Alban Berg's Five Orchestral Songs after Post-Card Texts by Peter Altenberg, Op. 4
Author(s): René Leibowitz
Source: The Musical Quarterly, Vol. 75, No. 4, Anniversary Issue: Highlights from the First
75 Years (Winter, 1991), pp. 125-131
Published by: Oxford University Press
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/741840 .
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FiveOrchestral
AlbanBerg's
Songs
Texts
after
Post-Card
Op.4
byPeter
Altenberg,
Rene'
Leibowitz
October 1948
andtheorist,
wasa
Leibowitz
Rene'
teacher,
writer,
(1913-72),composer,
in
the
the
worldwide
work
the
Second
Viennese
major
figure
diffusion
of
of
School
World
WarII, and,as theteacher
an
after
ofBoulezandothers,
onpostwar
serialism.
onLeibowitz
Attacks
andhisworkby
influence
inpostwar
causedhisimportance
musictobe
Boulezandothers
European
rather
This
consists
the
downgraded. excerpt
unfairly
mainly
of introduction
tohisessayonBerg,withthedescriptive
omitted.
analysis
Thisscoreis notonlyone ofBerg'smostextraordinary
works
butalso
oneofthestrangest
in contemporary
music.
perhaps
compositions
in 1912,itis thefirst
Written
workbyBerg,sincethe
"independent"
the
Quartet,
preceding
composition, String
Op. 3 (1910),wasdone
underthesupervision
ofSchoenberg.'
At thebeginning
of1913
whohaddecidedtohavesomeworks
Schoenberg,
byWebernand
a concert
whichtookplace,underhis
Bergperformed,
organized
on March31 undertheauspices
oftheAkademischer
Verdirection,
bandFiUr
Literatur
undMusikofVienna.The program
wasto consist
of
Webem'sSix Piecesforlargeorchestra,
KammerOp. 6, Schoenberg's
symphonie,
Op. 9, someofZemlinsky's
songs,Nos. 2 and4 ofBerg's
and
Mahler's
Kindertotenlieder.
Even
whilethefirst
twoworks
4,
Op.
wereplayedtherewereall sortsofhostiledemonstrations;
the
during
of
there
was
such
a
commotion
thatthe
performanceBerg'ssongs
musiccouldhardly
be heard.The concert
endedup withthe
finally
in thepolicecourt.The Bergsongs--unpublished
participants
up to
now(exceptforthelastone,whichwasprinted
in a smallperiodical
thatdid not survivea fewissues)-have neverbeen performed
since.
125
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126 TheMusical
Quarterly
as thiswouldno doubtbe unnecessary
Suchanecdotes
within
the
ifthe"scandalous"
ofthisstudy
framework
natureoftheoccurrence
withelements
werenotassociated
in theworkitself.
inherent
To tell
itwasunavoidable
thetruth
thatsucha workshouldrousetheoppositionto a stateoffrenzy
at thattime.For,in itsveryessence,Berg's
work.
Op. 4 is a "scandalous"
The first
ofthisthesisis furnished
pieceofevidencein support
choice
of
text.
The
Peter
(Richard
byBerg's
poet
Altenberg
who
lived
outside
of
sent
his
friends
and
Vienna,
Englainder),
just
with
his
in
enemies
covered
and
frantic
scrawl,
postcards
impetuous
whichhe presented
all sortsofnon-conformist
ideasanderoticalluofaphorisms.
Ofcourse,itgoeswithout
that
sionsin theform
saying
such
texts
not
because
would
shock
but
chose
they
Berg
people,
to theartistic
andcompositional
needsof
becausetheycorresponded
in
In
theinnerstructure
ofa workthatis itself
"shocking". orderto
theplaceofthese
thisstatement,
wemusttryto discover
understand
as
well
as
their
relation
to themusical
in
entire
oeuvre
songs Berg's
them.
thatproduced
trends
in 1912,thatis to saysomefouryears
The songswerewritten
transcended
musicthatcompletely
hadbegunwriting
after
Schoenberg
in whichhe wasclosely
a boldinnovation
theclassictonalfunctions,2
ofthiskind
followed
byWebernandBerg.3Berg'sfirst
experience
takesplacein thelastofthefoursongsforvoiceandpiano,Op. 2,
in 1909.In thissong,Bergnotonlytranscends
tonality,
composed
In fact,certain
eleofthesongitself.
thelimits
butalsotransgresses
andforethetraditional
Liedform,
mentsofthispiecetendto destroy
author
ofWozzeck
achievements
ofthefuture
shadowthedramatic
Lulu.
and
theact
thatBergwishedto signalize
to suppose
One is tempted
ofrevolt,
oftonality
offtheshackles
ofshaking
by
bya realgesture
is
not
This
doubtless
"scandalous".
something
explanation
writing
this
It is strange
to contrast
itsbasisbutit is incomplete.
without
consolidate
to
chief
aims
was
withthefactthatoneofBerg's
attitude
withthetraditions
ofthepast.We
ofhismaster
thenewdiscoveries
at
bolderandmoretraditional
maynowconcludethatBergbecomes
in eachofBerg'snew
element
thesametime.Thustheshocking
whenhe seemstobe
in hisparadoxical
dialectics:
liesprecisely
works
is
consolihe
all
anddenying tradition, actually
organizing,
destroying
occasionto convince
it. We shallhave further
dating,and confirming
ourselvesof this.
is foundin
of tonalfunctions
The secondstageof the suspension
a less
itself
necessitated
3.
Here theform
the StringQuartet,Op.
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ReneLeibowitz
127
efforts
to the
attitude;
Berghadto devotehisprincipal
aggressive
without
realization
ofthelargesymphonic
form
theaidoftonality.
point,theQuartetis stilltheworkofa pupil,not
Up to a certain
underthestrict
becauseitwascomposed
andminute
of
supervision
the
and
the
works
that
it
fact, Quartet
Schoenberg-in
preceded
in whichthereis nothing
an exceptional
of
mastery
already
display
theschoolexercise-,butbecauseonestillfeelsin ita certain
pruwhois developing
ofa composer
forhimself
a
dence,thedeliberation
that
is
of
all
and
that
will
technique
capable encompassingproblems
in themostaudacious
himto indulge
laterpermit
innovations.
us in thesongsofOp. 4. Berg'sdelight
Thisaudacity
strikes
in
hisnewlygainedartistic
freedom
foundfreeplayin thisfirst
comwork.Also,theenthusiasm
pletely
independent
generated
byhis
with
the
resources
of
the
new
world
of
free
sound, oftonal
familiarity
achievedfullexpression
here.Berg'sdeepconviction4
reminiscences,
ofhiscraft,
as wellas hisconthat,at theageof27, he wasmaster
sciousness
ofhavingwholeheartedly
committed
himself
to thenew
himprofound
thisbrought
evolution
ofpolyphony-all
satisfaction.
at theviolentexplosion
So thereis no reasontobe surprised
ofso
in thismusic,andit is hardly
muchstrength,
joy,andenthusiasm
thatsuchan explosion
shocked
andscandalized
theaverage
surprising
who
far
from
the
was
ideals
and
listener,
understanding
goalsofthe
of
and
and
Webern, Berg-ideals goalsthatwere
activity Schoenberg,
foroneofthemostpassionately
in
moments
responsible
experienced
musical
history.
Buttherearestillotheraspectsfrom
whichwe mustexaminethe
in
of
the
five
own
andin the
significance
songs Berg's development
ofpolyphony.
general
history
Letus first
consider
theinstrumental
problems.
