Altenberg Lieder


The Five Orchestral Songs, Op. 4, for medium voice and orchestra, were composed by Alban Berg in 1911/12. Numbers 2 and 3 were premiered under the baton of Berg's teacher Arnold Schoenberg at the Vienna Musikverein on 31 March 1913, known as the Skandalkonzert for the riot that erupted during Berg's songs.
The texts are taken from picture-postcard texts by the contemporary Viennese poet Peter Altenberg. The texts deal with the stormy but beautiful condition of the soul, and the palpable sensations of love and longing.
Berg's setting is for a large orchestra. The music has many displaced ostinati and the conflicted, lyrical passion found in much of Berg's works.

Structure

The five songs are:
  1. Seele, wie bist du schöner
  2. Sahst du nach dem Gewitterregen den Wald?
  3. Über die Grenzen des Alls
  4. Nichts ist gekommen
  5. Hier ist Friede

    Instrumentation

The work is scored for medium voice and a large orchestra consisting of:
;Woodwinds
;Brass
;Percussion
;Keyboard
;Strings