Classical Works Spotlight #348--Alexander von Zemlinsky

[erik]

Mahler's "Das Lied Von Der Erde" is one of those works that its composer thought of as a symphony, rather than what it really is--a song cycle. The work in this week's Classical Works Spotlight is another such example, and a work by which its composer is most noted for.

Zemlinsky: LYRIC SYMPHONY

Although overshadowed in his time by the achievements made by Gustav Mahler and Arnold Schoenberg, the Austrian composer Alexander von Zemlinsky had a fairly sizeable impact on the formation of 20th century classical music. Having received very early championing back in 1893 from an aging Johannes Brahms, Zemlinsky also befriended Schoenberg while the two men were still living in Europe.. Perhaps the best known work of Zemlinsky was his 1923 work “Lyric Symphony”, which, despite its title, is not really a symphony as such (for one thing, it has seven sections instead of the expected four), but rather a song cycle for soprano, baritone, and (needless to say) very large orchestra that has considerable similarities to the song cycles of Mahler (especially “Kindertotenlieder” and “Das Lied Von Der Erde”). The text used is from seven poems by the Bengali writer Rabindranath, in German translations made by Hans Effenberger: (1) Ich Bin Friedlos (I Am Restless); (2) O Mutter, Der Junge Prinz (O Mother, The Young Prince); (3) Du Bist Die Abendwolke (You Are The Evening Cloud); (4) Sprich Zu Mir, Geliebter (Speak To Me, My Love); (5) Befrei’ Mich Von Den Banden (Release Me From The Bonds Of Your Sweetness); (6) Vollende Denn Das Letzte Lied (Then Finish The Last Song); and (7) Friede, Mein Herz (Peace, My Heart). The work was highly acclaimed at its premiere in Prague in late 1923, with Zemlinsky conducting, although its popularity with American audiences really didn’t take hold until the 1980s. However, his fellow composer Alban Berg quoted “You Are The Evening Cloud” in his Lyric Suite for string quartet (later transcribed for string orchestra), and dedicated that quartet to Zemlinsky. Like Schoenberg, Zemlinsky eventually moved to the U.S. to continue composing and teaching out of the way of the ever-growing shadow of Nazism and fascism on the European continent. He eventually passed away in Larchmont, New York after having suffered a series of strokes and a fatal bout with pneumonia, at the age of 70 on March 15, 1942.



Soprano: TWYLA ROBINSON
Baritone: ROMAN TRENKEL

Houston Symphony Orchestra/HANS GRAF (Naxos)

Included:
Berg: THREE PIECES FROM “LYRIC SUITE” (FOR STRING ORCHESTRA)

[egoodstein]

A very lovely and interesting work, indeed definitely impacted by Mahler's orchestral songs, especially Das Lied von der Erde, as you say. But also more than just imitation. I like Zemlinsky very much, including his chamber usic like the string quartets and his lieder, which is often lovely, and his larger scale operatic work worth hearing too. His work is a very intriguing link between Brahms (especially late Brahms) and Schoenberg/'New Vienna School' as you say. And the 'exotic' elements also have kinship with some of Ravel I think. His work has a nice ability to be contemporary as well as harkening back to tradition. Someone once said his work was like 'a musical Klimt,'
and I can see the comparison some. Glad to see his work and that of his one-time student Korngold getting wider recognition over the past 25-30 years.

[erik]

I think it speaks to this last true flourishing of the Austro-German tradition before the horrors of two World Wars, and the horrific rise of Hitler, arguably destroyed much of that tradition or forced its exponents to move from Europe to either England or America. Of course, the Lyric Symphony was successful really only in retrospect; and Zemlinsky didn't live long enough to see or hear too many performances of it, given its modernity and its Mahler-sized orchestration. But fortunately, there are orchestras and conductors daring enough to explore these fringe areas of classical music, such as the Houston Symphony under Hans Graf (as they has also been under Leopold Stokowski, Andre Previn, and Christoph Eschenbach).