Search - Arnold Schoenberg, Ensemble InterContemporain, Pierre Boulez :: Schoenberg: Pierrot lunaire - Lied der Waldtaube - Erwartung / Minton, J. Martin, J. Norman, Zukerman, Harrell, Barenboim; Boulez

There are Many Better Versions

Christopher Forbes | Brooklyn,, NY | 07/18/2002

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I have loved Pierrot lunaire since I was in late elementary school (yes I was a weird child!) but had not picked up a CD copy, content with my old pirated tape of a mono recording. (One of the first LP versions of the piece...I don't remember the performers but it was stunning.The reciter sounds like Lotte Lenya!) And I have always admired Boulez's take on Schoenberg, which is quite transparent, not muddy as so many others can be in this music. But I was extremely disappointed in this CD version. The problem lies mostly in Yvonne Minton. She is a wonderful singer, but that's just the issue. Pierrot should absolutely NOT be sung. Nor really should it be spoken. Schoenberg's invention of sprechstimme is a unique thing and perhaps among his greatest inventions. It has influenced many composers who have no use for his other musical theories. A good interpretation of this piece makes it sound like a Berlin cabaret piece as seen through a twisted lens. Minton does not do this. She sings, complete with vibrato. As a result, the music looses both the nightmare quality that it should have, and also looses it's sense of humor. The other pieces on the recording are quite good. The Ewartung is well sung and Boulez brings clarity to an otherwise muddy score. And Jessye Norman sings the Lied der Waldtaube beautifully. But the Gurrelieder piece is best in the context of the complete oratorio, and there are other equally good recordings of Ewartung (there's a wonderful one on a Phillips two-fer that also includes Verklarte Nacht, the Orchestral Variations, and the first Chamber Symphony.) For the Pierrot, I would recommend the later Boulez recording with Schafer doing the reciter's part, or Jan De Gaetani and Arthur Weissberg's ensemble. This one just doesn't capture the work at all."

Not the most accessible interpretation

Eric Brinkmann | Palo Alto, CA United States | 06/30/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I had been listening to this recording of Pierrot for years and I still couldn't get into it. Then I realized it wasn't entirely my fault. This is a fine, well executed performance of a difficult piece. As well, it is played by some pretty big names (Barenboim, Zukermann, Harrell), but I couldn't shake the impression that there was more emphasis on the correct execution rather than the expression. This is thus vintage Boulez, before age began to mellow him a little. Erwartung is slightly better, though still rather cold. This may be the preferred choice for Schoenberg experts, but if you are looking for a way into his difficult style, I wouldn't recommend this recording."

Great Erwartung, OK Pierrot...

Christopher Forbes | 07/17/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Contained on this Disc are two of Schoenberg's seminal expressionist works, Erwartung and Pierrot Lunaire. Erwartung, a "monodrama", is a terrifying emotional rollercoaster ride through a dark woods at night. Boulez and Janis Martin capture the essence of this piece perfectly, and the BBC orchestra, as usual, delivers a spine chilling accompaniment to this piece. Erwartung is the postershild of expressionist art (both in the music and the text). These works prove to the Philistines of 20th century music that atonality IS a legitamate art form and has the potential to express just about anything, even nothingness. Really, buy this album just for Erwartung, it is the best version I have heard on disc. Where we run into problems is Pierrot. The "Dandy from Bergamo" seems just a bit too lyrical at times. On some other recordings, I get the feeling that the sprechstimme is taken way out of proportion (as Schoenberg does indicate very exact pitches for the reciter, even notating sharps and flats). His original instructions, however, say that the recitation should "not call to mind singing", and Yvonne Minton's voice does, as much as one tries to ignore it. A correct reading Schoenberg's instructions can only be seen as extremely elusive and this, I suppose, is just another legitimate reading of the notation. I suppose we must just use our imaginations and realize that the ideal lies somewhere in between the extremes. So, in conclusion, if you are really a Schoenberg fan, get this CD for Erwartung and a different Pierrot. If you just want to try Schoenberg, then I think other albums might present a better "beginner's package"."