Sämtliche Werke, Abt. I: Lieder, Reihe A, Band 2: Lieder mit Klavierbegleitung II by ArnoldSchoenberg; Ivan Vojtech; Christian Martin Schmidt; Sämtliche Werke, Abt. I: Lieder, ReiheB, Band 1/2, Teil 1: Lieder mit Klavierbegleitung; Kritischer Bericht, Fassungen, Skizzen,Fragmente-Textteil by Arnold Schoenberg; Christian Martin Schmidt; Sämtliche Werke, Abt.I: Lieder, Reihe B, Band 1/2, Teil 2: Lieder mit Klavierbeglei ...Review by: Walter FrischNotes, Second Series, Vol. 48, No. 1 (Sep., 1991), pp. 271-274Published by: Music Library AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/941830 .

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and the madrigals for six, seven, and eight voices (vol. 26). These two books contain pearls of masterly construction, where tone color and inflection are subtly used and where lines-if not always grateful for the singer-are elegantly woven into sonorous textures. "Pace non trovo," an admirable example from the five-voice volume, and the remarkably balanced setting of Pe- trarch's "Che debb'io far," from the other, are both fine examples. But Ruffo was by no means ignorant of the more "advanced" devices available to his contemporaries, as the setting of "L'aquil'e gitta al ciel" for five voices shows.

The editorial procedures followed throughout this series are lucid and simple to justify. They comprise an attempt at pro- viding "clear modern editions that are both practical and faithful to the original sources" (from the introductory statement on Editorial Methods). The editors follow the specified printed source without regard to concordant versions. In practice, many problems of text underlay have not been resolved, and there are many places where the resulting placement of syllables is either ungrateful or even improbable. The hand- ling of syllables under melismas does not seem to follow any reasonable set of sixteenth-century rules, and the habits of elision vary greatly. (I recognize that the editions probably adhere to the original sources, but we have to accept that many users of these volumes will not be adept at Renaissance ways of looking at text- setting.)

In addition, I question the value of of- fering absolutely no guidance for musica ficta beyond a few simple rules as given here in the introductory paragraphs. In this area the average singer will encounter almost as many serious problems as with the text underlay. While lauding the desire

and the madrigals for six, seven, and eight voices (vol. 26). These two books contain pearls of masterly construction, where tone color and inflection are subtly used and where lines-if not always grateful for the singer-are elegantly woven into sonorous textures. "Pace non trovo," an admirable example from the five-voice volume, and the remarkably balanced setting of Pe- trarch's "Che debb'io far," from the other, are both fine examples. But Ruffo was by no means ignorant of the more "advanced" devices available to his contemporaries, as the setting of "L'aquil'e gitta al ciel" for five voices shows.

The editorial procedures followed throughout this series are lucid and simple to justify. They comprise an attempt at pro- viding "clear modern editions that are both practical and faithful to the original sources" (from the introductory statement on Editorial Methods). The editors follow the specified printed source without regard to concordant versions. In practice, many problems of text underlay have not been resolved, and there are many places where the resulting placement of syllables is either ungrateful or even improbable. The hand- ling of syllables under melismas does not seem to follow any reasonable set of sixteenth-century rules, and the habits of elision vary greatly. (I recognize that the editions probably adhere to the original sources, but we have to accept that many users of these volumes will not be adept at Renaissance ways of looking at text- setting.)

In addition, I question the value of of- fering absolutely no guidance for musica ficta beyond a few simple rules as given here in the introductory paragraphs. In this area the average singer will encounter almost as many serious problems as with the text underlay. While lauding the desire

to get these editions out and applauding the wish to encourage singers to experi- ment, I believe that the editor of this music, who should know more about the possible inflections than anyone else, should there- fore be responsible for guiding performers through particularly thorny situations.

Both these problems would have been alleviated had the editors consistently in- dicated the beginnings of poetic lines with capital letters. Here is another instance where the original users of the books would probably have been better informed than the modern singers, and the information, easily enough supplied, would have helped considerably in making decisions both for underlay and for musica ficta.

These complaints apart, there are re- markably few other problems with these editions. I have found few wrong notes or implausible readings. The musical texts are reliable enough that one can trust the pre- sentation of an unusual stylistic feature and build on it in performance.

This is a series of the greatest value; in her General Introduction, Owens writes, somewhat modestly, that it "makes avail- able for the first time the true wealth and diversity of the sixteenth-century madri- gal." It goes rather further than that: it helps to redress the balance, so that the great works of Rore and Luca Marenzio, the simpler styles of Arcadelt, the eccen- tricities of the Neapolitans, and the mid- century sonorousness of the Venetians can at last be seen alongside the less obviously inspired, more normal output of a number of other no-less-important composers. I do not see how sixteenth-century music can in the future be studied, or concert programs be prepared, without access to this series.

STANLEY BOORMAN

New York University

to get these editions out and applauding the wish to encourage singers to experi- ment, I believe that the editor of this music, who should know more about the possible inflections than anyone else, should there- fore be responsible for guiding performers through particularly thorny situations.

Both these problems would have been alleviated had the editors consistently in- dicated the beginnings of poetic lines with capital letters. Here is another instance where the original users of the books would probably have been better informed than the modern singers, and the information, easily enough supplied, would have helped considerably in making decisions both for underlay and for musica ficta.

These complaints apart, there are re- markably few other problems with these editions. I have found few wrong notes or implausible readings. The musical texts are reliable enough that one can trust the pre- sentation of an unusual stylistic feature and build on it in performance.

This is a series of the greatest value; in her General Introduction, Owens writes, somewhat modestly, that it "makes avail- able for the first time the true wealth and diversity of the sixteenth-century madri- gal." It goes rather further than that: it helps to redress the balance, so that the great works of Rore and Luca Marenzio, the simpler styles of Arcadelt, the eccen- tricities of the Neapolitans, and the mid- century sonorousness of the Venetians can at last be seen alongside the less obviously inspired, more normal output of a number of other no-less-important composers. I do not see how sixteenth-century music can in the future be studied, or concert programs be prepared, without access to this series.

STANLEY BOORMAN

New York University

Arnold Schoenberg. Samtliche Werke, Abt. I: Lieder, Reihe A, Band 2: Lieder mit Klavierbegleitung II. Unter Verwendung der Vorarbeiten von Ivan Vojtech hrsg. von Christian Martin Schmidt. Mainz: B. Schott's Sohne and Vienna: Universal Edition (European American), 1988. [Fac- similes, pp. vii-xvi; score, 155 p. $98.00.] Arnold Schoenberg. Samtliche Werke, Abt. I: Lieder, Reihe B, Band 1/2, Teil 1: Lieder mit Klavierbegleitung; Kritischer Bericht, Fassungen, Skizzen, Fragmente-Textteil. Hrsg. von Christian Martin Schmidt.

Arnold Schoenberg. Samtliche Werke, Abt. I: Lieder, Reihe A, Band 2: Lieder mit Klavierbegleitung II. Unter Verwendung der Vorarbeiten von Ivan Vojtech hrsg. von Christian Martin Schmidt. Mainz: B. Schott's Sohne and Vienna: Universal Edition (European American), 1988. [Fac- similes, pp. vii-xvi; score, 155 p. $98.00.] Arnold Schoenberg. Samtliche Werke, Abt. I: Lieder, Reihe B, Band 1/2, Teil 1: Lieder mit Klavierbegleitung; Kritischer Bericht, Fassungen, Skizzen, Fragmente-Textteil. Hrsg. von Christian Martin Schmidt.

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NOTES, September 1991

Mainz: Universal Edition (European American), 1989. [xv; 404 p. $295.00.]

