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String quartets (Schoenberg)
Encyclopedia
The Austria
n composer
Arnold Schoenberg
published four string quartet
s, distributed over his lifetime. These were the String Quartet No. 1 in D minor, Op. 7 (1905), String Quartet No. 2 in F sharp minor, Op. 10 (1908), String Quartet No. 3, Op. 30 (1927), and the String Quartet No. 4, Op. 37 (1936).
In addition to these, he wrote several other works for string quartet which were not published. The most notable was his early String Quartet in D major (1897). There was also a Presto in C major (ca. 1895), a Scherzo in F major (1897), and later a Four-part Mirror Canon in A major (ca. 1933). Finally, several string quartets exist in fragmentary form. These include "String Quartet in F major" (before 1897), "String Quartet in D minor" (1904), "String Quartet in C major" (after 1904), "String Quartet Movement" (1926), "String Quartet" (1926), "String Quartet in C major" (after 1927) and "String Quartet No. 5" (1949).
Schoenberg also wrote a Concerto for String Quartet and Orchestra
in B flat major (1933): an arrangement of a work by the Baroque
composer George Frideric Handel
.
. It was published posthumously in 1966 (Faber Music, London).
Schoenberg's friend Alexander von Zemlinsky
gave him much advice and criticism during the composition of this work. Zemlinsky even showed an early draft of it to Johannes Brahms
, whom Schoenberg very much admired. It was given the old master's approval.
The original second movement was the Scherzo in F which now exists as a separate piece. Schoenberg substituted the Intermezzo at Zemlinsky's suggestion.
A large work consisting of one movement which lasts longer than 45 minutes, Schoenberg's first string quartet was his first assured masterpiece, and it was the real beginning of his reputation as a composer. Begun in the summer of 1904 and completed in September 1905, this string quartet is remarkable for its density and intensity of orchestration with only four instruments. Unlike his later works, this work is tonal
, bearing the key of D minor, though it stretches this to its limit with the thoroughly extended tonality of late Romantic music, such as the quartal harmony pictured at right. It also carries a small collection of themes
which appear again and again in many different guises. Besides his extension of tonality and tight motivic structure, Schoenberg makes use of another innovation, which he called "musical prose." Instead of balanced phrase structures typical of string quartet writing up to that period, he favored asymmetrical phrases that build themselves into larger cohesive groups called "sentences." The first performance was given in Vienna on February 5, 1907 by the Rosé Quartet
after extensive rehearsal.
According to Schoenberg, when he showed the score to Gustav Mahler
, the composer exclaimed: "I have conducted the most difficult scores of Wagner
; I have written complicated music myself in scores of up to thirty staves and more; yet here is a score of not more than four staves, and I am unable to read them."
(who performed Schoenberg's string quartets) or Gustav Mahler
, a good friend of Schoenberg.
The third and fourth movements are quite unusual for a string quartet, as they also include a soprano
singer, Marie Gutheil-Schoder
, using poetry written by Stefan George
.
"I was inspired by poems of Stefan George, the German poet, to compose music to some of his poems and, surprisingly, without any expectation on my part, these songs showed a style quite different from everything I had written before." - Arnold Schoenberg (1937)
The first three movements are tonal, though as in his first string quartet this is the very extended tonality of the late Romantic period. The first movement is in a compressed sonata form
. The second movement, the scherzo, quotes a Viennese street-song, 'Oh du lieber Augustin
' (Oh, dear Augustin). The fourth movement has no key signature, and may be considered Arnold Schoenberg's first experiment in atonality
, making use of the entire chromatic gamut, though its adventurous harmony comes to a close on a haunting F sharp major chord. Its first performance was given by the Rosé Quartet and Marie Gutheil-Schoder in Vienna on December 21, 1908. The work was later revised in 1921; Schoenberg also made a version for full string orchestra.
's collection Der siebente Ring (The Seventh Ring), which was published in 1907.
