Schönberg Arnold
Performances of Arnold Schoenberg’s Pierrot lunaire during Warsaw Autumn festivals:
20th September 1961,17:00, National Philharmonic, Chamber Hall Marie-Thérèse Escribano, recitation
Chamber Orchestra “Die Reihe“ under the direction of Friedrich Cerha
22nd September 1969, 17:00, State High School of Music, Concert Hall stage version
Mary Thomas, recitation
The Pierrot Players under the direction of Harrison Birtwistle and Peter Maxwell Davies
26th September 1991, 18:00, National Philharmonic, Concert Hall Barbara Sukowa, recitation Schönberg Ensemble under the direction of Reinbert de Leeuw
Preface
Apart from individual, specifically indicated exceptions, the melody specified by the musical notation in the speaking part is not meant to be sung. The performer ’s task is to transform the notes into a speech melody, paying careful attention to the prescribed pitches. This happens when the performer:
1. adheres to the rhythm with the same razor-sharp precision as if they were singing, i.e. with no more freedom than they might allow in the case of a sung melody;
2. develops a precise awareness of the difference between a singing tone and a speaking tone: a singing tone securely maintains the pitch without wavering, while a speaking tone announces the pitch, but at once abandons it by falling or rising. The performer, however, must take great pains not to lapse into a “singing“ style of speech. This is absolutely not the intention. What should be aspired to is also certainly not a realistic, natural kind of speech. On the contrary, the difference between normal speech and a kind of speech which is part of a musical form should be distinct. But it must also never be reminiscent of song.
In addition, the following should be said regarding performance:
It is never the task of the performers to derive the atmosphere and the character of the individual pieces from the meaning of the words, but always from the music alone. To the extent that the musical depiction of occurrences and feelings described in the text was important for the author, it can already be found in the music. Where the performer misses something, they should refrain from adding something the author did not want. In this case they would not be adding, but taking away.
Arnold Schoenberg (translated by Peter Burt) © 1914, 1941 Universal Edition A.G., Wien/UE 34806
