Pierrot lunaire

Pierrot lunaire, Op. 21, is a celebrated melodrama composed by Arnold Schoenberg. A melodrama is a musical work that combines spoken text with instrumental accompaniment. This specific piece sets 21 poems by the Belgian writer Albert Giraud. These poems were translated into German by Otto Erich Hartleben. The work is famous for its unique vocal style and its influential instrumental grouping. It remains one of Schoenberg's most frequently performed and studied compositions in classical music history.

The vocal performance relies on a technique called Sprechstimme. This German term literally means "speaking voice." In this style, the vocalist follows the specific rhythms and pitches written in the score. However, the performer does not sustain the pitches like a traditional singer. Instead, the notes are allowed to rise or fall in a manner similar to natural speech. This creates an expressionistic effect that brings the poems to life. Schoenberg occasionally indicates in the score that certain passages should be sung, or "gesungen," rather than spoken.

The musical structure of the work is highly organized and relies on specific groupings. The 21 poems are divided into three distinct groups of seven. The first group features Pierrot singing of love, sex, and religion. The second group explores themes of violence, crime, and blasphemy. The third group describes Pierrot's return home to Bergamo while being haunted by his past. Schoenberg used various classical forms within this atonal music. These include the canon, fugue, rondo, and passacaglia.

Schoenberg was fascinated by numerology and used mathematical patterns throughout the piece. The work is his opus 21, and it contains exactly 21 poems. Each individual poem consists of 13 lines arranged in three stanzas. These stanzas follow a pattern of four, four, and five lines. The poet uses a double refrain, where the first two lines of the poem repeat later. Specifically, lines 1 and 2 appear again as lines 7 and 8. Line 1 is repeated one final time as line 13 to close the poem. Additionally, the ensemble and conductor comprise seven people, and Schoenberg uses seven-note motifs.

The history of the piece began with a commission from Albertine Zehme. Zehme was a former actress who wanted a new cycle for voice and piano. She had previously performed a melodrama by Otto Vrieslander, but the music was not strong enough. She was advised to approach Schoenberg to create something more powerful. Schoenberg began composing on March 12, 1912, and finished on July 9, 1912. The premiere took place at the Berlin Choralion-Saal on October 16, 1912. Zehme performed the role while wearing a Columbine dress. Although some audience members whistled or laughed, the premiere was considered an unqualified success.

The instrumentation used in the work is highly specific and influential. The ensemble consists of a flute (which doubles on piccolo), a clarinet (which doubles on bass clarinet and clarinet in B), a violin (which doubles on viola), a cello, and a piano. This specific combination of instruments is now known as a Pierrot ensemble. This grouping has become a standard foundation for many 20th- and 21st-century classical works. Musicologists have noted that the piano often acts as the leading instrumental protagonist. As the piece progresses, the instrumental textures tend to become fuller. A typical performance of the entire work lasts between 35 and 40 minutes.

Pierrot lunaire has left a lasting legacy in the world of music. The American premiere occurred on February 4, 1923, at the Klaw Theatre in New York. Many famous artists have engaged with the work over the decades. The jazz singer Cleo Laine received a Grammy nomination for her recording. The Icelandic singer Björk performed the piece at the 1996 Verbier Festival. In 2011, director Bruce LaBruce created a theatrical film adaptation of the work. The ensemble structure also inspired the group The Fires of London, which formed in 1965. Today, many professional groups continue to build large repertoires using the Pierrot ensemble instrumentation.