. Though the work is serial
, he discouraged attempts to follow the transformations of the pitch series aurally. The themes of this work seem to consist mainly of rhythmic patterns rather than pitch, which are reused in variation just as in music of the Classical period
. Indeed, Schoenberg had followed the "fundamental classicistic procedure" by modeling this work on Schubert's String Quartet in A minor
, Op. 29, without intending in any way to recall Schubert's composition. There is evidence that Schoenberg regarded his 12-tone sets—independent of rhythm and register—as motivic in the commonly understood sense, and this has been demonstrated with particular reference to the second movement of this quartet.
The piece was commissioned by Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge
on March 2, 1927, though the work had already been completed by this time, and its première was given in Vienna on September 19, 1927, by the Kolisch Quartet
.
in all four instruments while the finale has the character of a march, similar to the last movement of Schoenberg's Violin Concerto
written about the same time.
This work, like the third quartet, was commissioned by Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge
, and was completed on July 26, 1936. Its first performance was given January 8, 1937 in Los Angeles
by the Kolisch Quartet
.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
Arnold Schoenberg
Arnold Schoenberg
Arnold Schoenberg was an Austrian composer, associated with the expressionist movement in German poetry and art, and leader of the Second Viennese School...
published four string quartet
String quartet
A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
s, distributed over his lifetime. These were the String Quartet No. 1 in D minor, Op. 7 (1905), String Quartet No. 2 in F sharp minor, Op. 10 (1908), String Quartet No. 3, Op. 30 (1927), and the String Quartet No. 4, Op. 37 (1936).
In addition to these, he wrote several other works for string quartet which were not published. The most notable was his early String Quartet in D major (1897). There was also a Presto in C major (ca. 1895), a Scherzo in F major (1897), and later a Four-part Mirror Canon in A major (ca. 1933). Finally, several string quartets exist in fragmentary form. These include "String Quartet in F major" (before 1897), "String Quartet in D minor" (1904), "String Quartet in C major" (after 1904), "String Quartet Movement" (1926), "String Quartet" (1926), "String Quartet in C major" (after 1927) and "String Quartet No. 5" (1949).
Schoenberg also wrote a Concerto for String Quartet and Orchestra
Concerto for String Quartet and Orchestra
The Concerto for String Quartet and Orchestra in B flat is a work by the Austrian composer Arnold Schoenberg, freely composed after the Concerto Grosso Op. 6, No. 7 by George Frideric Handel.The work is divided into four movements:# Largo - Allegro...
in B flat major (1933): an arrangement of a work by the Baroque
Baroque music
Baroque music describes a style of Western Classical music approximately extending from 1600 to 1760. This era follows the Renaissance and was followed in turn by the Classical era...
composer George Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel was a German-British Baroque composer, famous for his operas, oratorios, anthems and organ concertos. Handel was born in 1685, in a family indifferent to music...
.
String Quartet in D major
This string quartet in four movements is Schoenberg's earliest extant work of large scale: average duration of recorded performances is about 27 minutes. Completed in 1897, it was premiered privately on March 17, 1898, and publicly later that same year on December 20 in ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. It was published posthumously in 1966 (Faber Music, London).
Schoenberg's friend Alexander von Zemlinsky
Alexander von Zemlinsky
Alexander Zemlinsky or Alexander von Zemlinsky was an Austrian composer, conductor, and teacher.-Early life:...
gave him much advice and criticism during the composition of this work. Zemlinsky even showed an early draft of it to Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms was a German composer and pianist, and one of the leading musicians of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna, Austria, where he was a leader of the musical scene...
, whom Schoenberg very much admired. It was given the old master's approval.
- Allegro molto
- Intermezzo (Andantino grazioso)
- Theme and Variations (Andante con moto)
- Allegro
The original second movement was the Scherzo in F which now exists as a separate piece. Schoenberg substituted the Intermezzo at Zemlinsky's suggestion.
String Quartet No. 1
Tonality
Tonality is a system of music in which specific hierarchical pitch relationships are based on a key "center", or tonic. The term tonalité originated with Alexandre-Étienne Choron and was borrowed by François-Joseph Fétis in 1840...
