Composer

:

Arnold Schoenberg

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song

Compose Date

:

1907

Average_duration

:

12:30

Movement_count

:

2

Movement ....

Arnold Schoenberg's 'Ballads (2), Op. 12' is a set of two songs for voice and piano, composed in 1907. The premiere of the work took place in Vienna in 1908, with Schoenberg himself accompanying the singer. The first movement, 'Der Fischer', is a setting of a poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The text tells the story of a fisherman who catches a mermaid and falls in love with her, only to lose her when she returns to the sea. Schoenberg's music captures the melancholic mood of the poem, with its chromatic harmonies and expressive vocal line. The second movement, 'Scheiden und Meiden', is a setting of a poem by Friedrich Rückert. The text describes the pain of separation and the longing for a loved one who is far away. Schoenberg's music is more agitated and dissonant in this movement, reflecting the emotional turmoil of the poem. Overall, 'Ballads (2), Op. 12' is a prime example of Schoenberg's early style, which was still rooted in the late Romantic tradition but already showing signs of his later atonal and serialist techniques. The songs are characterized by their expressive melodies, rich harmonies, and vivid word-painting, which make them a challenging but rewarding repertoire for singers and pianists alike.

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