Arnold Schoenberg. Samtliche Werke, Abt. I: Lieder, Reihe B, Band 1/2, Teil 2: Lieder mit Klavierbegleitung; Kritischer Bericht, Fassungen, Skizzen, Fragmente-Notenteil. Hrsg. von Christian Martin Schmidt. Mainz: Universal Edition (European American), 1990. [vii; 195 p. $185.00.]

The works most readily associated with Arnold Schoenberg's early tonal period are large, luxuriant scores like Verkldrte Nacht, Gurrelieder, and Pelleas und Melisande. Yet it was primarily on a smaller scale, with the piano-accompanied lied, that Schoenberg first developed as a composer and through which he engaged powerfully with a wide range of Romantic and modern poetry ranging from Goethe to Stefan George. From the early 1890s up through his adop- tion of the atonal style in 1908-9 he com- pleted no fewer than eighty-one lieder (not counting the orchestral songs of Gurrelieder and Op. 8) and sketched or drafted count- less others. It was moreover with the song collections of Opp. 1, 2, and 3 that Schoe- nberg introduced himself in print to the public in 1903-4.

The lieder also formed the starting point for the Sdmtliche Werke, begun by Schoe- nberg's former pupil Josef Rufer in 1966. The inaugural volume, edited by Rufer himself, included all the songs published during Schoenberg's lifetime (thus Opp. 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, 14, 15, and 48, and four folk- song arrangements of 1929) and two ad- ditional songs found in the Schoenberg Nachlass, "Gedenken" and "Am Strande." Although valuable for bringing this rep- ertoire together between two covers for the first time, this volume left much to be de- sired in scholarly terms; it also left sadly incomplete the picture of Schoenberg as a song composer. Rufer published no critical report and no sequel volume of the many other previously unpublished songs. (In 1980 the supervision of the Schoenberg edition passed to Rudolf Stephan; Rufer died in 1985 at the age of 91.)

Over the years, some of Schoenberg's other early songs have trickled out from Universal Edition ("GruB in die Ferne") and from the Schoenberg family's Belmont Publishers (Brettl-Lieder, Seven Early Songs). But we have had to wait until the recent

appearance of volume 2 of the lieder, to- gether with a meaty two-part critical report for all the songs, to complete the picture begun twenty-five years ago by the Sdmtliche Werke. The new volume in Series (Reihe) A includes thirty-nine complete songs and four fragments, all composed by Schoen- berg in the period up through 1906. The critical report (Series B) is divided into a Textteil including information about poets, sources, variants, and chronology; and a Notenteil including alternate or preliminary versions of songs, as well as sketch tran- scriptions. All this material, like much else in the Sdmtliche Werke over the past eigh- teen years, has been edited-and edited for the most part in examplary fashion-by Christian M. Schmidt, who was recently named Ordinarius at the Technische Uni- versitit in Berlin, succeeding the late Carl Dahlhaus. (As the title page of vol. 2 sug- gests, Schmidt took over the editorial task of the lieder from Ivan Vojtech.)

In the portions of the critical report re- lating to Rufer's volume of 1966, Schmidt has provided a helpful list of "emenda- tions" and a thorough accounting of avail- able printed and manuscript sources. His first gesture (on p. 1 of the Textteil) is to remove "Gedenken" from the Schoenberg canon; he points out that the only source is a manuscript not in Schoenberg's hand that came originally from the Nachlass of his pupil Heinrich Jalowetz. Moreover, the numerous corrections and other features of the manuscript make it unlikely that it is a copy of a Schoenberg song by someone else.

Among the other revelations that emerge from the sources for the previously pub- lished songs is that the original May 1899 version of the Richard Dehmel setting "Warnung," which Schmidt prints in the Notenteil, was extensively revised by the composer in 1903 for inclusion in Op. 3. The general Schoenberg literature (includ-

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Music Reviews

ing the standard biography by Hans Stuck- enschmidt) discusses the Op. 3 version as though it were identical with the 1899 set- ting. As a comparison of the two versions suggests, however, four years made a lot of difference in Schoenberg's compositional technique. Also valuable is a twelve- measure sketch for "Dank" dating from July 1898, which differs entirely from the setting published as Op. 1, no. 1.

