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Chapter 41
Arnold Schoenberg
Pierrot lunaire
Chapter at a Glance
Listen to This First
Timbre: The Sprechstimme
Harmony: Atonality
Word-Music Relationships: Expressing Anguish
Connect Your Playlist: Sprechstimme
Historical Context: Expressionist Film
Chapter Objectives
After reading this chapter and listening to the work, students should be able to:
41.1 Define Expressionism and identify the motivations that led to this artistic
movement.
41.2 Define and listen for Sprechstimme as a technique of vocal performance.
41.3 Define atonality and list examples of how composers might use it.
Key Concepts
atonality, Sprechstimme
Chapter Highlight: Expressionism
Expressionism gave priority to truth over beauty, including the sometimes less-than–
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Chapter Summary
Pierrot lunaire belongs to the artistic style known as Expressionism, a movement
in which artists (including composers) tried express their inner moods and thoughts with
figure from the , and Columbine is another character from this story and one
Listening Guide
The Listening Guide assists with connections between the text and what the students hear
(Word-Music Relationships column). Some of the more instructive points are also isolated in the
Timbre column. It might be helpful to have students read the translation before listening, so
that they are prepared for the dark and almost spooky music.
MyMusicLab Resources
Automated Listening Guide Pierrot lunaire
Chapter Audio: Chapter 41
Discussion Topics and Critical Thinking Questions
1. Did Schoenberg intend to hurt the ears of listeners? Did he write his music to cause pain?
Locate prints of Expressionist paintings. Do they express similar pain as expressed in the
musical compositions? Why do you think that artists from the early to mid-twentieth century
felt the need to express such deep inner feelings of pain?
Activities and Exercises
1. Divide the class into groups. Ask each group to find objects, events, sounds, or signals that
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2. Use the musical alphabet and superscripted numbers. Invite class members to compose a 12–
tone row, using the rule that no note can be played more than one time. Play the newly
composed themes.
Journaling Prompt
Sprechstimme was an unusual vocal timbre for Schoenberg to use in the early twentieth
century. What effect do you think he was trying to achieve? Do you think he succeeds?