Pelléas et Mélisande - Arnold Schönberg (1903)
Nov 10, 2015 7:54:41 GMT -5
Post by Uncle Henry on Nov 10, 2015 7:54:41 GMT -5
This symphonic poem is the composer's opus five. Here is a synopsis of Maeterlinck's story, upon which it is based:
Golaud discovers Mélisande by a stream in the woods. She has lost her crown in the water but does not wish to retrieve it. They marry, and she instantly wins the favour of Arkël, Golaud's grandfather and king of Allemonde, who is ill. She falls in love with Pelléas, Golaud's brother. They meet by the fountain, where Mélisande loses her wedding ring. Golaud grows suspicious of the lovers, has his son Yniold spy on them, and discovers them caressing, whereupon he kills Pelléas and wounds Mélisande. She later dies after giving birth to an abnormally small girl.
The main theme of the work is the cycle of creation and destruction. Pelléas and Mélisande form a bond of love, which little by little cascades to its fatal end. Maeterlinck had studied Pythagorean metaphysics and believed that human action was guided by Eros (love/sterility) and Anteros (revenge/chaos). The juxtaposition of these two forces brings about a never-ending cycle of calm followed by discord and then change. Pelléas and Mélisande are so much in love that they disregard the value of marriage, provoking the ire of Anteros, who brings revenge and death, which restores order.
Several factors indicate the initial reign of Eros in the play. There is a famine in Arkël's kingdom, indicating that the time for change is nigh. The servants complain that they cannot thoroughly wash the dirt from the steps of the castle. Water is a key element in this fairy tale and appears in several forms: Golaud finds Mélisande by a stream, she arrived in the kingdom by sea, she loses her wedding ring in a fountain, Golaud and Pelléas discover foul-smelling waters under Arkël's castle, Mélisande is often found weeping and mentions her tears several times. Moreover, most of the characters' names contain liquid consonants: Pelléas, Mélisande, Arkël, Golaud and Yniold.
An interesting analysis of the symphonic poem itself, with musical examples, may be examined at the Wikipædia:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelleas_und_Melisande_(Schoenberg)
Sample images:
The first time I watched this, I thought there was an error because of all the blue blotches. But actually it is artistic in a French way - all part of the performance - and I fear they have to be borne.
The duration of the video is forty-nine minutes. Forum members may download it by clicking HERE.
Golaud discovers Mélisande by a stream in the woods. She has lost her crown in the water but does not wish to retrieve it. They marry, and she instantly wins the favour of Arkël, Golaud's grandfather and king of Allemonde, who is ill. She falls in love with Pelléas, Golaud's brother. They meet by the fountain, where Mélisande loses her wedding ring. Golaud grows suspicious of the lovers, has his son Yniold spy on them, and discovers them caressing, whereupon he kills Pelléas and wounds Mélisande. She later dies after giving birth to an abnormally small girl.
The main theme of the work is the cycle of creation and destruction. Pelléas and Mélisande form a bond of love, which little by little cascades to its fatal end. Maeterlinck had studied Pythagorean metaphysics and believed that human action was guided by Eros (love/sterility) and Anteros (revenge/chaos). The juxtaposition of these two forces brings about a never-ending cycle of calm followed by discord and then change. Pelléas and Mélisande are so much in love that they disregard the value of marriage, provoking the ire of Anteros, who brings revenge and death, which restores order.
Several factors indicate the initial reign of Eros in the play. There is a famine in Arkël's kingdom, indicating that the time for change is nigh. The servants complain that they cannot thoroughly wash the dirt from the steps of the castle. Water is a key element in this fairy tale and appears in several forms: Golaud finds Mélisande by a stream, she arrived in the kingdom by sea, she loses her wedding ring in a fountain, Golaud and Pelléas discover foul-smelling waters under Arkël's castle, Mélisande is often found weeping and mentions her tears several times. Moreover, most of the characters' names contain liquid consonants: Pelléas, Mélisande, Arkël, Golaud and Yniold.
An interesting analysis of the symphonic poem itself, with musical examples, may be examined at the Wikipædia:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelleas_und_Melisande_(Schoenberg)
Sample images:
The first time I watched this, I thought there was an error because of all the blue blotches. But actually it is artistic in a French way - all part of the performance - and I fear they have to be borne.
The duration of the video is forty-nine minutes. Forum members may download it by clicking HERE.