Four Orchestral Songs,Op. 22[1][2] (German:Vier Lieder für Gesang und Orchester orVier Orchesterlieder), is a composition by Austrian composerArnold Schoenberg, scored forsoprano and large orchestra.
The songs were composed separately, even though they were published as a set. The first song was finished on 6 October 1913; the second one was composed between 30 November and 3 December 1914; the third one was composed between 3 December 1914, and 1 January 1915; and, after a hiatus, the fourth one was composed between 19 and 28 July 1916.[3] These songs were the last works that Schoenberg was to write in the freelyatonal style. After finishing this composition, Schoenberg would complete no new works for seven years, when he composed theFive Piano Pieces, Op. 23. During this compositional hiatus, he would develop thetwelve-tone technique; thereafter, he would compose mainly (though not exclusively) using the twelve-note method.[4]
The orchestral songs was premiered on 21 February 1932, inFrankfurt am Main, conducted byHans Rosbaud with sopranoHertha Reinecke. The second movement was dedicated to student and fellow composerAnton Webern. It was eventually published byUniversal Edition in Vienna, on 7 November 1917.[3]
The four songs are as follows:
The first of the songs,Seraphita, was composed in October 1913. The text comes from a poem byErnest Dowson, translated byStefan George. This is the most extended of the four songs with the vocal line separated by substantial orchestral interludes. The sixclarinets open this song with a melody primarily based onseconds and thirds.
The second song was written from November to December 1914, taking a text from a collection of poetry entitledThe Book of Hours, byRainer Maria Rilke; it is found in the second volume,Das Buch von der Pilgerschaft (The Book of Pilgrimage).
The third song, which also comes from Rilke'sThe Book the Hours,Das Buch von der Armut und vom Tode (The Book of Poverty and Death), was written between December 1914 to January 1915 and is divided into three sections.
The fourth and final song,Vorgefühle, was finished in July 1916 with the text coming from Rilke'sThe Book of Images.[5]
Felix Greissle wrote an arrangement of the whole set of songs in 1921. It was scored for a small ensemble which included abaritone, apiccolo, a flute, a clarinet, abass clarinet, a violin, a viola, avioloncello, and a piano. The arrangement has only been recorded once byEMI, which was released inLP format. The performance of this recording was carried out by thePierrot Ensemble Köln in August 1980.[6]
ThePhilharmonia Orchestra recording on theNaxos label with the voice ofCatherine Wyn-Rogers under the baton ofRobert Craft. At the time of its release in 1998, it received a positive critical reception.[7][8]
Four Orchestral Songs
Orchestral Songs (4), Op. 22
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