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Erwartung by Arnold Schoenberg : A new translation and proposed production

University of British Columbia

Arnold Schoenberg's "monodrama in one act," ERWARTUNG opus 17 (1909), was written during the composer's expressionist compositional period (1908-1913). ERWARTUNG (EXPECTATION) was Schoenberg's first completed stage work; however, it did not receive its stage premiere until 1924. This monodrama is an atonal work, a revolutionary style of composition which Schoenberg created during the early twentieth century. ERWARTUNG became the main generating force which encouraged the composer's contemporaries to attempt to create new musical and dramatic compositional styles. In studying the importance of ERWARTUNG as an "expressionist music drama," it was also necessary to examine the expressionist movements in art and literature. These movements greatly influenced Arnold Schoenberg's compositional style, as can be seen in the harmonic and dramatic structure of ERWARTUNG. Their influence, specifically that of the expressionist literary movement, can also be seen in the character study of the sole protagonist, "the Woman." Foremost in this project was the writing of a singable English translation for ERWARTUNG, (Appendix I.) A proposed production including stage direction and lighting, costume design, and publicity posters completed this study. The production was designed for a typical proscenium stage, specifically the Frederick Wood Theatre at the University of British Columbia.

Text

2010-03-09

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/21710

Music

University of British Columbia

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