Altenberg Lieder

Five Orchestral Songs (Fünf Orchesterlieder, nach Ansichtkarten-Texten von Peter Altenberg), Op. 4, for medium voice and orchestra, were composed by Alban Berg in 1911-1912. Two of the songs were premiered under the baton of Berg's teacher Arnold Schoenberg at the Vienna Musikverein on 31 March 1913. The texts are taken from 'picture-postcard texts (Ansichtskarten-Texten)' by a contemporary Viennese poet named Peter Altenberg (hence the more commonly used title Altenberg Lieder). The texts deal with the stormy but beautiful condition of the soul, and the palpable sensations of love and longing. Berg's setting is for a huge orchestra. The music is full of displaced ostinati and the conflicted, lyrical passion found in much of Berg's works.

Structure

The five songs are:

1. Seele, wie bist du schöner (Soul, how much more beautiful are you)
2. Sahst du nach dem Gewitterregen den wald (Did you see the forest after the rainstorm)
3. Über die Grenzen des All (Beyond the boundaries of the universe)
4. Nichts ist gekommen (Nothing has come)
5. Hier ist Friede (Here is Peace)

Instrumentation

The works is scored for medium voice (mezzo-soprano) and:

• 3 flutes (3rd doubling piccolo), 3 oboes (3rd doubling English horn), 3 clarinets in B flat (3rd doubling clarinet in E flat), bass clarinet in B flat, 3 bassoons (3rd doubling contra-bassoon);
• 4 horns in F, 3 trumpet in F, 4 trombones (1st doubling alto trombone), tuba (doubling contrabass tuba);
• timpani, percussion (3 players), xylophone, glockenspiel, harp, celesta, piano, harmonium;
• strings: violins I and II, violas, violoncellos, double basses.

External links

Altenberg Lieder: Free scores at the International Music Score Library Project.