Germanic Expressionism & Serialism

Mahler’s Das Lied Von Der Erde

To start off the compositions from the serialism era, I listened to Mahler’s Das Lied Von Der Erde. The piece was composed for a full symphony and a baritone. The key signatures changed throughout the piece which made it sound atonal, but the major key centers were recognizable. The addition of the baritone gave the piece a more tonal sound. I enjoyed this piece, but I do not think it would be considered in the serialism era. Being that the piece was composed in the early 1900s it most probably would be from the transitioning era from tonal to atonal.

Schoenberg Pierrot Lunaire

I listen to a movement form Schoenberg Pierrot Lunaire. The orchestration for the movement included flute, violin, violincello, soprano, and piano. Toward the beginning of the movement each instrument had individual melodic lines that were atonal. However, each line seemed to be identical creating a cannon effect in the music. The soprano line sounded more spoken than sung which served as a percussive element in the piece. The drastic change towards the second half of the piece created a dynamic depth to the form of the piece. The overall form throughout the piece, to me, made the piece more enjoyable and understandable.

Schoenberg Drei Klavierstucke

The most dominant part of the piece was the atonalism that was highly featured. The twelve tone row was employed throughout the piece. I felt that the piano was used as a melodic tool in certain parts and a percussive tool in the more forte sections. There was no particular harmony that stood out to me. I really enjoyed the repetition that was also featured through the piece. For example, the sequential two-note descending line that was played in the left hand was featured in multiple sections. I particularly liked it because it created a sense of familiarity and stability when needed which I think is an important element when writing atonal music.

 Alban Berg Violin Concerto

The Concerto featured a solo violin and piano; certain parts of the piece employed an additional violin part. The piano served as a bass for harmony throughout the piece. The most dominant element of the piece was the use of repetition to make the piece sound more cohesive and melodic, which I noticed is a common trend in the serialism. I also enjoyed the short rhythmic motifs that were used. I noticed that often time when the motifs were repeated in a row, the atonal melody in the violin was manipulated in their repetitions.