Up to nowBerg
a pianowork(theSonata,Op. 1, 1908),songswith
hadcomposed
(theabovementioned
pianoaccompaniment
songs,Op. 2, as wellas
theSevenEarlySongsof1905-07)anda chamber
work(theString
Quartet,
Op. 3). In all thesetheinstrumental
style,without
being
takesadvantage
ofcertain
recenttechnical
exactly
"revolutionary",
thisis especially
evidentin Berg'skeenawareness
ofthe
acquisitions;
treatment
of
these
different
media
as
well
as in
diversity
by
required
hisexploitation
oftheindividual
of
the
instruments.5
properties
Buthe hadnotyetwritten
an orchestral
work;anditwaspre-
someof
ciselyin orchestral
stylethatSchoenberghad justintroduced
his mostdaringinnovations,in theFive Pieces,Op. 16, and in
This sufficiently
workto use an
Erwartung.
explainswhyBerg'sfirst
orchestra(the songsunderconsideration),
whichdisplaystheprofound
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128 TheMusical
Quarterly
influence
of the twoSchoenbergcompositions
justmentioned,was not
the
one
most
the
master
had
only
daring
young
composedup to then,
butwas to remainone of the mostdaringworksin his entire
oftheorchestral
ofBerg's
output.. . . It is theboldness
conception
whatis perhaps
themostshocking
Op. 4 thatconstitutes
aspectofthe
work.
We have justsaid thatthisworkis Berg'sfirst
orchestral
score;
it
but is morethanthatsinceit consistsofsongs.Quite asidefromthe
factthatBerg'schoiceofsongsforhis first
orchestral
workis indicativeofhis future
as a dramatist
to which
(a development
development
we shallreturnlater),the veryact of composingsongswithorchestral
createsnew and important
accompaniment
problems.
In a generalway,it maybe said thatthe songwithorchestral
is thecreationofpost-Wagnerian
accompaniment
composers,
espeRichard
and
Gustav
Mahler.
One
could
Wolf,
Strauss,
ciallyHugo
doubtlesstraceitsoriginsas farback as Mozart'snumerousand perfect
"concertarias";butthismightbe slightly
sincethesearias
misleading,
were,in reality,nothingbutoperaariaspureand simple.Of course,
in concerts,butthey
theywereintendedto be sungindependently
could-and oftendid-replace genuineoperaticarias,and wereoften
in operaticscores.The orchestral
even interpolated
songofWolfand
Mahlerproceedsin the oppositedirection.Certainlythesemenprofitedfromthe achievements
ofWagner,but theirproblemwas to
transfer
thesegainsofmusicaldramaturgy
to the realmofpuremusical
forms.Thus thesecomposers
the
expanded genreof thesong,which
was now enrichedwiththenuancesand possibilities
ofvariationfurnishedbyorchestral
tonecolor.
liketheKindertotenlieder
andtheSieben
Lieder
Mahler,in works
and
in
ausletzter
certain
sections
the
of
Lieder
Gurre
Zeit, Schoenberg,
andin theSix Orchestral
this
to
Songs,Op. 8, bring genre perfection.Herewe already
findtheeffort
to changetheinstrumental
setone songto thenextofthesameseries,in orderto createa
tingfrom
foreachpiece(a devicethathasitsrootsin 18thspecialatmosphere
this
in greatly
results
intensified
contrasts.
century
opera); process
But-andthisis evenmoreimportant-the
instrumentation
ofworks
suchas theseplaysan essentialpartin the architectonic
of
expression
eachpiece.The various
structural
elements
areunderlined,
oftenvery
in tonecolorandothersimilar
For
subtly,
byvariations
procedures.
example, recapitulationsoftentake on a quite new characterthrough
changesof instrumental
settingwhichalso place the vocal partin
freshrelief.
