Wozzeck
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''Wozzeck'' () is the first
opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...
by the Austrian composer
Alban Berg Alban Maria Johannes Berg ( ; ; 9 February 1885 – 24 December 1935) was an Austrian composer of the Second Viennese School. His compositional style combined Romantic lyricism with the twelve-tone technique. Although he left a relatively sma ...
. Composed between 1914 and 1922, it premiered in 1925. It is based on the drama '' Woyzeck'', which German playwright
Georg Büchner Karl Georg Büchner (17 October 1813 – 19 February 1837) was a German dramatist and writer of poetry and prose, considered part of the Young Germany movement. He was also a revolutionary and the brother of physician and philosopher Ludwig Büchn ...
left incomplete at his death. Berg attended the first production in Vienna of Büchner's play on 5 May 1914, and knew at once that he wanted to base an opera on it. (At the time, the play was still known as ''Wozzeck'', due to an incorrect transcription by Karl Emil Franzos, who was working from a barely-legible manuscript; the correct title would not emerge until 1921.) From the fragments of unordered scenes left by Büchner, Berg selected 15 to form a compact structure of three acts with five scenes each. He adapted the
libretto A libretto (From the Italian word , ) is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to th ...
himself, retaining "the essential character of the play, with its many short scenes, its abrupt and sometimes brutal language, and its stark, if haunted, realism". The plot depicts the everyday lives of soldiers and the townspeople of a rural German-speaking town. Prominent themes of
militarism Militarism is the belief or the desire of a government or a people that a state should maintain a strong military capability and to use it aggressively to expand national interests and/or values. It may also imply the glorification of the mili ...
, callousness, social exploitation, and casual sadism are brutally and uncompromisingly presented. Toward the end of act 1, scene 2, the title character (Wozzeck) murmurs, "Still, all is still, as if the world died," with his fellow soldier Andres muttering, "Night! We must get back!" seemingly oblivious to Wozzeck's words. A funeral march begins, only to transform into the upbeat song of the military marching band in the next scene. Musicologist Glenn Watkins considers this "as vivid a projection of impending world doom as any to come out of the
Great War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
".


Historical background

Berg began writing ''Wozzeck'' in 1914, shortly before World War I began and delayed his work. He was never stationed on the
front line A front line (alternatively front-line or frontline) in military terminology is the position(s) closest to the area of conflict of an Military, armed force's Military personnel, personnel and Military technology, equipment, usually referring to ...
and sought the rank of (), which he obtained in 1916, for its shorter term of service. His pained determination to complete the opera is documented in letters and notebooks. He wrote his wife , "For months I haven't done any work on ''Wozzeck''. Everything suffocated. Buried!" Berg had more time to work on regiment leave (1917–1918). Much of the opera was composed at the piano in Helene's Trahütten family cottage during ("summer holiday"). He nurtured his creativity there by reading books, walking through the forests, collecting mushrooms, and admiring the mountains, lakes, and springs—habits of a "love of nature" that Helene identified in Berg's music, including that of ''Wozzeck''. Berg's experience of the war shaped the opera in many ways. News of the ongoing war troubled him. He wrote Schoenberg of a reportedly "'successful' ruse" in which the sound of a bell, perhaps reminding soldiers of a "past time" or "beloved place", was used to bait and kill them: Berg also wrote Helene in 1918 that he identified with Wozzeck: The war also separated Berg from Schoenberg and their social circles in Vienna, affording him not only solitude, but also independence despite the trying and unusual circumstances. He finished act 1 by summer 1919, act 2 in August 1921, and act 3 over the next two months. Finalizing orchestration over the following six months, he completed ''Wozzeck'' in April 1922.


