Chapter 29 Germanic Expression and the Development of Serialism

Expressionism Expressionism in art represents tormented feelings with harsh colors and distorted images Artists did not attempt to produce beautiful or realistic art Several 20th composers shared goals of expressionist artists Efforts to create new tonality led to idea of avoiding tonality Tonality was so fundamental to musical organization it could not be dropped Arnold Schoenberg developed serialism – a system to replace traditional harmony and tonality Portrait of Eduard Kosmack by Egon Schiele

Arnold Schoenberg 1874-1951 Born in Vienna, Austria Studied violin and cello Worked several years as a bank employee Influenced by Brahms and Wagner; acquainted with Strauss and Mahler 1890s: composed string quartets, piano works, and songs Took as students Alban Berg and Anton Weber Rejected tonality with atonal style New system of organization called tone row – arranged 12 chromatic tones in a chosen order (non-scalelike) Notes could be used in sequence or simultaneously in groups System is called twelve-tone or dodecaphony; repeated use of row is known as serialism

Arnold Schoenberg (cont.) 1874-1951 Song cycle Pierrot Lunaire (Moonstruck Pierre, 1912) drew invective from critics but praise from avant-garde sympathizers Pierrot Lunaire composed for soprano voice and five instrumentalists Employed Sprechstimme - half-sung, half-spoken vocal technique Based on a set of 21 published poems Work is atonal but not twelve tone Taught Alban Berg and Anton Webern Taught at State Academy of the Arts in Berlin; dismissed from post when Nazi Party assumed power Immigrated first to France then to United States Worked in Boston and New York; joined faculty of University of California at Los Angeles Died in Los Angeles at age 76

Featured Listening: “Der Mondfleck” (“Moonfleck”), no Featured Listening: “Der Mondfleck” (“Moonfleck”), no. 18, from Perriot Lunaire (Moonstruck Pierrot) Composed by Arnold Schoenberg in 1912 Chamber music Sehr rasche (very fast) Through-composed form Soprano voice, piano, piccolo, clarinet, violin, cello Triple Meter Translation A white fleck of bright moonlight on the back of his black jacket, Pierrot strolls in the mild evening air, To search for good fun and adventure. Suddenly, something about his clothing seems wrong, He checks himself and, indeed, finds – A white fleck of bright moonlight on the back of his black jacket. Wait! He thinks: that is a fleck of plaster! He wipes and wipes, still – he can’t get rid of it! And se he goes on, filled with poison. He rubs and rubs until dawn comes – at a white fleck of bright moonlight. Listening Guide Example from CD 2, track 18, pp. 273-274 Listen to the entire selection:

Other Serial Composers Alban Berg (1885-1935) Adopted most of Schoenberg’s twelve-note system of composition Combined twelve-tone techniques with forms from earlier musical eras Opera Wozzeck (1917-1921) considered to be greatest work Influenced by World War I environment in Europe Vocal style depends heavily on Sprechstimme Mood of opera is one of cynicism, irony, helplessness and depression Anton Webern (1883-1945) Works represent a radical departure from established compositional procedures and concepts Mature works epitomize serialist approach to composition inherent in twelve-tone system Wrote little music; works tended to be short Complete output totals less than five hours of music Music became increasingly influential after World War II In 1970s and 1980s young composers such as Pierre Boulez and Milton Babbitt adapted features of his music and expanded techniques of serialism

Listening Guide Example from Listening Guide: Five Pieces for Orchestra, op. 10, third movement by Anton Webern Composed in 1928 Orchestral music Sehr langsam und auberst ruhig (very slow and extremely quiet Seems to be ABA form, but beginning music does not repeat Clarinet, French horn, trombone, harmonium, mandolin, guitar, celesta, violin, viola, cello, harp, bass drum, snare drum, chimes, cowbells Mostly sextuple meter, with variations Listen to the entire movement: Listening Guide Example from CD 5, track 21, pp. 275-276