#gurre-lieder

[zero-zoxx-international]

Das Orchestervorspiel vor der Arie der Waldtaube (The Orchestral Prelude to the Aria of the Wood Dove), 1996 by J.G.Wind. A picture to Arnold Schoenberg's Gurre-Lieder.

[mikrokosmos]

Schoenberg - Prelude to Gurre-Lieder (1910)

When he started out composing, Schoenberg was following the late Romantic German tradition of Wagnarian lusciousness. Large orchestras, large scale dense works, heavy with melodies and counterpoint, and the cumulation of his “tonal style” was this large scale cantata based on poems on a medieval love story, a King’s mistress is put to death by the jealous Queen, and so the King uses magic to rise an army out of the dead. It’s an odd story, and the structure and sound of the work is a bit unusual because Schoenberg wrote it at different points in his development as a composer. He started writing in the Wagnerian way to enter this work in a composing contest, but he didn’t finish it in time so he put it away. About a decade later, he finished it and added two more parts, extending it into an almost two hour work. Then, after listening to Mahler and after developing his free-form atonal writing [before he would go to twelve tonality], he orchestrated the rest of it focusing on the winds and also wrote chamber like usage of the orchestra, following Mahler’s late period writing. It’s a fascinating work to listen to, and what I always felt was the cherry on top of this sundae was the opening prelude, full of bird flutters and a gorgeous melody over a repeating pattern, it feels like a summer day where I’m swimming in the lake, and looking up at the tree leaves rustling, and at the clouds in the sky.

Odilon Redon - Flower Clouds (c. 1903)

[mozart2006]

Galakonzert 75 Jahre BRSO - Simon Rattle "Gurre-Lieder"

Foto ©BR/Astrid Ackermann La Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks festeggia quest’ anno il settantacinquesimo anniversario della sua fondazione, Continue reading Galakonzert 75 Jahre BRSO – Simon Rattle “Gurre-Lieder”

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[infinitelytheheartexpands]

so i finally finished schoenberg’s gurre-lieder and y’all, what was in the water that made early 20th century german and austrian composers write crazy amazing operas and large-scale vocal/orchestral works

[verdiprati]

Ooh: here’s a nice review of the recent broadcast of Gurre-Lieder. Notably, it includes an audio clip of the entire Lied der Waldtaube sung by Sarah Connolly.

[verdiprati]

Gurre-Lieder available to listen on demand (for the moment)

Well I’ll be damnée. It says right on the France Musique concert page, “ATTENTION : pour des raisons contractuelles, ce concert ne sera pas proposé à la réécoute !”, but there it is, available for listening on demand . . . for the moment. If the availability of the recording online is a mistake, it may get taken down soon. 

In case you missed it, the concert I’m talking about is a live performance of Schönberg’s Gurre-Lieder recorded at the Philharmonie de Paris in April, starring Andreas Schager (Waldemar), Iréne Theorin (Tove), and Sarah Connolly (Waldtaube). Philippe Jordan is the conductor. 

Incidentally, this PDF of the liner notes from a Signum recording is handy if you need an English translation of the libretto while you listen.

[verdiprati]

Le ramier qui symbolise le présage de mort est interprété par Sarah Connolly. La mezzo-soprano semble presque possédée par son texte sombre ; elle délivre son message funeste avec une vigueur déchirante, qui glace le sang. Son timbre profond, si captivant, est mis au service de toutes les couleurs poétiques de ce chant terrible.

From the Bachtrack review of Gurre-Lieder at the Philharmonie de Paris by Julie Jozwiak

[historicalsingers]

Brigitte Fassbaender sings Schoenberg’s Gurre-Lieder, conducted by Claudio Abbado (1988)