As we move into the 20th century, composers begin to explore alternative means of musical expression using the musical elements (melody, instrumentation, harmony, etc.) in less traditional ways. That being said, they still reference musical elements (forms, genres, textures, etc) from the past.
We will use three composers, Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, and Anton Webern (collectively known as the Second Viennese School), as our examples of this trend in European concert music in the early 20th century.
To begin, one Lied (song):
Schoenberg, “Der Mondfleck” from the song cycle Pierrot lunaire (“Pierrot touched by the moon”)
“Der Mondfleck” begins at 29:33 and ends at 30:48. Performed by Ildikó Iván, soprano, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. [Listen on YouTube]
The German text is translated in the video.
QUESTION: What does it mean to be “moonstruck”? Give one passage that exemplifies how Schoenberg represents the idea of being “moonstruck” in this Lied.
Next, an orchestral work by Anton Webern, a student of Schoenberg’s in Vienna:
