Arnold Schoenberg: String Quartet No. 2 Op. 10 (1908)

[@johnotis6764]

I'm not a musicphile, just a pedestrian listener with a curious heart and a thirsty ear. I can't imagine how this was composed. My mind just can't conceive of it. It's like a dead spot on a starter motor--click, click, click. Genius is a scary thing. Musical genius is more so. Confronting the intangible and the sublime. Truly great music is like that. It just is. It exists whether someone wrote it or not, whether it was ever played or heard by anyone ever, it just exists. We were fortunate--graced-blessed. Imagine all the other pieces that are out there that have never been heard because they never came into being. Maybe this is merely a shadow of one of those.

[@kawou4250]

That's exactly why math and music are in the same category in my brain

[@johnotis6764]

@@kawou4250 Your brain is not your mind.

[@carystayner-l3z]

weininger says great music is religious.

[@johnotis6764]

@@carystayner-l3z It is certainly indicative of something beyond this world, something unalterable and timeless, something awesome and sublime and terrible, and sweet and tender, merciful and loving.

[@peterjgeraghty]

@@carystayner-l3z It can also be political or erotic.

[@marthaquintero1526]

A genius. Nothing else but a genius.

[@maestrosdreamcafe3022]

Magnificent. Each time I listen I hear something deeper

[@mariannamarchi2112]

Credo che questa bellissima musica possa essere il cuneo adatto per introdurmi nel mondo per me sconosciuto di questo tipo di musica. Grazie per fornire gratis a tutti tanta ricchezza. Marianna

[@JoffreyR92]

The tonal system dominant in Western music is based on hierarchy of degrees (a central note (the tonic) acts as a point of gravity around which the other notes are organized), functional relationships (Chords (tonic, dominant, subdominant, etc.) have precise roles that create tension and resolution) and modulations (the transition from one key to another allows a wealth of development while maintaining coherence). With the evolution of Romantic music, composers such as Wagner, Liszt and Mahler progressively broadened tonality by multiplying chromatics and complex modulations, to the point of weakening it. Music became increasingly chromatic, blurring the central tonality. Harmonic tensions stretched, sometimes to the point of never resolving. To this end, Schönberg began writing works in which he deliberately avoided any reference to a central key. Coherence in these works was based on thematic motivation: short motifs or melodic cells were developed and transformed to create unity. This piece is a great exemple.

[@gerardbegni2806]

"I feel the air of another planet ...". This quartet has been written in a very critical period for Schoenberg. The fist movement is a sonata form clearly in F# minor, with tonal extensions. The second and the third movements are also tonal (in an ambiguous way for the third one). The last one is the first atonal essay of Schoenberg, in spite of the F# major triad which concludes it. The atonal drawings are extremely elegant. There are cyclic trends in the quartet. The work is extremely beautiful, in a rather melancholic mood, very "fin de siècle", with a touch of humour in the scherzo. From a stylisitic point of view, the atonal movement is included seamlessly in the mood of the quartet, making it one of the highlights of the music of the beginning XXth Century. Excellent performance.

[@MahlayStudios]

The movements: I - Massig - 0:00 II - Serh rasch - 7:00 III - Litanei... - 13:17 IV - Entruckung - 18:57 Enjoy!

[@leoperezmercado8060]

graciaaaaaaaaaaas

[@leonardojohnny3413]

I dont mean to be so off topic but does any of you know a trick to get back into an Instagram account? I somehow forgot the password. I would appreciate any tricks you can offer me

[@sincerejaxton3196]

@Leonardo Johnny Instablaster ;)

[@leonardojohnny3413]

@Sincere Jaxton Thanks so much for your reply. I got to the site thru google and I'm trying it out now. Looks like it's gonna take quite some time so I will get back to you later with my results.

[@leonardojohnny3413]

@Sincere Jaxton it did the trick and I actually got access to my account again. I'm so happy! Thanks so much, you saved my account!

[@TheHumbuckerboy]

I certainly wouldn't claim to be the most knowledgeable concerning classical music but this sounds very sonically interesting and inventive to my ears .

[@joxbrough]

Emotional, evocative, beautiful. Thank you.

[@garywhitley3854]

Beautiful, haunting piece. I’m relatively new to classical music having been introduced to Vaughan Williams, Britten and Elgar by a friend but I’m really enjoying this. Thanks

[@makik3762]

Just listening to the first few passages. Amazing how he used a kind of advanced harmony to keep this atonal work going from here to there. Beautiful music. Thank you for a great upload.

[@Qazwdx111]

only last movement has no key

[@stevenheck9433]

there were no world wars yet .. when this was written ....only Caesars and Bonapartes and the like had had their day... i can hear a convolute premonition in his work... this piece is a gem

[@stueystuey1962]

I was falling asleep while listening to this woke up and was thinking Brahms is so wonderful. Very ahead of his time, such imaginative chromatic and harmonic modulation...oh Schoenberg 1908.Yup.

[@biaispravda]

Here once more after journeying a bit through Wagnerian strands. Feels homely refreshing to listen to it again

[@marcsmith7789]

In my opinion, this is the work that opens the door to expressionism. And there it is, in all it's angst. Such an incredible work.

[@LOLinsultan]

i agree. its genius

[@douglasdickerson5184]

Wonderful music.

[@klop4228]

Even after liking the first quartet for years, it's taken me a while to get into the mood for this. But I'm liking it now. Great piece.

[@littleleccie]

It makes me sad that there are people who post hateful comments on videos like this. If you don't like it, then why are you watching it? Go and listen to something you do enjoy instead.

[@123must]

A true masterpiece and a nice rendition ! A lot of thanks

[@davidparker2173]

I had been getting worn listening to the older classical music, especially from You Tube's search for "classical" getting "always the same old thing". But now that I have have discovered this newer stuff like Shoenberg, and I am gaining an ear for it. Now I feel like a member of the Avant Garde, even though the composers of this new found music have already passed from out of existence, at least from this world. Some of this newer classical I like more than others, but I'm going to render that discernment enigmatic, at least for now until I come into a better comprehension of it.

[@ceef8688]

there are some good modern composers, many of which are tracked by the Kronos Quartet... Do you know Morton Feldman? Like Schoenberg meditation music. And I just heard some Philip Glass on the radio--always avoided the name for "pop" reasons, but wow--it was OuT there!

[@davidparker2173]

@@ceef8688 I like some of Schonberg's music, but one thing I have noticed among a lot of these, including some of Schonberg's is that there is an awful lot of what I call strange violin, and that was what I got when I tried one piece from Feldman. When I say strange violin, I mean that eerie sound they make with it, and they run that through the entire piece. I would not mind it if those strange sounds were resolved with something a bit more triumphant, but to run an eerie violin throughout the entire piece leaves a lot of want to someone like me. I like Schonberg's Pelleas & Melisandre, and other pieces of kind. The Hours by Philip Glass is real good. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZzSl2akhbBgY7s I know there are some real great classical contemporaries around today, and some are writing music for the movies, and some of that will live on as great classical pieces.

[@ceef8688]

@@davidparker2173 I know what you mean. Basically, to me, it's that the Twilight Zone is about to do its plot twist

[@ceef8688]

@@davidparker2173 Feldman has some piano only pieces that are more like Satie, which is soothing abstract music.

[@russhamer]

This piece, especially the 4th movement, was, not surprisingly, the inspiration for the 1st abstract painting: Kandindky's Composition V. 1911. After attending a performance of this piece, he realized that if schunberg could compose something without having to be bound by a specific musical. Key, then he could paint anything. Not just objects or people or scenes.

[@OrdenJust]

I've heard it said that of all the musical instruments, the violin sounds most like the human voice. After listening to this string quartet, I now know what they mean.

[@oldschoolcockneylover8138]

His music seems to de program you and always comes across as so gothic and gushing of some intense mind state of horror or a tortured mind. I always think of Nosferatu when I listen to him! it's so good! him and Bela Bartok I love it so much!

[@ОльгаНиколотова-о8т]

3:21 3:29 😅

[@toyaquiyvoyaya]

The way this makes me feel...