For volume 2 of the songs, Schmidt has skillfully collated his sources from manu- scripts and sketches scattered in several lo- cations, including the Schoenberg Institute in Los Angeles (which has the bulk), UCLA, North Texas State University, the Pierpont Morgan Library, and the New York Public Library. He has also at- tempted, with considerable success, to track down Schoenberg's poetic sources, some of them unnamed in the autographs. And he has provided an illuminating section in the critical report entitled "Chronologie und Werkgeschichte." Strictly speaking, these two tasks go beyond the duties of a mere editor; but they are essential for one like Schmidt, who is deeply interested in (and has written extensively about) Schoenberg's musical development.

Schoenberg was not very helpful here: he dated very few of the thirty-odd songs that predate 1897, and there is precious little biographical information that can help us construct a picture of his early years. Schmidt's procedure for establishing chronology has been to sort all the sources by the kind of paper on which they were written and then to extrapolate, from those few manuscripts that do bear dates in the composer's hand, probable dates of com- position for undated works on the same paper. This method has been used success- fully for Mozart and Beethoven by Douglas Johnson, Alan Tyson, and Robert Winter, who base their conclusions on watermark variations. But its reliability becomes more questionable in the era of machine-made, machine-ruled paper after about 1850. Schoenberg wrote almost all his songs on Hochformat paper manufactured by the Vi- ennese firm of Josef Eberle. Schmidt has based his distinctions and conclusions ex- clusively on small variations in the Eberle emblem, on the dimensions of the page (which often vary by only a millimeter), or on the number of staves. Unfortunately, we

know (or are told by Schmidt) too little about the way music paper was sold in Vi- enna in the 1890s, or about Schoenberg's buying habits, to draw firm conclusions from such data.

Although he relies on the paper types as his primary criterion for dating, Schmidt by no means ignores style criticism. And, in the end, the picture that emerges from his proposed chronology is a persuasive one. It confirms the conclusions drawn by others, including Walter Bailey, Ulrich Thieme, and myself, almost exclusively on the basis of musical style. In the earliest songs through about 1895, Schoenberg rose little above competent but anodyne imitation of Schumann and Brahms. He then achieved a more sophisticated, but still derivative, assimilation of Brahmsian tech- niques in the two Heyse settings of 1897. With the Dehmel settings of 1897 and 1899, he broke through to a more com- pelling and original style. Some of the latter songs were deemed by Schoenberg good enough to include in his Op. 2 and can be counted (along with the Dehmel-inspired string sextet Verkldrte Nacht, also of 1899) among his first masterpieces.

Following the general guidelines of the Schoenberg edition, Schmidt normally opts to print as the main text (in the A Series) the one that can be established as the final version, the so-called Fassung letzter Hand. Slavish adherence to this policy, however, sometimes seems foolish, as in the case of "Deinem Blick mich zu bequemen." Schoen- berg wrote out a complete version of this Goethe setting on 3 January 1903 (called source A by Schmidt). Although the au- tograph is, as Jan Maegaard noted (in his Studien zur Entwicklung des dodekaphonen Satzes bei Arnold Schonberg [Copenhagen: Hansen, 1972], vol. 1, p. 36), "skizzenhaft," the song is complete in all essential details. Schoenberg then sketched some revisions (source B) and began another Niederschrift, or fair copy, which, however, remained a fragment (source C). In the Series A vol- ume Schmidt prints only source C, rele- gating the complete, if prior, version A to the Notenteil of the critical report. He jus- tifies this decision by observing, "The first Niederschrift of the first version A betrays the kind of incompleteness characteristic of this stage of composition. Source C on the other hand represents not only the unmis-

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NOTES, September 1991 NOTES, September 1991

takably later version, but at the same time, as a clean copy [Reinschrift], a definitive- even if fragmentary-text. The subject [Ge- genstand] of a critical edition can thus only be the text of source C, the final version [Fassung letzter Hand]" (Textteil, p. 352).

