Lulu details Flashcards
Wedekind’s Lulu plays
Earth Spirit - 1895
Pandora’s Box - 1902
Berg’s adaptation
7 acts across Wedekind’s two plays
Each act distilled into a single scene in Berg’s opera
Opera divided into 3 acts
Countess Geschwitz in Wedekind’s plays
“tragic main figure”
Musical structure - general
symmetrical arch-shaped structure
central point = Film Music in Act II
Palindromic form
Scenes either side of Film Music have same set
Music of these scenes also very similar
Act I - Sonata - first subject
represents Schön’s public image - figure of power
Act I - Sonata - second subject
Associated with Schön’s fiancée - desire to marry a respectable lady represented in baroque forms - Gavotte and Musette
Act I - Reworking of subjects in recapitulation
ironic
first subject reappears when Schön breaks down and admits defeat
second subject = music for when Lulu dictates letter to Schon to send to his fiancée to break off their engagement
Act II - Rondo
broadly associated with Alwa’s declaration of love for Lulu
Rondo form representative of action
fragmented nature - reflects constant interruptions of love scene – various admirers – manservant – Dr Schön
Act III - Variation theme
originally from a song about prostitution – melody becomes symbol of Lulu’s descent to the life a street walker
Act III - progressive pitch organisation and metre through variations
diatonic C major – 3/4
bitonal – 4/4
atonal – 5/4
12-note variation – 7/4
Leitmotif
Themes for Schon’s Sonata and Alwa’s Rondo – leitmotifs for the characters throughout
Death leitmotif
theme of the Canzonetta - originally sung by Lulu over the dead body of the medical specialist
subsequently used for deaths of painter (I), Schon (II), Alwa (III)