[@frederik451000]

beautiful

[@ceef8688]

this is like a Hitchcock film of someone driving in coastal California while confused and/or frustrated

[@helioshiperion3661]

Beautiful

[@ameliawright6947]

Litany Deep is the sadness that gloomily comes over me, Again I step, Lord, in your house. Long was the journey, my limbs are weary, The shrines are empty, only anguish is full. My thirsty tongue desires wine. The battle was hard, my arm is stiff. Grudge peace to my staggering steps, for my hungry gums break your bread! Weak is my breath, calling the dream, my hands are hollow, my mouth fevers. Lend your coolness, douse the fires, rub out hope, send the light! Fires in my heart still glow, open, inside my heart a cry wakes. Kill the longing, close the wound! Take my love away, give me your joy! Rapture I feel air from another planet. I faintly through the darkness see faces Friendly even now, turning toward me. And trees and paths that I loved fade So I can scarcely know them and you bright Beloved shadow-summoner of my anguish-- Are only extinguished completely in a deep glowing In the frenzy of the fight With a pious show of reason. I lose myself in tones, circling, weaving, With unfathomable thanks and unnamed praise, Bereft of desire, I surrender myself to the great breath. A violent wind passes over me In the thrill of consecration where ardent cries In dust flung by women on the ground: Then I see a filmy mist rising In a sun-filled, open expanse That includes only the farthest mountain hatches. The land looks white and smooth like whey, I climb over enormous canyons. I feel as if above the last cloud Swimming in a sea of crystal radiance-- I am only a spark of the holy fire I am only a whisper of the holy voice.

[@sholoms]

Whose powerful poem is this, its tone in keeping with the quartet?

[@ofmedia3846]

@@sholoms "Entrückung" by Stefan George: www.oxfordlieder.co.uk/song/2222

[@louiscornell8637]

Many thanks for posting the texts!

[@jessicaleon4823]

Sublime

[@egon4593]

My favorite piece of the "Neue Wiener Schule".

[@briangriffin4515]

As Michael Tippett says in MOVING INTO AQUARIUS, Schoenberg's problem was that he was aiming to get beyond mere musical imagery; which, as he was a musician, meant he was in deep trouble. The results are deeply significant, though.

[@joedays94]

Acá viniendo de escuchar un par de temas de Radio Futura y otro de los Cadillacs. Si una forma de goce me queda es la de disfrutar de toda la música más allá de etiquetas, campos y formas. Aparte, es el Schönberg tonal, qué le pasa a los sordos de espíritu.

[@KatalistProductionsKozzySasha]

awesome

[@Александр-й7б9и]

It is like cartoon movie soundtrack. I listened to in full blackout. And watched a cat and mouse movie in my mind 😄

[@paxwallacejazz]

I feel the air of another planet . Bernstein on Schoenberg on paxwallacejazz channel

[@Itemtotem]

Schoenberg was a visionary. Born in the 1800's and to go on to make this (which is still early)

[@stueystuey1962]

The line from Beethoven to Brahms to here is not so straight. Nevertheless if you listen real hard it's there. Once the lady starts singing all bets are off. What a genius!

[@erika6651]

Once you discover that Wagner is part of that line it makes a little more sense.

[@ottodachat]

I believe at its premiere this piece caused quite a raucous, chairs were tossed, yelling and screaming. Also one of the first quartets to feature a soprano! too bad radio was still in its prime and no recording was ever made, obviously

[@manuelvalencia1543]

Radically scandalous in 1908. Enthusiastically embraced today.

[@mxrkxo]

Master

[@virus6hh]

I enjoy this work and op 7. can anyone recommend another piece by him? Everything else by him i try listening to sounds annoying

[@LOLinsultan]

try Verklärte Nacht

[@stueystuey1962]

the chamber symphonies are accessible. try verklarte nacht, opus 4; and keep listening to schoenberg until its not annoying; he is one of the greatest composers of music in the history of the world.

[@TheTwilering]

Verklarte Nacht, Suite im alten Stile, for string orchestra (1934), Pelleas und Melisande, Gurrelieder, Chamber Symphony 1&2, , Theme and Variations for Band, Op. 43a (1943), Variations on a Recitative for Organ, Op. 40. I put these pieces in order of accessibility. My opinion of course.

[@stueystuey1962]

i recommend any other piece by schoenberg and listen until it no longer sounds annoying, that is the art of listening to schoenberg!

[@klop4228]

@@TheTwilering I'd probably switch your first two, but yeah. Also, the first quartet, somewhere in there.

[@felixdevilliers1]

I'm still looking for a soprano who is entirely in tune with the words and the music - I have a recording somewhere but can't find it for the moment.

[@elianlagarderesk8600]

qui fait ce travail pour les cours de musique

[@gianx_gx]

they say self awareness is a wonderful thing

[@stueystuey1962]

Huh?

[@danielespitia5264]

9:41

[@SgtPepper4140]

HATERS GONNA HATE

[@4980cbs]

Sadly there is not much Schoenberg in the concert halls nowadays. Shostakovich everywhere and that is not the worst thing after all you can enjoy him if you are not yet fed up but minimalism is growing like an infectious disease.

[@stueystuey1962]

thing is with youtube videos there is a plethora of videos to choose from, not just sch and sho, but four or five other sch's and many other letters, would be nice to see live performances, i agree

[@freepagan]

Minimalism is a disaster, for the most part.

[@klop4228]

I am proud to say that the uni orchestra I'm in is doing the Second Chamber Symphony, though it's a challenge. Good piece, if we can get it to work :P

[@oneliovidio9562]

Caro amico, hai dannatamente ragione

[@reidmarshall1368]

12:59

[@Nyxbirdy]

10:38

[@machida5114]

sodelicious ... 🙂

[@stueystuey1962]

Lets be real, by 1:45 of the first movement he has left mahler, debussy, and ravel in the dust. But the reasons are more to do with temperament than musical genius. I may eat my next few words but i am going to say that if forced to the wall i would keep sch string qt cycle over bartoks.

[@klop4228]

I would be inclined to agree, if only because I don't know Bartók's that well and love the Schoenberg's first!

[@stueystuey1962]

@@klop4228 to be sure the Bartok cycle is pretty good!

[@klop4228]

@@stueystuey1962 I have since listened to it and it is very good! Just slightly less fitting to my tastes than Schoenberg's overall. Both a set of masterpieces, though.

[@hugokubarth9316]

Von Berg bis Ligeti über Strawinski und Bartok: alles toll. Aber Schönberg finde ich selbst nach 50 Jahren Musik paddiv und aktiv einfach immer noch bloß grauenhaft. Mich wundert's jedenfalls nicht, wenn im Konzertsaal immer nur die Verklärte Nacht erklingt.

[@mrtchaikovsky]

Das ist tatsächlich eigenartig.

[@arcticflower7223]

If there is a soprano it's not a string quartet. But a soprano backed by string quartet. A quintet

[@only1nutterbutterz]

Right, okay... then how about you write something better. Yeah good luck. If you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything.

[@Tamadehenzhan]

groß

[@zackl7467]

Yes! It is great

[@stueystuey1962]

Brahms. Brahms. Brahms. Oh this is schoenberg. Not bad. A little derivative no?

[@OscarGeronimo]

You mean to say Wagner, right? Brahms didn't get this chromatic harmonically, that's the Wagnerian legacy. Schoenberg learned from Brahms the structuring and constant motivic development.

[@stueystuey1962]

@@OscarGeronimoi dont listen to opera and i shoot from the hip and i know nothing about musical theory. I hear brahms.

[@mrtchaikovsky]

@@OscarGeronimo There's more to music than mere theory; the aesthetic approach here is entirely Brahmsian and I for one don't hear any Wagner in this.

[@razzledazzlerob]

Ahh, don't like listening to this. A historian passing through folks, just been reading about this from Berend. It's precipitous of the catastrophe indeed :)

[@organman52]

Contrived, plain and simple.

[@DieFlabbergast]

ALL music - all art - is contrived. Do you anything valuable to say?

[@organman52]

And I would add - nearly 1000 of my former students are currently in contact with me. I set it up that way so that they could remind me of how terrible a teacher I was and how much they continue to loathe me.

[@a54635]

hah, what a load of narcissist garbage

[@organman52]

@@a54635 SMOOCHES, MISS PATHETIC !

[@MatthewMcRowan]

not that great, Erik Satie was way better

[@organman52]

This man took gestures found in Brahms string quartets and distorted them into ugliness. For that, I give him a great deal of credit. NOT. As for your baseless assertion about music 'theory,' I taught harmony, counterpoint, analysis and ear training for 40 years, but you'll have none of that. In fact, you will tell me how you pity anyone who studied with me. Please do. In the meantime, keep enjoying these contrivances. Emptiness feeds emptiness.

[@stueystuey1962]

Finally someone who understands! We just arrive at a different conclusion - where you see ugly i see beauty and truth. i could be mistaken but not just the string quartets, also the piano quartets? i happen to love Brahms and Schoenberg. that doesn't make me weird or evil or stupid does it?

[@mactire8557]

i dont see any brahms here, its simply schoenberg