Drama


Roles

:


Synopsis


Act 1

''Scene 1 ( Suite)'' Wozzeck shaves the Captain, who lectures him on the qualities of a "decent man" and taunts him for living an immoral life. Wozzeck dutifully replies, ("Yes sir, Captain") to these repeated insults. When the Captain scorns Wozzeck's having a child "without the blessing of the Church", Wozzeck argues that poverty makes virtue difficult and quotes Mark 10:14, ("Allow the little children to come to me"). Confused, the Captain asks for clarification. Wozzeck grows agitated as he explains, crying out that if the poor ever "got to Heaven, we'd all have to manufacture thunder!" to tumultuous, crackling music. The Captain abruptly tries to calm Wozzeck, conceding that he is "a decent man, only you think too much!" The tired Captain exits. ''Scene 2 ( Rhapsody and Hunting Song)'' Wozzeck and Andres cut sticks at sunset. Andres sings a hunting song. Wozzeck experiences frightening visions and grows agitated. Andres tries to calm him. ''Scene 3 (
March March is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on the first day of March. The March equinox on the 20 or 2 ...
and
Lullaby A lullaby (), or a cradle song, is a soothing song or piece of music that is usually played for (or sung to) children (for adults see music and sleep). The purposes of lullabies vary. In some societies, they are used to pass down cultural knowl ...
)'' Marie admires a military parade when Margret mocks her for her interest in the soldiers. Marie shuts the window. She sings a self-soothing
lullaby A lullaby (), or a cradle song, is a soothing song or piece of music that is usually played for (or sung to) children (for adults see music and sleep). The purposes of lullabies vary. In some societies, they are used to pass down cultural knowl ...
to her son. Wozzeck arrives, sharing his troubling visions. He leaves without even seeing their child, much to Marie's dismay. She laments their poverty. ''Scene 4 ( Passacaglia)'' The Doctor scolds Wozzeck for not following his strict orders, involving a restrictive diet and urine collection. He is delighted when Wozzeck's mental illness becomes apparent. ''Scene 5 (
Rondo The rondo or rondeau is a musical form that contains a principal theme (music), theme (sometimes called the "refrain") which alternates with one or more contrasting themes (generally called "episodes", but also referred to as "digressions" or "c ...
)'' Marie admires the Drum Major from her doorway. He makes advances, which she first rejects but then accepts after a short struggle.


Act 2

''Scene 1 ( Sonata-Allegro)'' Marie admires her earrings, a gift from the Drum Major. She bids her son to sleep. Wozzeck arrives, startling her. He asks about the earrings, and she claims she found them. He doubts that, but gives her money and leaves. Marie is wracked with guilt. ''Scene 2 ( Fantasia and
Fugue In classical music, a fugue (, from Latin ''fuga'', meaning "flight" or "escape""Fugue, ''n''." ''The Concise Oxford English Dictionary'', eleventh edition, revised, ed. Catherine Soanes and Angus Stevenson (Oxford and New York: Oxford Universit ...
on Three Themes)'' Echoing the opening scene, the Captain urges the Doctor to slow down as they pass. The Doctor taunts the Captain with a list of frightening diagnoses for his ailments. As Wozzeck passes, they hint that Marie is unfaithful to him. ''Scene 3 ( Largo)'' Wozzeck confronts Marie. She does not deny it. Enraged, he nearly strikes her. She stops him. "Better a knife in my belly than your hands on me," she says. Wozzeck repeats this after her, considering it. ''Scene 4 (
Scherzo A scherzo (, , ; plural scherzos or scherzi), in western classical music, is a short composition – sometimes a movement from a larger work such as a symphony or a sonata. The precise definition has varied over the years, but scherzo often r ...
)'' Wozzeck spots Marie out dancing with the Drum Major. While soldiers sing a hunter's chorus, Andres notices Wozzeck sitting alone and asks why. An Apprentice is drunkenly preaching when an Idiot stumbles toward Wozzeck, crying, ("Joyful, ... but it reeks ... I smell blood!") ''Scene 5 (Rondo)'' In the barracks at night, Wozzeck cannot sleep without thinking about Marie, disturbing Andres. Wozzeck prays while everyone snores. The Drum Major enters and beats Wozzeck, who is humiliated. Some watch. Wozzeck dissociates.