, bearing the key of D minor, though it stretches this to its limit with the thoroughly extended tonality of late Romantic music, such as the quartal harmony pictured at right. It also carries a small collection of themes
Theme (music)
In music, a theme is the material, usually a recognizable melody, upon which part or all of a composition is based.-Characteristics:A theme may be perceivable as a complete musical expression in itself, separate from the work in which it is found . In contrast to an idea or motif, a theme is...
which appear again and again in many different guises. Besides his extension of tonality and tight motivic structure, Schoenberg makes use of another innovation, which he called "musical prose." Instead of balanced phrase structures typical of string quartet writing up to that period, he favored asymmetrical phrases that build themselves into larger cohesive groups called "sentences." The first performance was given in Vienna on February 5, 1907 by the Rosé Quartet
Rosé Quartet
The Rosé Quartet was a string quartet formed by Arnold Rosé in 1882.It was active for 55 years, until 1938.- Members :Its members changed over time....
after extensive rehearsal.
According to Schoenberg, when he showed the score to Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler was a late-Romantic Austrian composer and one of the leading conductors of his generation. He was born in the village of Kalischt, Bohemia, in what was then Austria-Hungary, now Kaliště in the Czech Republic...
, the composer exclaimed: "I have conducted the most difficult scores of Wagner
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
; I have written complicated music myself in scores of up to thirty staves and more; yet here is a score of not more than four staves, and I am unable to read them."
String Quartet No. 2
This work in four movements was written during a very emotional time in Schoenberg's life. Though it bears the dedication "to my wife", it was written during Mathilde Schoenberg's affair with their friend and neighbour, artist Richard Gerstl, in 1908. Previous dedicatees are guessed at to have been either Arnold Rosé, the founder of the Rosé QuartetRosé Quartet
The Rosé Quartet was a string quartet formed by Arnold Rosé in 1882.It was active for 55 years, until 1938.- Members :Its members changed over time....
(who performed Schoenberg's string quartets) or Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler was a late-Romantic Austrian composer and one of the leading conductors of his generation. He was born in the village of Kalischt, Bohemia, in what was then Austria-Hungary, now Kaliště in the Czech Republic...
, a good friend of Schoenberg.
The third and fourth movements are quite unusual for a string quartet, as they also include a soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
singer, Marie Gutheil-Schoder
Marie Gutheil-Schoder
Marie Gutheil-Schoder was one of the most important German sopranos of her day.Born Marie Schoder, in 1899 she married Gustav Gutheil, with whom she lived until his death in 1914....
, using poetry written by Stefan George
Stefan George
Stefan Anton George was a German poet, editor, and translator.-Biography:George was born in Bingen in Germany in 1868. He spent time in Paris, where he was among the writers and artists who attended the Tuesday soireés held by the poet Stéphane Mallarmé. He began to publish poetry in the 1890s,...
.
"I was inspired by poems of Stefan George, the German poet, to compose music to some of his poems and, surprisingly, without any expectation on my part, these songs showed a style quite different from everything I had written before." - Arnold Schoenberg (1937)
The first three movements are tonal, though as in his first string quartet this is the very extended tonality of the late Romantic period. The first movement is in a compressed sonata form
Sonata form
Sonata form is a large-scale musical structure used widely since the middle of the 18th century . While it is typically used in the first movement of multi-movement pieces, it is sometimes used in subsequent movements as well—particularly the final movement...
. The second movement, the scherzo, quotes a Viennese street-song, 'Oh du lieber Augustin
Oh du lieber Augustin
"Oh du lieber Augustin" is a Viennese song, composed by Marx Augustin in 1679.At this time Vienna was struck by the bubonic plague and Augustin was a ballad singer and bagpiper, who toured Vienna‘s inns entertaining people...
' (Oh, dear Augustin). The fourth movement has no key signature, and may be considered Arnold Schoenberg's first experiment in atonality
Atonality
Atonality in its broadest sense describes music that lacks a tonal center, or key. Atonality in this sense usually describes compositions written from about 1908 to the present day where a hierarchy of pitches focusing on a single, central tone is not used, and the notes of the chromatic scale...
