View source for Five Pieces for Orchestra

{{Italic title}}
{{for|the composition by Anton Webern|List of compositions by Anton Webern#Orchestral works}}
{{Infobox musical composition
|name=''Five Pieces for Orchestra''
|composer=[[Arnold Schoenberg]]
|image=Arnold Schönberg Richard Gerstl.jpg
|caption=Portrait of Arnold Schoenberg by [[Richard Gerstl]], ca. June 1905
|native_name=''Fünf Orchesterstücke''
|opus=16
|style=[[Free atonality]]
|composed=1909
|movements=Five
|scoring=Orchestra
|premiere_date=3 September 1912
|premiere_conductor=[[Henry Wood|Sir Henry Wood]]
|premiere_location=London}}
The '''''Five Pieces for Orchestra''''' ('''''Fünf Orchesterstücke'''''), [[Opus number|Op.]] 16, were composed by [[Arnold Schoenberg]] in 1909, and first performed in London in 1912. The titles of the pieces, reluctantly added by the composer after the work's completion upon the request of his publisher, are as follows:

{{Ordered list|type=upper-roman
|"Vorgefühle", Sehr rasch ("Premonitions", very fast)
|"Vergangenes", Mäßige Viertel ("The Past", moderate crotchets)
|"Farben", Mäßige Viertel ("Summer Morning by a Lake: Chord-Colors", moderate crotchets)
|"Peripetie", Sehr rasch ("Peripeteia", very fast)
|"Das obligate Rezitativ", Bewegte Achtel ("The Obbligato Recitative", busy quavers)
}}

The ''Five Pieces'' further develop the notion of "total [[chromaticism]]" that Schoenberg introduced in his ''[[Drei Klavierstücke (Schoenberg)|Three Piano Pieces]]'', Op. 11 (composed earlier that year) and were composed during a time of intense personal and artistic crisis for the composer, this being reflected in the tensions and, at times, extreme violence of the score, mirroring the [[Expressionism|expressionist]] movement of the time, in particular its preoccupation with the subconscious and burgeoning madness.{{citation needed|date=June 2021}}

==Premiere==

The work had its world premiere in the [[Queen's Hall]], London at a [[the Proms|Promenade Concert]] on 3 September 1912, conducted by [[Henry Wood|Sir Henry Wood]], a constant champion of new music. During rehearsals for Schoenberg's suite he urged his reluctant players, "Stick to it, gentlemen! This is nothing to what you'll have to play in 25 years' time"{{sfn|Jacobs|1994|p=137}}<ref name=lamb /> The work was not well received; the critic [[Ernest Newman]], who was receptive to Schoenberg's music, wrote after the performance:
{{blockindent|It is not often that an English audience hisses the music it does not like, but a good third of the people at Queen's Hall last Tuesday permitted themselves that luxury after the performance of the five orchestral pieces of Schoenberg. Another third of the audience was only not hissing because it was laughing, and the remaining third seemed too puzzled either to laugh or to hiss; so that on the whole it does not look as if Schoenberg has so far made many friends in London.<ref>[[Ernest Newman|Newman, Ernest]], "The Case of Arnold Schoenberg", ''[[The Nation]]'', 7 September 1912, p. 830, quoted in {{harvnb|Lambourn|1987|pp=422–427}}</ref>|}}

==Instrumentation==
The work exists in two different scorings: the original 1909 version for a very large orchestra and the revised version of 1949 which reduces the size of the orchestra to more-or-less normal proportions, "giving up the contrabass clarinet, as well as the four-fold scoring of the other woodwinds and two of the six horns".{{sfn|Doflein|1969b|p=211}} This version was published posthumously in 1952.
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===Original 1909 version===
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;[[Woodwind instrument|Woodwinds]]:
:[[Piccolo]]
:3 [[Western concert flute|Flute]]s (3rd doubling on 2nd piccolo)
:3 [[Oboe]]s
:[[English horn]]
:[[Clarinet in D]]
:3 [[Clarinet]]s (3rd doubling on [[contrabass clarinet]] in A)
:[[Bass clarinet]]
:3 [[Bassoon]]s
:[[Contrabassoon]]

;[[Brass instrument|Brass]]:
:6 [[French horn|Horns]]
:3 [[Trumpet]]s
:4 [[Trombone]]s
:[[Tuba]]
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;[[Percussion instrument|Percussion]]:
:[[Timpani]]
:[[Bass drum]]
:[[Crash cymbal]]s
:[[Suspended cymbal]]s
:[[triangle (musical instrument)|Triangle]]
:[[Tam-tam]]
:[[Xylophone]]
:[[Celesta]]

;[[String section|Strings]]:
:[[Harp]]
:[[Violin]]s I, II
:[[Viola]]s
:[[Violoncello]]s
:[[Double bass]]es
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===Revised 1949 version===
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;Woodwinds:
:Piccolo
:3 Flutes (3rd doubling on 2nd piccolo)
:''2 Oboes''
:English horn
:''[[E-flat Clarinet|E{{music|flat}} Clarinet]]''
:''2 Clarinets''
:Bass clarinet
:''2 Bassoons''
:Contrabassoon

;Brass:
:''4 Horns''
:3 Trumpets
:''3 Trombones''
:Tuba
{{col-break}}
;Percussion:
:Timpani
:Bass drum
:[[Cymbal]]s
:Suspended cymbals
:Triangle
:Tam-tam
:Xylophone
:Celesta

;Strings:
:Harp
:Violins I, II
:Violas
:Violoncellos
:Double basses
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==Third movement==
[[File:Summer Morning By a Lake excerpt.PNG|thumb|upright=1.5|''[[Klangfarbenmelodie]]'' in mm. 8–11 of "Summer Morning by a Lake"[[File:Summer Morning By a Lake excerpt.mid]]]]

According to [[Robert Erickson]], "[[harmony|harmonic]] and [[melodic]] motion is curtailed, in order to focus attention on [[timbre|timbral]] and [[musical texture|textural]] elements".{{sfn|Erickson|1975|p=37}} Blair Johnston claims that this movement is actually titled "Chord-Colors", that Schoenberg "removes all traditional [[motive (music)|motivic]] associations" from this piece, that it is generated from a single harmony: C–G{{music|sharp}}–B–E–A (the [[Farben chord]], shown below), found in a number of chromatically altered derivatives, and is scored for "a kaleidoscopically rotating array of instrumental colors".{{sfn|Johnston}}
:<score sound="1"> {
\override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f
\relative c' { \new PianoStaff <<
  \new Staff { \clef treble \time 4/4 <e a>1 }
  \new Staff { \clef bass \time 4/4 <c, gis' b>1 }
>> } }
</score>
Whether or not this was an early example of what Schoenberg later called ''[[Klangfarbenmelodie]]'' (in his 1911 book ''Harmonielehre'') is a matter of dispute. One scholar holds that Schoenberg's "now-famous statements about 'Klangfarbenmelodie' are, however, reflections, which have no direct connection to the Orchestra Piece op. 16, no. 3".{{sfn|Doflein|1969a|p=204}} An attempt to refute this view was published in the same journal issue.{{sfn|Rufer|1969|pp=366–368}}

Schoenberg explains in a note added to the 1949 revision of the score, "The conductor need not try to polish sounds which seem unbalanced, but watch that every instrumentalist plays accurately the prescribed dynamic, according to the nature of his instrument. There are no motives in this piece which have to be brought to the fore".{{sfn|Schoenberg|1999|p=29}}

==Second performance and influence==
Wood invited Schoenberg to conduct London's second performance of the work in 1914. The composer's only British pupil, [[Edward Clark (conductor)|Edward Clark]], conveyed the invitation and on 17 January 1914 Schoenberg conducted the work at the Queen's Hall.<ref>[http://www.schoenberg.at/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1014&Itemid=726&lang=en Anon., "Herr Schönberg in London. His Theory and His Practice", ''Daily News Leader'' (January 17, 1914), quoted in full on the Arnold Schoenberg Centre website (accessed 29 October 2013).]</ref><ref name=keller>[https://books.google.com/books?id=wo4LhjGd-c4C&dq=edward+clark+schoenberg&pg=PA21 Alison Garnham, ''Hans Keller and the BBC: The Musical Conscience of British Broadcasting, 1959–79''.]</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=CVCtkShvDSkC&q=clark&pg=PA127 Jennifer Doctor, ''The BBC and Ultra-Modern Music, 1922–1936: Shaping a Nation's Tastes'']</ref> The laughter and hissing of the first performance were not repeated, and the work was heard in silence and politely applauded.{{sfn|Short|1990|pp=118–119}} The composer was delighted with the performance and congratulated Wood and the orchestra warmly: "I must say it was the first time since [[Gustav Mahler]] that I heard such music played again as a musician of culture demands."<ref>Letter dated 23 January 1914, quoted in {{harvnb|Lambourn|1987|p=426}}</ref> This concert may have been attended by [[Gustav Holst]],{{sfn|Holst|2008|p=32}} who obtained a copy of the score, the only Schoenberg score he ever owned. Echoes of the work appear in ''[[The Planets]]'' (originally titled ''Seven Pieces for Large Orchestra''), and in the opening of his ballet ''The Lure'' (1921), which closely resembles the third of Schoenberg's ''Five Pieces''.<ref name=lamb>{{cite journal|last=Lambourn|first=David|jstor=965003|title=Henry Wood and Schoenberg|journal=[[The Musical Times]]|date=August 1987|volume=128 |issue=1734 |pages=422–427|doi=10.2307/965003 }} {{subscription required}}</ref>

[[Frank Tapp]] also programmed the work at the [[Grand Pump Room|Pump Room]] in [[Bath, Somerset|Bath]] - best known for its salon and light music. Some sources claim he was sacked for doing so.<ref> [https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Water_Music/WuEvbA2HnfIC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Frank+Tapp&pg=PA51&printsec=frontcover Ian Bradley, ''Water Music: Making Music in the Spas of Europe and North America'' (2010), p. 51]</ref>

== Recordings ==
* Two piano arrangement by [[Anton Webern]], performed by James Winn and Cameron Grant, Albany Records CD TROY992, UPC 034061099222
* [[Berlin Philharmonic]], [[James Levine]] conducting, Deutsche Grammophon 419781
* [[Chicago Symphony Orchestra]], [[Rafael Kubelík]] conducting, Mercury Living Presence 434397
* Chicago Symphony Orchestra, [[Daniel Barenboim]] conducting, Teldec 98256
* [[Cleveland Orchestra]], [[Christoph von Dohnányi]] conducting, Decca 436240
* [[London Symphony Orchestra]], [[Antal Doráti]] conducting, Mercury Living Presence 432006
* London Symphony Orchestra, [[Robert Craft]] conducting, Naxos 8557524
* [[Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra]], [[Riccardo Chailly]] conducting, Decca 436467
* Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, [[Eduard van Beinum]] conducting, Andante 4060
* [[Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra]], [[Hermann Scherchen]] conducting, Orfeo D'or 274921
* Saarbrücken Radio Symphony Orchestra, [[Hans Zender]] conducting, Cpo 999481
* Sinfonieorchester des Südwestfunks, Michael Gielen conducting, [[Wergo]] WER 60185-50
* [[BBC Symphony Orchestra]], [[Pierre Boulez]] conducting, Sony 48463
* [[City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra]], [[Simon Rattle]] conducting, Warner Classics 5758802

== References ==
{{reflist}}
'''Sources'''
{{div col|colwidth=45em}}
* {{cite journal|last=Doflein|first=Erich|title=Schönbergs Opus 16 Nr. 3: der Mythos der Klangfarbenmelodie|journal=Melos|number=36|year=1969a|pages=203–205}}
* {{cite journal|last=Doflein|first=Erich|title=Schönbergs Opus 16 Nr. 3: Geschichte einer Uberschrift|journal=Melos|number=36|year=1969b|pages=209–212}}
* {{cite book|last=Erickson|first=Robert|title=Sound Structures in Music|publisher=University of California Press|location=Los Angeles|year=1975|isbn=0-520-02376-5}}
* {{cite book|last=Holst|first=Imogen|author-link=Imogen Holst|title=Gustav Holst: A Biography|year=2008|origyear=1969|location=London|edition=second|publisher=Faber & Faber|isbn=978-0-571-24199-6}}
*{{cite book | last=Jacobs | first=Arthur | title=Henry J. Wood: Maker of the Proms | location=London | publisher=Methuen | year=1994 | isbn=978-0-41-369340-2}}
* {{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Johnston}}|reference={{AllMusic|last=Johnston|first=Blair|title=Pieces (5) for Orchestra, Op. 16|class=composition|id=mc0002362790}}}}
* {{cite journal|last=Rufer|first=Josef|title=Noch einmal Schönbergs Opus 16|journal=Melos|number=36|year=1969}}
* {{cite book|last=Schoenberg|first=Arnold|title=Five Orchestra Pieces, Opus 16|type=score|publisher=Dover Publications|location=Mineola, New York|year=1999|isbn=0-486-40642-3}}
* {{cite book | last= Short | first= Michael | title= Gustav Holst: The Man and his Music| year= 1990| location =Oxford and New York  | publisher= Oxford University Press | isbn=978-0-19-314154-4 }}
{{div col end}}

==Further reading==
{{div col|colwidth=45em}}
* Burkhart, Charles. "Schoenberg's ''Farben'': An Analysis of op. 16, no. 3". ''[[Perspectives of New Music]]'' 12 (1973–74): 141–172.
* [[Robert Craft|Craft, Robert]]. "Schoenberg's ''Five Pieces for Orchestra''". In ''Perspectives on Schoenberg and Stravinsky'', revised edition, edited by [[Benjamin Boretz]] and [[Edward T. Cone]], 3–24. New York: W. W. Norton, 1972.
* [[Allen Forte|Forte, Allen]]. ''The Structure of Atonal Music''. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1973.
* Förtig, Peter. "Arnold Schönberg über Klangfarbe". ''Melos'' 36 (1969): 206–209.
* Mäckelmann, Michael. ''Arnold Schönberg: Fünf Orchesterstücke op. 16''. W. Fink, Munich, 1987. {{ISBN|3-7705-2415-2}}
* {{cite encyclopedia|last=Neighbour|first=O. W.|title=Schoenberg, Arnold|encyclopedia=[[The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians]]|editor1=[[Stanley Sadie]]|editor2=[[John Tyrrell (musicologist)|John Tyrrell]]|publisher=Macmillan|location=London|year=2001|ref=none}}
* [[John Rahn|Rahn, John]]. "Analysis Two: Schoenberg's Five Peces for Orchestra: Farben, op. 16 no. 3". In his ''Basic Atonal Theory'', 59–73. New York and London: Longman, 1980. {{ISBN|0-582-28117-2}}.
* Schoenberg, Arnold. ''Style and Idea.'' University of California Press, Los Angeles, 1984. {{ISBN|0-520-05294-3}}
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== External links ==
* [https://www.schoenberg.at/index.php/en/joomla-license-3/fuenf-orchesterstuecke-op-16-1909rev-1922 ''Five Pieces for Orchestra''], Schoenberg.at
* {{IMSLP|work=5 Pieces for Orchestra, Op.16 (Schoenberg, Arnold)|cname=''Five Pieces for Orchestra''}}

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[[Category:1909 compositions]]
[[Category:Atonal compositions by Arnold Schoenberg]]
[[Category:Orchestral compositions by Arnold Schoenberg]]
[[Category:Expressionist music]]
[[Category:Stefan Zweig Collection]]
[[Category:Orchestral suites]]