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ReneLeibowitz129
ofthesetechniques
in hisOp. 4. It maybe
mastery
Bergdisplays
and
his
saidthathe advances
beyond predecessors thusforeshadows
remarkable
setofFourSongs,Op. 22 (as wellas certain
Schoenberg's
reaches
ofWebem),in whichthistypeofcomposition
vocalworks
. . . Letus addthatBergtreats
this
theapexofitsdevelopment.
which
is
to
the
in
dramatic
intentions
a
way
foreign
genre specifically
in thelastsongof
thatwasalready
manifest
ofitscreators
(a tendency
is evident
notonlyin thetreatment
character
Op. 2). Thisdramatic
oftheorchestration.
Voice
ofthevocalpartbutalsoin manyfeatures
makefreeuseofvocalises
orunusualinstrumental
andorchestra
whichburstthebondsofthesongandtendtowards
theopera.
effects,
of
Thisnew"shocking"
instance
aspectofOp. 4 is buta further
dialectics
ofBerg'scompositional
attitude.
The orchestral
thestrange
song,whichhadbecome"pure"musicbecauseofitsessentially
symis
treated
both
and
traditionally boldlybythe
phonicworkmanship,
ofWozzeck
andLuluin suchfashion
as to return
to the
future
author
whenceitcame...
from
dramaturgy
one moreproblem
We mustconsider
oftradition
posedbythe
of
the
small
forms.
We
remember
must
that
songs: problem extremely
thisproblem,
raisedforthefirst
timein Schoenberg's
SixLittle
Piano
andthatitssolutions
wereoften
Pieces,
Op. 19,hada specialmeaning
in theworkofWebern.ForBerg,the
radical,especially
extremely
wasneverquiteso serious,
forhisessentially
lyricanddraproblem
in largeforms;
maticgeniusalways
unfolded
itself
thatis whyhe never
that
anymoresongsafter
Op. 4, sincehe realized
clearly
composed
whathe hadto sayin therealmofvocalmusicdemanded
thevast
ofoperaoroftheconcert
dimensions
thathe
aria--DerWein--and
in theLiedform.
hadneverreallyfeltcomfortable
oftheevolution
However,
Berg,withhisclearcomprehension
andthetradition
ofpolyphony,
couldnotsimply
passbya compositionalproblem
as important
as thatoftheverysmallform.
This
of
the
whyhe leftus sucha typical
explains
example
genreas the
FourPiecesforClarinet
andPiano,Op. 5, in whichtheproblem,
thanin thecorresponding
works
of
although
differently
approached
andWebern,is basically
thesame.We may,then,conSchoenberg
siderOp. 4 a first
sincesomeofthesesongsare
stepin thisdirection,
them
short
and
all
of
the
extremely
except lasttackletheessential
problemof the smallform.
It mustbe addedthatthe strangedisproportion
betweenthe
smalldimensions
ofmostof thepiecesand the enormous
extremely
orchestral
apparatus,as well as the exuberanceofvocal and instru-
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130 TheMusical
Quarterly
is oneofthemost"scandalous"
mentaleffects,
aspectsofBerg's
Op.4....
In a general
takesits
way,itmaybe saidthatBerg'sworkclearly
of
in
evolution
as
determined
the
the
by
polyphonyalready
place
work.Thiscomposition
hasnotonlydisevolution
ofSchoenberg's
buthasalsomadesignificant
useof
pensedwiththetonalfunctions,
whichareresponsible
forthebreakdown
theresources
ofchromaticism
measures
ofthisscorearealready
basedon
The veryfirst
oftonality.
the
full
ofchroand
resources
thetwelvetonesofthechromatic
scale,
in
this
the
work.
maticism
areemployed
Furthermore,
waythroughout
in thethirdandfifth
useofthismaterial
theconscious
songs(twelvetendstowards
an entirely
consistent
tonechordandmelody)
organizaIn
this
functional
thematic
elements.
chromaticism
tion;
produces
the
chromaticism
we
observe
to
resources
of
may
attempt organize
which
ofthefuture
twelve-tone
elements
certain
essential
technique,
ofBerg'sOp. 4.