, making use of the entire chromatic gamut, though its adventurous harmony comes to a close on a haunting F sharp major chord. Its first performance was given by the Rosé Quartet and Marie Gutheil-Schoder in Vienna on December 21, 1908. The work was later revised in 1921; Schoenberg also made a version for full string orchestra.
- Mäßig (Moderate), F sharp minor
- Sehr rasch (Very brisk), D minor
- "Litanei", langsam ("Litany", slow), E flat minor
- "Entrückung", sehr langsam ("Rapture", very slow), No key
Text
The latter two movements of the second string quartet are set to poems from Stefan GeorgeStefan George
Stefan Anton George was a German poet, editor, and translator.-Biography:George was born in Bingen in Germany in 1868. He spent time in Paris, where he was among the writers and artists who attended the Tuesday soireés held by the poet Stéphane Mallarmé. He began to publish poetry in the 1890s,...
's collection Der siebente Ring (The Seventh Ring), which was published in 1907.
| Litanei Tief ist die trauer die mich umdüstert, Ein tret ich wieder, Herr! in dein haus. Lang war die reise, matt sind die glieder, Leer sind die schreine, voll nur die qual. Durstende zunge darbt nach dem weine. Hart war gestritten, starr ist mein arm. Gönne die ruhe schwankenden schritten, Hungrigem gaume bröckle dein brot! Schwach ist mein atem rufend dem traume, Hohl sind die hände, fiebernd der mund. Leih deine kühle, lösche der brände. Tilge das hoffen, sende das licht! Gluten im herzen lodern noch offen, Innerst im grunde wacht noch ein schrei. Töte das sehnen, schliesse die wunde! Nimm mir die liebe, gib mir dein glück! |
Litany Deep is the sadness that gloomily comes over me, Again I step, Lord, in your house. Long was the ride, my limbs are weary, The shrines are empty, only anguish is full. My thirsty tongue desires wine. The battle was hard, my arm is stiff. Grudge peace to my staggering steps, for my hungry gums break your bread! Weak is my breath, bringing the dream, my hands are hollow, my mouth fevers. Lend your cool, douse the fires, rub out hope, send the light! Fires in my heart still glow, open, inside my heart a cry wakes. Kill the longing, close the wound! Take my love away, give me your joy. |
| Entrückung Ich fühle luft von anderem planeten. Mir blassen durch das dunkel die gesichter Die freundlich eben noch sich zu mir drehten. Und bäum und wege die ich liebte fahlen Dass ich sie kaum mehr kenne und du lichter Geliebter schatten—rufer meiner qualen-- Bist nun erloschen ganz in tiefern gluten Um nach dem taumel streitenden getobes Mit einem frommen schauer anzumuten. Ich löse mich in tönen, kreisend, webend, Ungründigen danks und unbenamten lobes Dem grossen atem wunschlos mich ergebend. Mich überfährt ein ungestümes wehen Im rausch der weihe wo inbrünstige schreie In staub geworfner beterinnen flehen: Dann seh ich wie sich duftige nebel lüpfen In einer sonnerfüllten klaren freie Die nur umfängt auf fernsten bergesschlüpfen. Der boden schüffert weiss und weich wie molke. Ich steige über schluchten ungeheuer. Ich fühle wie ich über letzter wolke In einem meer kristallnen glanzes schwimme-- Ich bin ein funke nur vom heiligen feuer Ich bin ein dröhnen nur der heiligen stimme. |
Rapture I feel wind from other planets. I faintly through the darkness see faces Friendly even now, turning toward me. And trees and paths that I loved fade So I can scarcely know them and you bright Beloved shadow—summon my anguish-- Are only extinguish completely in a deep glowing In the frenzy of the fight With a pious show of reason. I lose myself in tones, circling, weaving, With unfathomable thanks and unnamed love I happily surrender to the great breath. A violent wind passes over me In the sway of commitment where ardent cries In dust flung by women on the ground: Then I see a filmy mist rising In a sun-filled, open expanse That includes only the farthest mountain hatches. The land looks white and smooth like whey, I climb over enormous canyons. I feel as if above the last cloud Swimming in a sea of crystal radiance-- I am only a spark of the holy fire I am only a whisper of the holy voice. |
String Quartet No. 3
Arnold Schoenberg's third string quartet dates from 1927, after he had worked out the basic principles of his twelve-tone techniqueTwelve-tone technique
Twelve-tone technique is a method of musical composition devised by Arnold Schoenberg...