Act 3

''Scene 1 (Invention on a Theme)'' In her room at night, Marie reads from the Bible, crying out for mercy. ''Scene 2 (Invention on a Single Note (B))'' Wozzeck and Marie walk along a pond in the forest. Wozzeck grabs her when she tries to flee. He stabs her, declaring that if he can't have her, no one else can. A blood-red moon rises. ''Scene 3 (Invention on a Rhythm)'' In a tavern, Wozzeck dances with Margret. He pulls her onto his lap, insults her, and demands that she sing. As she does, people notice blood on Wozzeck. They raise alarm. Agitated and terrified, Wozzeck flees. ''Scene 4 (Invention on a
Hexachord In music, a hexachord (also hexachordon) is a six- note series, as exhibited in a scale ( hexatonic or hexad) or tone row. The term was adopted in this sense during the Middle Ages and adapted in the 20th century in Milton Babbitt's serial t ...
)'' Wozzeck tries to retrieve the knife from the pond. Hallucinating, he speaks to Marie. He has paranoid delusions about the blood-red moon telling the world about his crime. He becomes frantic and drowns in what he imagines is blood. Nearby, the Captain and Doctor are enjoying a slow walk. They shudder at the sound of someone drowning and quickly leave. ''Interlude (Invention on a Key (
D minor D minor is a minor scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. Its key signature has one flat. Its relative major is F major and its parallel major is D major. The D natural minor scale is: Changes needed ...
))'' This interlude leads to the finale. ''Scene 5 (Invention on an Eighth-Note moto perpetuo, ''quasi
toccata Toccata (from Italian ''toccare'', literally, "to touch", with "toccata" being the action of touching) is a virtuoso piece of music typically for a keyboard or plucked string instrument featuring fast-moving, lightly fingered or otherwise virt ...
)'' '' The next morning, children play and sing in the sunny street outside Marie's door. News spreads that she is dead. They all run off to see the body. Marie's son is unaffected by the news, even after it is shouted at him. After some delay, he follows the others, oblivious.


Music

A typical performance of the work takes slightly over an hour and a half.


Instrumentation

''Wozzeck'' uses a fairly large orchestra and has three onstage ensembles in addition to the pit orchestra (a marching band in act 1, scene 3; a chamber orchestra in act 2, scene 3; and a tavern band in act 2, scene 4; an upright piano is also played in act 3, scene 3). The instrumentation is:


Pit orchestra

; Woodwinds : 4
flute The flute is a member of a family of musical instruments in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, producing sound with a vibrating column of air. Flutes produce sound when the player's air flows across an opening. In th ...
s (all double
piccolo The piccolo ( ; ) is a smaller version of the western concert flute and a member of the woodwind family of musical instruments. Sometimes referred to as a "baby flute" or piccolo flute, the modern piccolo has the same type of fingerings as the ...
s) : 4
oboe The oboe ( ) is a type of double-reed woodwind instrument. Oboes are usually made of wood, but may also be made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, resin, or hybrid composites. The most common type of oboe, the soprano oboe pitched in C, ...
s (4th doubles
English horn The cor anglais (, or original ; plural: ''cors anglais''), or English horn (mainly North America), is a double-reed woodwind instrument in the oboe family. It is approximately one and a half times the length of an oboe, making it essentially ...
) : : 1
bass clarinet The bass clarinet is a musical instrument of the clarinet family. Like the more common Soprano clarinet, soprano B clarinet, it is usually pitched in B (meaning it is a transposing instrument on which a written C sounds as B), but it plays no ...
in B : 3
bassoon The bassoon is a musical instrument in the woodwind family, which plays in the tenor and bass ranges. It is composed of six pieces, and is usually made of wood. It is known for its distinctive tone color, wide range, versatility, and virtuosity ...
s : 1
contrabassoon The contrabassoon, also known as the double bassoon, is a larger version of the bassoon, sounding an octave lower. Its technique is similar to its smaller cousin, with a few notable differences. Differences from the bassoon The Reed (mouthpie ...
;
Brass Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, in proportions which can be varied to achieve different colours and mechanical, electrical, acoustic and chemical properties, but copper typically has the larger proportion, generally copper and zinc. I ...
: : 4 horns in F : 4
trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz musical ensemble, ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest Register (music), register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitche ...
s in F : 4
trombone The trombone (, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the Brass instrument, brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's lips vibrate inside a mouthpiece, causing the Standing wave, air c ...
s (1 alto, 2 tenor, 1 bass) : 1
tuba The tuba (; ) is the largest and lowest-pitched musical instrument in the brass instrument, brass family. As with all brass instruments, the sound is produced by lip vibrationa buzzinto a mouthpiece (brass), mouthpiece. It first appeared in th ...
;
Percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a percussion mallet, beater including attached or enclosed beaters or Rattle (percussion beater), rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or ...
: : 4
timpani Timpani (; ) or kettledrums (also informally called timps) are musical instruments in the percussion instrument, percussion family. A type of drum categorised as a hemispherical drum, they consist of a Membranophone, membrane called a drumhead, ...
: 2
bass drum The bass drum is a large drum that produces a note of low definite or indefinite pitch. The instrument is typically cylindrical, with the drum's diameter usually greater than its depth, with a struck head at both ends of the cylinder. The head ...
s (one with rute) : :
snare drum The snare drum (or side drum) is a percussion instrument that produces a sharp staccato sound when the head is struck with a drum stick, due to the use of a series of stiff wires held under tension against the lower skin. Snare drums are often u ...
: 2 tam-tams (one smaller than the other) :
triangle A triangle is a polygon with three corners and three sides, one of the basic shapes in geometry. The corners, also called ''vertices'', are zero-dimensional points while the sides connecting them, also called ''edges'', are one-dimension ...
: xylophone ; Keyboards: :
celesta The celesta () or celeste (), also called a bell-piano, is a struck idiophone operated by a keyboard. It looks similar to an upright piano (four- or five-octave), albeit with smaller keys and a much smaller cabinet, or a large wooden music ...
; Strings: :
harp The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orchestras or ...
: violins I and II :
viola The viola ( , () ) is a string instrument of the violin family, and is usually bowed when played. Violas are slightly larger than violins, and have a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of the ...
s :
cello The violoncello ( , ), commonly abbreviated as cello ( ), is a middle pitched bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), tuned i ...
s :
double bass The double bass (), also known as the upright bass, the acoustic bass, the bull fiddle, or simply the bass, is the largest and lowest-pitched string instrument, chordophone in the modern orchestra, symphony orchestra (excluding rare additions ...
es


