Arnold Schoenberg: Pierrot Lunaire | Manchester Collective

"Death has struck. The limbs are rigid. In the distance mobs are howling. In the west the sun is sinking."
This is Arnold Schoenberg's extraordinary song cycle, Pierrot Lunaire. We toured this show around the UK in November 2018, in a brand new English translation that we commissioned from British director and librettist David Pountney. It's a powerhouse of a work, performed here at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, and recorded live.
Part One
00:12 Moondrunk (Mondestrunken)
02:02 Columbine (Colombine)
04:03 The Dandy (Der Dandy)
05:40 An anaemic laundrymaid (Eine blasse Wäscherin)
07:22 Valse de Chopin
08:59 Madonna
12:15 The Sick Moon (Der kranke Mond)
Part Two
16:46 Night (Nacht)
19:31 Prayer to Pierrot (Gebet an Pierrot)
20:43 Robbery (Raub)
22:00 Red Mass (Rote Messe)
23:54 Gallows Song (Galgenlied)
24:22 Decapitation (Enthauptung)
27:00 The Cross (Die Kreuze)
Part Three
30:48 Homesickness (Heimweh)
33:20 Cruelty (Gemeinheit!)
34:38 Parody (Parodie)
36:03 The Moon Spot (Der Mondfleck)
37:08 Serenade
40:15 Journey Home (Heimfahrt)
42:20 O Ancient Scent (O Alter Duft)
Artists
Lotte Betts-Dean - Mezzo-soprano
Elizabeth Alker - Presenter
Emma Doherty - Director
David Pountney - Libretto
Timothy Burke - Conductor
Rakhi Singh - Violin/Viola
Jack Bailey - Cello
Helen Wilson - Flute/Piccolo
William White - Clarinets/Bass Clarinet
Chad Vindin - Piano
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[@lkm1743]

That the vocalist performed this by memory is incredible

[@ManchesterCollective]

It's pretty crazy! When the music is so mad, the text becomes really important - the words are often the only thing that you can hang on to in order to effectively memorise the material...

[@zorinmuller7795]

Man this is sublime. Keep up the good work!

[@zorinmuller7795]

The adaptation from the German to the English is spot on. It is not awkward and in fact relatable to the modern context in this 21st century. Please continue making works like this.... If possible put it in Spotify 👌

[@nimroddavidpfeffer]

Wonderful. Thank you!

[@c.l.2382]

Damn the vocalist performed all this by memory and in one setting?? It’s remarkable I can’t even imagine

[@user-jf7ol5tc3y]

The performance is really cool. Can I use this video for making a short education movie about classic music history?

[@machida5114]

sodelicious...🙂

[@completesongwriter8475]

Orchestra is too loud for vocalist - why post it ?