In adhering to the letter rather than the spirit of a critical edition, Schmidt has thus essentially buried a complete, eminently performable version of the song in the crit- ical report and left only a torso in the main volume most likely to be consulted by mu- sicians. But elsewhere, in the case of "Waldesnacht" (1897), Schmidt seems con- tent to go back on these same editorial prin- ciples. As with "Deinem Blick," there exist two fair copies for the song. In this case it is the earlier one (source A) that is frag- mentary, the later one complete (source B). It thus makes perfect sense for Schmidt to print the later, complete one as the main text. But there are also several important changes that Schoenberg entered into source B, including a remarkable chromati- cization of the vocal line in measures 58- 61. This emendation, almost certainly writ- ten close to the time of composition, makes for one of the most progressive, forward- looking aspects of Schoenberg's early songs. It carries the style of "Waldesnacht" well beyond the idiom of Brahms (who had set this same Heyse text as a part-song, Op. 62). And as the revision is entered over the original vocal line, it clearly represents the

takably later version, but at the same time, as a clean copy [Reinschrift], a definitive- even if fragmentary-text. The subject [Ge- genstand] of a critical edition can thus only be the text of source C, the final version [Fassung letzter Hand]" (Textteil, p. 352).

In adhering to the letter rather than the spirit of a critical edition, Schmidt has thus essentially buried a complete, eminently performable version of the song in the crit- ical report and left only a torso in the main volume most likely to be consulted by mu- sicians. But elsewhere, in the case of "Waldesnacht" (1897), Schmidt seems con- tent to go back on these same editorial prin- ciples. As with "Deinem Blick," there exist two fair copies for the song. In this case it is the earlier one (source A) that is frag- mentary, the later one complete (source B). It thus makes perfect sense for Schmidt to print the later, complete one as the main text. But there are also several important changes that Schoenberg entered into source B, including a remarkable chromati- cization of the vocal line in measures 58- 61. This emendation, almost certainly writ- ten close to the time of composition, makes for one of the most progressive, forward- looking aspects of Schoenberg's early songs. It carries the style of "Waldesnacht" well beyond the idiom of Brahms (who had set this same Heyse text as a part-song, Op. 62). And as the revision is entered over the original vocal line, it clearly represents the

Fassung letzter Hand. Yet Schmidt banishes the revised vocal line to the critical notes (p. 294) and puts the original, earlier one in the main text. In this case, flouting of editorial policy has led to a genuine mis- representation of Schoenberg's composi- tional achievement.

Despite such editorial quirks, the appear- ance of these volumes in the Sdmtliche Werke is a major event. For one thing, it should serve to focus or refocus attention on Schoenberg's achievement as a lied com- poser; he fully deserves a place alongside Hugo Wolf, Richard Strauss, and Gustav Mahler at the fin-de-siecle. Second, the vol- umes help fill out a heretofore rather hazy image music historians have had of Schoen- berg's compositional career before about 1900. Finally, and not least, the new vol- umes should encourage performers to in- clude more of Schoenberg's early lieder on recital programs. To be sure, the songs of Opp. 2, 3, and 6, do sometimes make an appearance (less often those of Op. 1). But to these could be added such gems as "Ekloge," "Waldesnacht," "Madchenlied," "Midchenfriihling," and "Die Beiden," all of which are highly attractive examples of the lied from that tantalizing twilight era between the waning of romanticism and the dawn of modernism.