Special groups

Marching band A marching band is a group of instrumental musicians who play while marching. Historically they were used in armed forces and many marching bands remain military bands. Others are still associated with military units or emulate a military sty ...
(act 1, scene 3): ;Woodwinds: : 1 piccolo : 2 flutes : 2 oboes : 2 clarinets in E : 2 bassoons ;Brass: : 2 horns in F : 2 trumpets in F : 3 trombones : 1 tuba ;Percussion: : bass drum with cymbals : snare drum : triangle Berg notes that marching band members may be taken from the pit orchestra, indicating exactly where the players can leave with a footnote near the end of act 1, scene 2. Tavern band (act 2, scene 4): ;Woodwinds: : 1 clarinet in C ;Brass: : 1 bombardon in F (or tuba, if it can be muted) ;Keyboard: :
accordion Accordions (from 19th-century German language, German ', from '—"musical chord, concord of sounds") are a family of box-shaped musical instruments of the bellows-driven free reed aerophone type (producing sound as air flows past a Reed (mou ...
;Strings: :
guitar The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...
: 2 fiddles (violins with steel strings) In addition, for the Tavern scene in act 3, scene 3, Berg calls for an out-of-tune
upright piano A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are depressed, activating an action mechanism where hammers strike strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys, tuned to a chromatic scale in equal temper ...
. Chamber orchestra (act 2, scene 3): ;Woodwinds: : 1 flute (doubling piccolo) : 1 oboe, : 1 English horn : 1 clarinet in E : 1 clarinet in A : 1 bass clarinet in B : 1 bassoon : 1 contrabassoon ;Brass: : 2 horns ;Strings: : 2 violins : 1 viola : 1 violoncello : 1 double bass The instrumentation matches that of Schoenberg's '' Chamber Symphony No. 1''.