is alsoforeshadowed
bymanyotherelements
characteristic
ofthesesongs
In thissensethemostimportant
twelve-tone
but
with
reference
to
(notonly
technique, alsowith
ofstrucis thespirit
entire
to Berg's
attitude)
compositional
respect
. . . We havetriedto emphasize
the
turalandarchitectonic
economy.
thesame
from
ofthisattitude.
manifestations
various
Theyall result
carried
to itsmost
fundamental
conceptofvariation
concept--the
out
of
Thisis theprincipal
radicalextremes.
gainarising
Schoenberg's
element
ofhisinstrucandthemostimportant
activity
compositional
thesesongs,Berg,likeWebemat thesame
tion.Whilecomposing
and
withthespirit
ofthisinstruction,
imbued
was
period, strongly
with
such
in handling
thevariation
succeeded
rigorous
technique
between
abunan astonishing
thathe attained
equilibrium
mastery,
. . . The following
faccoherence.
andcomplete
danceofinvention
withthe
torsaremostcharacteristic:
1) developments
beginning
ofelaboratthehalftone;2) thetechnique
smallest
possibleinterval,
to
which
be
can
new
to
create
"remainders"
always reduced
figures
ing
subtle
connections
thatengendered
themotivic
them;3)
germs
lastsongsynthevarious
between
motifs,
songs(common
etc.)--the
and
between
thecontent
ofthewholework;4) unity
thesizes
melody
is
the
in
where
last
evident
the
subject
song,
harmony,
particularly
in thecadence,wherethe
treated
likea tone-row,
especially
already
the materialforthechordthatterminates
tonesof the subjectfurnish
not onlythe songbutthe entirework.
of Berg's
I shallnot stresstheotheraspectsof theoriginality
musical language (instrumentation,vocal problems,etc.). .
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.
. Here as
Rene'
131
Leibowitz
influenced
elsewhere,
ideas,
byhismaster's
Berg,although
strongly
of
his
individual
means
and
mastery
displays
adaptstheseideasto his
owncompositional
plan.
ThatBerg'sscorehasremained
andunperformed
unpublished
in
sinceitsincomplete
1913
is
a
stateofaffairs.
presentation
shocking
Without
more
about
the
lamentable
situation
ofoneofthe
saying
any
of
greatest
composers ourtime,whowasneverableto hearanyofhis
ownmostimportant
thatthemusical
worldhas
scores,I mustremark
itself
ofoneoftherichest
treasures
ofourtimein refusing
to
deprived
hearthisworkofBerg's.
Notes
1. Formoredetailson the following
and on Bergin general,see EgonWellesz,
ArnoldSchoenberg,
Vienna, 1921; WillyReich,AlbanBerg,Vienna, 1937; and R.
et sonEcole,Paris,1947.
Leibowitz,Schoenberg
2. The lastmovement
of the SecondQuartetin F-sharpminor,Op. 10 (1908), the
ThreePiano Pieces,Op. 11 (1908), theFifteenGeorgelieder,
Op. 15 (1908), theFive
Orchestral
Pieces,Op. 16 (1909), the twodramaticworks,Erwartung,
Op. 17 (1909)
and Die Glitckliche
Hand,Op. 18 (1909-13), the Six LittlePiano Pieces,Op. 19
(1911), and the song,Herzgewichse,
Op. 20 (1911).
3. The following
worksofWeberntranscend
theprinciples
of tonalityat this
period:the twosetsof songswithpiano accompaniment
Opp. 3 and 4 (1909), Five
MovementsforStringQuartet,Op. 5 (1909), Six OrchestralPieces,Op. 6 (1910),
FourPiecesforViolin and Piano, Op. 7 (1910), and Two Songsforvoice and instruments,Op. 8 (1911-12).
4.
Expressedin a letterto Webern,Sept. 23, 1911.
5. See myQu'est-ce-que
et
la Musiquede Douze Sons?(Liege, 1948) and Schoenberg
sonEcole(paragraph:
La nouvelle
icriture
instrumentale).
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