WALTER FRISCH Columbia University

Fassung letzter Hand. Yet Schmidt banishes the revised vocal line to the critical notes (p. 294) and puts the original, earlier one in the main text. In this case, flouting of editorial policy has led to a genuine mis- representation of Schoenberg's composi- tional achievement.

Despite such editorial quirks, the appear- ance of these volumes in the Sdmtliche Werke is a major event. For one thing, it should serve to focus or refocus attention on Schoenberg's achievement as a lied com- poser; he fully deserves a place alongside Hugo Wolf, Richard Strauss, and Gustav Mahler at the fin-de-siecle. Second, the vol- umes help fill out a heretofore rather hazy image music historians have had of Schoen- berg's compositional career before about 1900. Finally, and not least, the new vol- umes should encourage performers to in- clude more of Schoenberg's early lieder on recital programs. To be sure, the songs of Opp. 2, 3, and 6, do sometimes make an appearance (less often those of Op. 1). But to these could be added such gems as "Ekloge," "Waldesnacht," "Madchenlied," "Midchenfriihling," and "Die Beiden," all of which are highly attractive examples of the lied from that tantalizing twilight era between the waning of romanticism and the dawn of modernism.

WALTER FRISCH Columbia University

Gustav Mahler. Das Lied von der Erde fir eine hohe und eine mittlere Gesangstimme mit Klavier. Erste Veroffentlichung. (Samtliche Werke, Kritische Gesamtausgabe, hrsg. von der Internationalen Gustav Mahler Gesellschaft, Supplement, Bd. II.) Vienna: Universal (European Amer- ican), 1989. [Vorwort, pp. vii-xi; Gesangtexte, pp. xii-xv; Revisions- bericht, pp. xvi-xxiv; score, 89 p., Anhang, pp. [90-91]. UE 13937. $37.50.]

Gustav Mahler. Das Lied von der Erde fir eine hohe und eine mittlere Gesangstimme mit Klavier. Erste Veroffentlichung. (Samtliche Werke, Kritische Gesamtausgabe, hrsg. von der Internationalen Gustav Mahler Gesellschaft, Supplement, Bd. II.) Vienna: Universal (European Amer- ican), 1989. [Vorwort, pp. vii-xi; Gesangtexte, pp. xii-xv; Revisions- bericht, pp. xvi-xxiv; score, 89 p., Anhang, pp. [90-91]. UE 13937. $37.50.]

When, in the summer of 1908, Mahler began work on Das Lied von der Erde he was venturing into uncharted waters in several senses, particularly with subject matter and genre. In fact Mahler drew attention to the innovative nature of the work's genre by describing it on several of the early sources as a "Symphonie fur eine Tenor- und eine Altstimme," thus offering ample scope for aesthetic and critical debate. That this sub- title was not merely a glib assertion of nov-

When, in the summer of 1908, Mahler began work on Das Lied von der Erde he was venturing into uncharted waters in several senses, particularly with subject matter and genre. In fact Mahler drew attention to the innovative nature of the work's genre by describing it on several of the early sources as a "Symphonie fur eine Tenor- und eine Altstimme," thus offering ample scope for aesthetic and critical debate. That this sub- title was not merely a glib assertion of nov-

elty, but a faithful reflection of the work's generic allegiances is overwhelmingly in- dicated by its unique compositional history.

By the mid-1890s, Mahler had evolved a highly distinctive musical language and consistent working methods: one for sym- phonies, the other for songs. Editor Stephen Hefling admirably describes them both in his Vorwort to the second Supple- ment of the Mahler Gesamtausgabe. For symphonies, discontinuous sketches were

elty, but a faithful reflection of the work's generic allegiances is overwhelmingly in- dicated by its unique compositional history.

By the mid-1890s, Mahler had evolved a highly distinctive musical language and consistent working methods: one for sym- phonies, the other for songs. Editor Stephen Hefling admirably describes them both in his Vorwort to the second Supple- ment of the Mahler Gesamtausgabe. For symphonies, discontinuous sketches were

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