Classic forms

Berg decided not to use classic operatic forms such as
aria In music, an aria (, ; : , ; ''arias'' in common usage; diminutive form: arietta, ; : ariette; in English simply air (music), air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrument (music), instrumental or orchestral accompan ...
or trio. Instead, each scene is given its own inner coherence by the use of forms more commonly associated with abstract instrumental music. The second scene of act 2 (during which the Doctor and Captain taunt Wozzeck about Marie's infidelity), for instance, consists of a prelude and triple
fugue In classical music, a fugue (, from Latin ''fuga'', meaning "flight" or "escape""Fugue, ''n''." ''The Concise Oxford English Dictionary'', eleventh edition, revised, ed. Catherine Soanes and Angus Stevenson (Oxford and New York: Oxford Universit ...
. The fourth scene of act 1, focusing on Wozzeck and the Doctor, is a passacaglia. The scenes of the third act move beyond these structures and adopt novel strategies. Each scene is a set of variations, but not necessarily on a melody. Thus, scene two is a variation on a single note, B, which is heard continuously in the scene, and the only note heard in the powerful orchestral crescendos at the end of act 3, scene 2. Scene 3 is a variation on a rhythmic pattern, with every major thematic element constructed around this pattern. Scene 4 is a variation on a chord, used exclusively for the whole scene. The following orchestral interlude is a freely composed passage firmly grounded in D minor. Finally, the last scene is a '' moto perpetuo'', a variation on a single rhythm (the quaver). The table below summarizes the dramatic action and forms as prepared by Fritz Mahler. :


Leitmotifs

The opera uses a variety of musical techniques to create unity and coherence. The first is
leitmotif A leitmotif or () is a "short, recurring musical phrase" associated with a particular person, place, or idea. It is closely related to the musical concepts of ''idée fixe'' or ''motto-theme''. The spelling ''leitmotif'' is a partial angliciz ...
s. As with most examples of this method, each leitmotif is used in a much subtler manner than being directly attached to a character or object. Still, motifs for the Captain, the Doctor and the Drum Major are very prominent. Wozzeck is clearly associated with two motifs, one often heard as he rushes on or off stage, the other more languidly expressing his misery and helplessness in the face of the pressures he experiences. Marie is accompanied by motifs that express her sensuality, as when she accepts a pair of earrings from the Drum Major. A motif not linked to a physical object is the pair of chords that close each act, used in an oscillating repetition until they almost blur into one another. The most significant is the "anguish" motif first sung by Wozzeck in the first scene with the Captain, to the words ("we poor folks"). Tracing out a minor chord with added
major seventh In music from Western culture, a seventh is a interval (music), musical interval encompassing seven staff positions (see Interval (music)#Number, Interval number for more details), and the major seventh is one of two commonly occurring sevenths. ...
, it is frequently heard as the signal of the characters' inability to transcend their situation. Berg also reuses motifs from set pieces heard earlier in the opera to give insight into characters' thoughts. For example, the reappearance of military band music in the last scene of act 1 informs the audience that Marie is musing on the Drum Major's attractiveness. An almost imperceptible leitmotif is the single pitch B, symbolizing the murder. It is first heard at the very end of act 2, after Wozzeck's humiliation, after his words "" ("one after another"), and grows increasingly insistent during the murder scene, with Marie's last cry for help a two-
octave In music, an octave (: eighth) or perfect octave (sometimes called the diapason) is an interval between two notes, one having twice the frequency of vibration of the other. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referr ...
jump from B5 to B3, until after the murder, when the whole orchestra explodes through a prolonged crescendo on this note, first in
unison Unison (stylised as UNISON) is a Great Britain, British trade union. Along with Unite the Union, Unite, Unison is one of the two largest trade unions in the United Kingdom, with over 1.2 million members who work predominantly in public servic ...
on B3, then spread across the whole range of the orchestra in octaves.