. Though the work is serial
Serialism
In music, serialism is a method or technique of composition that uses a series of values to manipulate different musical elements. Serialism began primarily with Arnold Schoenberg's twelve-tone technique, though his contemporaries were also working to establish serialism as one example of...
, he discouraged attempts to follow the transformations of the pitch series aurally. The themes of this work seem to consist mainly of rhythmic patterns rather than pitch, which are reused in variation just as in music of the Classical period
Classical period (music)
The dates of the Classical Period in Western music are generally accepted as being between about 1750 and 1830. However, the term classical music is used colloquially to describe a variety of Western musical styles from the ninth century to the present, and especially from the sixteenth or...
. Indeed, Schoenberg had followed the "fundamental classicistic procedure" by modeling this work on Schubert's String Quartet in A minor
String Quartet No. 13 (Schubert)
The String Quartet No. 13 in A minor , D. 804, Op. 29, was written by Franz Schubert between February and March 1824...
, Op. 29, without intending in any way to recall Schubert's composition. There is evidence that Schoenberg regarded his 12-tone sets—independent of rhythm and register—as motivic in the commonly understood sense, and this has been demonstrated with particular reference to the second movement of this quartet.
The piece was commissioned by Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge
Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge
Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge aka Liz Coolidge , born Elizabeth Penn Sprague, was an American pianist and patron of music, especially of chamber music....
on March 2, 1927, though the work had already been completed by this time, and its première was given in Vienna on September 19, 1927, by the Kolisch Quartet
Kolisch Quartet
The Kolisch Quartet was a string quartet musical ensemble founded in Vienna, originally as the New Vienna String Quartet for the performance of Schoenberg's works, and settling to the form in which it was later known. It had a worldwide reputation and made several recordings...
.
- Moderato
- Theme and Variations (Adagio)
- Intermezzo (Allegro moderato)
- Rondo (Molto moderato)
String Quartet No. 4
The fourth string quartet of 1936 is very much representative of Schoenberg's late style. The work is dodecaphonic like the third string quartet, though in this quartet the focus is much more melodic rather than rhythmic. The first movement is in an adapted sonata form. J. Peter Burkholder has suggested that in this movement Schoenberg's choice of the different forms of the 12-note row function in a manner analogous to the different tonal areas explored in a sonata form that is written in traditional tonality. The slow movement opens with a long unison recitativeRecitative
Recitative , also known by its Italian name "recitativo" , is a style of delivery in which a singer is allowed to adopt the rhythms of ordinary speech...
in all four instruments while the finale has the character of a march, similar to the last movement of Schoenberg's Violin Concerto
Violin Concerto (Schoenberg)
The Violin Concerto by Arnold Schoenberg dates from Schoenberg's time in the United States, where he had moved in 1933 to escape the Nazis. The piece was written in 1936, the same year as the String Quartet No. 4...
written about the same time.
This work, like the third quartet, was commissioned by Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge
Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge
Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge aka Liz Coolidge , born Elizabeth Penn Sprague, was an American pianist and patron of music, especially of chamber music....
, and was completed on July 26, 1936. Its first performance was given January 8, 1937 in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
by the Kolisch Quartet
Kolisch Quartet
The Kolisch Quartet was a string quartet musical ensemble founded in Vienna, originally as the New Vienna String Quartet for the performance of Schoenberg's works, and settling to the form in which it was later known. It had a worldwide reputation and made several recordings...
.
- Allegro molto, Energico
- Comodo
- Largo
- Allegro