'Der kranke Mond' from Pierrot Lunaire - Schoenberg.

Question 1

What is the context/backgeound of Der kranke Mond?

Answer 1

1912.
Expressionism.
Influenced psychoanalyst Freud.
‘The scream’ - art influence.
Pierrot Lunaire: melodrama - exaggerated emotions.
German translations - originally 21 French poems.
5 players overall.

Question 2

What is the instrumentation of Der kranke Mond?

Answer 2

'Reciter' - voice/flute.
Sprechstimme (spoken voice).
Sprechgesang: speech song - cross notes portamento.
Accurate rhythms.
Pitch - open to interpretation.
Large voice range - two octaves.
Wide, angular leaps e.g. augmented 11th - 9.
Diminished octave - 25.
Grotesque mordents - 25.
Syllabic.
Shocking dynamics: pppp

Question 3

What word setting devices are used? 6

Answer 3

1. Rests before words e.g. dort (‘there’) - 3.
2. Sudden pitch change - 3.
3. Discord: diminished 8ve flute interval - 3.
4. Syncopation - 3.
5. Sudden dynamic change - fiebernd (‘feverish’) - 6.
6. Large leaps, e.g. blut (‘blood’), diminished 8ve - 24.

Question 4

What is the texture of Der krande Monde? 4

Answer 4

1. Monophonic - 9.
2. Mostly two-part texture in free counterpoint.
3. No obvious relationship between the parts.
4. Thin texture allows low flute to be heard.

Question 5

What is the structure of Der krande Monde?

Answer 5

Through-composed: volatile state of mind.
3 verses - begins and ends with the same lines.
Solo flute interludes separate the verses e.g. 19.
Varied phrase lengths.

Question 6

What is the tonality of Der krande Monde?

Answer 6

Atonal.
12 semitones used in the first 3 bars.
Vocalist has 11 of them.

Question 7

What is the harmony of Der krande Monde?

Answer 7

No proper chords - only two parts.
Discordant intervals - diminished 8th - 3.
First 6 bars - contains all intervals from a minor 2nd to an octave.

Question 8

What is the melody of Der krande Monde? 7

Answer 8

1. Angular melodies: diminished 8th - 3.
2. Flute leaps: augmented 11th - 9.
3. Repeated notes - flute C# - 15.
4. Vocal augmented repeated notes - 25.
5. Descending flute sequence - 22.
6. Grotesque mordents - 25.
7. Chromatic.

Question 9

What is the rhythm/metre of Der krande Monde? 6

Answer 9

1. Compound duple - 6/4.
2. Extremely slow dotted minim beat - lessens syncopation effect.
3. Rests fragment the melody.
4. Tenuto/staccatos.
5. Flute triplets - 14.
6. Rhythmical augmentation - 25.

Question 10

What are the features of Expressionism? 6

Answer 10

1. Chromatic melody/harmony.
2. Dissonant harmony.
3. Atonal.
4. Unusual vocal techniques: Sprechgesang.
5. Wide range and large melodic leaps - angular.
6. Extreme dynamics.