called sprechstimme.
Listen to each stanza of the song separately and try to hear how they reflect the text and vary musically.
[audio:http://www.jaimeoliver.pe/snd/mh/scho/01-2-Mondestrunken-Verse-1.mp3]Stanza one: we certainly get the sense of submersion as well as stillness. Is the singing the style the same all the way through this stanza?
[audio:http://www.jaimeoliver.pe/snd/mh/scho/01-3-Mondestrunken-Verse-2.mp3]Stanza two: things become increasingly unstable in the voice part. When the first line recurs, how is it performed differently?
[audio:http://www.jaimeoliver.pe/snd/mh/scho/01-4-Mondestrunken-Verse-3.mp3]Stanza three: The range of the voice is extended and the drama is heightened before fading away with another echo of the opening line. The opening ostinato returns once more.
Now the complete movement:
[audio:http://www.jaimeoliver.pe/snd/mh/scho/Schoenberg_Pierrot-Part-1_Mondestrunken.mp3]8. Nacht
German Text:
Nacht
Finstre, schwarze Riesenfalter Töteten der Sonne Glanz. Ein geschlossnes Zauberbuch, Ruht der Horizont–verschwiegen Aus dem Qualm verlorner Tiefen Steigt ein Duft, Erinnrung mordend! Finstre, schwarze Riesenfalter Töteten der Sonne Glanz. Und vom Himmel erdenwärts Senken sich mit schweren Schwingen Unsichtbar die Ungetüme Auf die Menschenherzen nieder… Finstre, schwarze Riesenfalter.English Translation
Night
Somber, shadowy, giant mothwings Killed the splendid shine of sun. An unopened magic-book, The dark horizon lies–in silence. The dank fumes of lower darkness Give off vapor–stifling memory! Somber, shadowy, giant mothwings Killed the splendid shine of sun. And from heaven down to earth Sink,with heavy, swinging motion Monsters huge, an unseen terror On all mankind’s hearts now falling– Somber, shadowy, giant mothwings.Schoenberg calls this piece a Passacaglia – a type of piece based on an ostinato, usually associated with the Baroque period.
The introduction is built out of a 3-note figure that is repeated throughout the texture: E(-natural), G, and E-flat. First it enters in the piano part and is followed by the cello, then the bass clarinet.
[audio:http://www.jaimeoliver.pe/snd/mh/scho/08-1-Nacht-3-note-ostinato.mp3]Again, listen to the three movements in isolation, relating the music to the text. Compare them with the previous song.
[audio:http://www.jaimeoliver.pe/snd/mh/scho/08-2-Nacht-Verse-1.mp3] [audio:http://www.jaimeoliver.pe/snd/mh/scho/08-3-Nacht-Verse-2.mp3] [audio:http://www.jaimeoliver.pe/snd/mh/scho/08-4-Nacht-Verse-3.mp3]Complete movement:
[audio:http://www.jaimeoliver.pe/snd/mh/scho/Schoenberg_Pierrot-Part-2_Nacht.mp3]18. “The Moonfleck”
German text:
Der Mondfleck
Einen weissen Fleck des hellen Mondes Auf dem Rücken seines schwarzen Rockes, So spaziert Pierrot im lauen Abend, Aufzusuchen Glück und Abenteuer. Plötzlich–stört ihn was an seinem Anzug, Er beschaut sich rings und findet richtig— Einen weissen Fleck des hellen Mondes Auf dem Rücken seines schwarzen Rockes. Warte! denkt er: das ist so ein Gipsfleck! Wischt und wischt, doch–bringt ihn nicht herunter! Und so geht er, giftgeschwollen, weiter, Reibt und reibt bis an den frühen Morgen– Einen weissen Fleck des hellen Mondes.English Translation
The Moonspot
With a spot of white, of shining moonlight, On the collar of his jet-black jacket, So Pierrot goes walking in the evening, Out to seek some joy and high adventure. Suddenly, in his dress something disturbs him. He examines it–and yes, he finds there A spot of white, of shining moonlight, On the collar of his jet-black jacket. Hang it, he thinks; another spot of whitewash! Whisks and whisks, yet cannot remove it. So he goes on, full of spleen and fury, Rubs and rubs until the early morning A spot of white, of shining moonlight.
“The Moonfleck” is known for its complex construction. The truth is that, when listening, a lot of it can pass you by. Can you hear certain elements of the text here?
[audio:http://www.jaimeoliver.pe/snd/mh/scho/Schoenberg_Pierrot-Part-3_Der-Mondfleck.mp3]