Music on the Brink of War

Back to the 2014-2015 Greenwood Listening Guide

May 12-18, 2015

Performance at Next Stage on May 17th

Since its premiere in 1912, Arnold Schoenberg’s “Pierrot Lunaire” has been regarded by generations of musicians and audiences as an icon of artistic originality. Igor Stravinsky, who knew something of originality, referred to Pierrot as the “solar plexus of twentieth century music”. While Schoenberg embraces new techniques to frame his work and stretch the listener’s imagination, even as he turns to the aesthetics of melodrama in Pierrot, Kurt Weill seeks to frame the realities of modern society with music that reflects its popular culture.

Both Schoenberg and Kurt Weill (with dramatist Bertolt Brecht), whose Threepenny Opera”, “Mahogany”, and “Happy Days” appear alongside the first stirrings of the Second World War, found the cabaret to be an environment well-suited to work that blurred the lines separating art and popular music, and the socialist and capitalist worlds to which their music reacted. Yellow Barn devotes this Artist Residency to “Pierrot Lunaire” with soprano Lucy Shelton, and songs of Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht with actors Walter van Dyk and Liza Sadovy.

Playlist

The following playlist is a summary of the MP3 audio files located at the bottom of this page. Look for additional program notes in the MP3 descriptions.

John Lee Hooker, blues singer, songwriter and guitarist
Boom Boom
(Also for the December Residency)

Harry Partch, composer
Delusion of the Fury
(Also for the December Residency)

Arnold Schoenberg
Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21

Kurt Weill/Bertolt Brecht
Mack the Knife (Threepenny Opera)
Barbara Song (Threepenny Opera)
Liebeslied (Threepenny Opera)
Tango Ballad (Threepenny Opera)
Pirate Jenny (Threepenny Opera)
Alabama Song (Mahagonny)
Ach Bedenken Herr Jacob Schmidt (Mahagonny)
My Ship (Lady in the Dark)
Tchaikovsky and other Russians (Lady in the Dark)
September Song (Knickerbocker Holiday)
That's Him (One Touch of Venus)
Moon Faced - Starry Eyed (Street Scene)
Lonely House (Street Scene)
Surabaya Johnny (Happy End)
Sailor's Tango (Happy End)
Bilbao Song (Happy End)

Texts

Arnold Schoenberg
Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21
Poems in French by Albert Giraud (1860–1929)
German text by Otto Erich Hartleben (1864-1905)
English translation of the French by Brian Cohen
Download a PDF of the text

Kurt Weill and Collaborators
Mack the Knife (Threepenny Opera)
Barbara Song (Threepenny Opera)
Liebeslied (Threepenny Opera)
Tango Ballad (Threepenny Opera)
Pirate Jenny (Threepenny Opera)
Alabama Song (Mahagonny)
Ach Bedenken Herr Jacob Schmidt (Mahagonny)
My Ship (Lady in the Dark)
Tchaikovsky and other Russians (Lady in the Dark)
September Song (Knickerbocker Holiday)
That's Him (One Touch of Venus)
Moon Faced - Starry Eyed (Street Scene)
Lonely House (Street Scene)
Surabaya Johnny (Happy End)
Sailor's Tango (Happy End)
Bilbao Song (Happy End)
Download a PDF of the Text

Audio

Boom Boom

John Lee Hooker (1917-2001). Boom Boom (1969).

A form of microtone known as the blue note is an integral part of rock music and one of its predecessors, the blues. The blue notes, located on the third, fifth, and seventh notes of a diatonic major scale, are flattened by a variable microtone.

Delusion of the Fury, Part I

Harry Partch (1901-1974). Delusion of the Fury, Act I - Treats with Death and with Life Despite Death: A Son in Search of His Father's Face (1964-66). Program Note

Delusion of the Fury, Part II

Harry Partch (1901-1974). Delusion of the Fury, Act I - Treats with Death and with Life Despite Death: Pray for Me (1964-66).

Delusion of the Fury, Part III

Harry Partch (1901-1974). Delusion of the Fury, Act II - Treats with Life and with Life Despite Life: The Host Kid (1964-66).

Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, I.Mondestrunken

Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951). Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, I.Mondestrunken (1912). Tiffany du Mouchelle, Sprechstimme; Brook Ferguson, flute; Wai Lau, clarinet; Benjamin Hoffman, violin; Michael Kannen, cello; Emely Phelps, piano—August 1, 2014.

Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, II.Colombine

Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951). Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, II.Colombine (1912). Tiffany du Mouchelle, Sprechstimme; Brook Ferguson, flute; Wai Lau, clarinet; Benjamin Hoffman, violin; Michael Kannen, cello; Emely Phelps, piano—August 1, 2014.

Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, III. Der Dandy

Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951). Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, III.Der Dandy (1912). Tiffany du Mouchelle, Sprechstimme; Brook Ferguson, flute; Wai Lau, clarinet; Benjamin Hoffman, violin; Michael Kannen, cello; Emely Phelps, piano—August 1, 2014.

Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, IV.Eine blasse wascherin

Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951). Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, IV.Eine blasse wascherin (1912). Tiffany du Mouchelle, Sprechstimme; Brook Ferguson, flute; Wai Lau, clarinet; Benjamin Hoffman, violin; Michael Kannen, cello; Emely Phelps, piano—August 1, 2014.

Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, V.Valse de Chopin

Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951). Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, V.Valse de Chopin (1912). Tiffany du Mouchelle, Sprechstimme; Brook Ferguson, flute; Wai Lau, clarinet; Benjamin Hoffman, violin; Michael Kannen, cello; Emely Phelps, piano—August 1, 2014.

Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, VI.Madonna

Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951). Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, VI.Madonna (1912). Tiffany du Mouchelle, Sprechstimme; Brook Ferguson, flute; Wai Lau, clarinet; Benjamin Hoffman, violin; Michael Kannen, cello; Emely Phelps, piano—August 1, 2014.

Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, VII.Der Kranke Mond

Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951). Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, VII. Der Kranke Mond (1912). Tiffany du Mouchelle, Sprechstimme; Brook Ferguson, flute; Wai Lau, clarinet; Benjamin Hoffman, violin; Michael Kannen, cello; Emely Phelps, piano—August 1, 2014.

Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, VIII.Nacht Passacaglia

Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951). Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, VIII.Nacht Passacaglia (1912). Tiffany du Mouchelle, Sprechstimme; Brook Ferguson, flute; Wai Lau, clarinet; Benjamin Hoffman, violin; Michael Kannen, cello; Emely Phelps, piano—August 1, 2014.

Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, IX.Gebet an Pierrot

Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951). Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, IX.Gebet an Pierrot (1912). Tiffany du Mouchelle, Sprechstimme; Brook Ferguson, flute; Wai Lau, clarinet; Benjamin Hoffman, violin; Michael Kannen, cello; Emely Phelps, piano—August 1, 2014.

Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, X.Raub

Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951). Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, X.Raub (1912). Tiffany du Mouchelle, Sprechstimme; Brook Ferguson, flute; Wai Lau, clarinet; Benjamin Hoffman, violin; Michael Kannen, cello; Emely Phelps, piano—August 1, 2014.

Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, XI.Rote messe

Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951). Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, XI.Rote messe (1912). Tiffany du Mouchelle, Sprechstimme; Brook Ferguson, flute; Wai Lau, clarinet; Benjamin Hoffman, violin; Michael Kannen, cello; Emely Phelps, piano—August 1, 2014.

Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, XII.Galgenlied

Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951). Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, XII.Galgenlied (1912). Tiffany du Mouchelle, Sprechstimme; Brook Ferguson, flute; Wai Lau, clarinet; Benjamin Hoffman, violin; Michael Kannen, cello; Emely Phelps, piano—August 1, 2014.

Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, XIII.Enthauptung

Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951). Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, XIII.Enthauptung (1912). Tiffany du Mouchelle, Sprechstimme; Brook Ferguson, flute; Wai Lau, clarinet; Benjamin Hoffman, violin; Michael Kannen, cello; Emely Phelps, piano—August 1, 2014.

Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, XIV-XX.

Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951). Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, XIV.Die Kreuze, XV.Heimweh, XVI.Gemeinheit!, XVII.Parodie, XVIII.Der Mondfleck,
XIX.Serenade, XX.Heimfahrt (1912). Tiffany du Mouchelle, Sprechstimme; Brook Ferguson, flute; Wai Lau, clarinet; Benjamin Hoffman, violin; Michael Kannen, cello; Emely Phelps, piano—August 1, 2014.

Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, XXI.O Alter Duft

Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951). Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, XXI. O Alter Duft (1912). Tiffany du Mouchelle, Sprechstimme; Brook Ferguson, flute; Wai Lau, clarinet; Benjamin Hoffman, violin; Michael Kannen, cello; Emely Phelps, piano—August 1, 2014.

The Ballad of Mack the Knife (Threepenny Opera)

Kurt Weill (1900-1950) and Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956). The Threepenny Opera: The Ballad of Mack the Knife (1928).

Barbara Song (Threepenny Opera)

Kurt Weill (1900-1950) and Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956). The Threepenny Opera: Barbara Song (1928).

Liebeslied (Threepenny Opera)

Kurt Weill (1900-1950) and Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956). The Threepenny Opera: Liebeslied (1928).

Tango Ballad (Threepenny Opera)

Kurt Weill (1900-1950) and Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956). The Threepenny Opera: Tango Ballad (1928).

Pirate Jenny (Threepenny Opera)

Kurt Weill (1900-1950) and Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956). The Threepenny Opera: Pirate Jenny (1928).

Alabama Song (Mahagonny)

Kurt Weill (1900-1950) and Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956). Rise and Fall of the City Mahagonny: Alabama Song (1927).

Ach Bedenken Herr Jacob Schmidt (Mahagonny)

Kurt Weill (1900-1950) and Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956). Rise and Fall of the City Mahagonny: Ach Bedenken Herr Jacob Schmidt (1927).

My Ship (Lady in the Dark)

Kurt Weill (1900-1950) and Ira Gershwin (1896-1983). Lady in the Dark: My Ship (1941).

Tchaikovsky and other Russians (Lady in the Dark)

Kurt Weill (1900-1950) and Ira Gershwin (1896-1983). Lady in the Dark: Tchaikovsky and other Russians (1941).

September Song (Knickerbocker Holiday)

Kurt Weill (1900-1950) and Maxwell Anderson (1888-1959). Knickerbocker Holiday: September Song (1938).

That's Him (One touch of Venus)

Kurt Weill (1900-1950) and Ogden Nash (1902-1971). One Touch of Venus: That's Him (1943).

Moon Faced - Starry Eyed (Street Scene)

Kurt Weill (1900-1950) and Langston Hughes (1902-1967). Moon Faced - Starry Eyed (Street Scene) (1946).

Lonely House (Street Scene)

Kurt Weill (1900-1950) and Langston Hughes (1902-1967). Lonely House (Street Scene) (1946).

Surabaya Johnny (Happy End)

Kurt Weill (1900-1950) and Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956). Happy End: Surabaya Johnny (1929).

Sailor's Tango (Happy End)

Kurt Weill (1900-1950) and Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956). Happy End: Sailor's Tango (1929).

Bilbao Song (Happy End)

Kurt Weill (1900-1950) and Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956). Happy End: Bilbao Song (1929).