Expressionism and other elements

Berg's
expressionist music term expressionism "was probably first applied to music in 1918, especially to Schoenberg", because like the painter Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944) he avoided "traditional forms of beauty" to convey powerful feelings in his music. Theodor Adorn ...
emphasizes Wozzeck's and other characters' emotions and thought processes, particularly Wozzeck's madness and alienation. Though
atonal Atonality in its broadest sense is music that lacks a tonal center, or key. ''Atonality'', in this sense, usually describes compositions written from about the early 20th-century to the present day, where a hierarchy of harmonies focusing on ...
, it does not always eschew conventional function in its
voice leading Voice leading (or part writing) is the linear progression of individual melodic lines ( voices or parts) and their interaction with one another to create harmonies, typically in accordance with the principles of common-practice harmony and cou ...
, extended tonicizations, or arguably tonal passages. He uses pitch and
harmony In music, harmony is the concept of combining different sounds in order to create new, distinct musical ideas. Theories of harmony seek to describe or explain the effects created by distinct pitches or tones coinciding with one another; harm ...
as elements of the music's formal structure to portray the drama. Some pitch sets recur at crucial moments, establishing continuity and contributing to coherence. B–F tritonal dyads represent Wozzeck and Marie, tense and struggling. B–D minor-third dyads represent Marie's bond with her child. Berg adapted some of his tonal
juvenilia Juvenilia are literary, musical or artistic works produced by authors during their youth. Written juvenilia, if published at all, usually appear as retrospective publications, some time after the author has become well known for later works. Bac ...
for use in ''Wozzeck''. In Marie's Bible scene, he reworked an early sonata fragment in
F minor F minor is a minor scale based on F, consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature consists of four flats. Its relative major is A-flat major and its parallel major is F major. Its enharmonic equivalent, E-sharp ...
, which Christopher Hailey described as
Schumann Robert Schumann (; ; 8 June 181029 July 1856) was a German composer, pianist, and music critic of the early Romantic music, Romantic era. He composed in all the main musical genres of the time, writing for solo piano, voice and piano, chamber ...
esque in its abiding melancholy. In an interlude adapted from a
Mahler Gustav Mahler (; 7 July 1860 – 18 May 1911) was an Austro-Bohemian Romantic composer, and one of the leading conductors of his generation. As a composer he acted as a bridge between the 19th-century Austro-German tradition and the modernism ...
ian student piece in
D minor D minor is a minor scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. Its key signature has one flat. Its relative major is F major and its parallel major is D major. The D natural minor scale is: Changes needed ...
, Berg brings the opera to a climax with a dominant-functioning aggregate sonority marked , which
crescendo In music, the dynamics of a piece are the variation in loudness between notes or phrases. Dynamics are indicated by specific musical notation, often in some detail. However, dynamics markings require interpretation by the performer depending ...
s into a potent statement of the "anguish" leitmotif (act 3, mm. 364–365). The dramatic effect is cathartic after Wozzeck's final mad scene Then Wozzeck's and Marie's unnamed orphan son plays among children singing in a brief epilogue. They are interrupted by the news that a peer shouts at him: Berg's notes and sketches for ''Wozzeck'' (and for the March from his Three Orchestral Pieces, 1913–1915) were mingled with disjointed fragments of military ordinances and terminology. In a draft page of the act 1, scene 2 libretto, he sketched Austrian army
bugle call A bugle call is a short tune, originating as a military signal announcing scheduled and certain non-scheduled events on a military installation, battlefield, or ship. Historically, bugles, drums, and other loud musical instruments were used ...
s. He modified them in the final score, where they appeared in a recognizably atonal form. He also included modified folk elements, particularly in the open field and tavern scenes. Berg's war experience also informed his
word painting Word painting, also known as tone painting or text painting, is the musical technique of composing music that reflects the literal meaning of a song's lyrics or story elements in programmatic music. Historical development Tone painting of word ...
of snoring soldiers in barracks (act 2, scene 5): "this polyphonic breathing, gasping, and groaning is the most peculiar chorus I've ever heard. It is like some primeval music that wells up from the abysses of the soul".


Reception

''Wozzeck'' is one of the most famous 20th-century
modernist Modernism was an early 20th-century movement in literature, visual arts, and music that emphasized experimentation, abstraction, and Subjectivity and objectivity (philosophy), subjective experience. Philosophy, politics, architecture, and soc ...
operas. John Deathridge called it "one of the undisputed masterpieces of modern opera". It has also been compared to Schoenberg's '' Erwartung'' in its dissonant, psychological idiom. The inner turmoil and self-destructive trajectory of its outcast
antihero An antihero (sometimes spelled as anti-hero or two words anti hero) or anti-heroine is a character in a narrative (in literature, film, TV, etc.) who may lack some conventional heroic qualities and attributes, such as idealism and morality. Al ...
has also prompted comparison to other major operas with similar male title roles, including Verdi's ''
Macbeth ''The Tragedy of Macbeth'', often shortened to ''Macbeth'' (), is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, estimated to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the physically violent and damaging psychological effects of political ambiti ...
'' and ''
Nabucco ''Nabucco'' (; short for ''Nabucodonosor'' , i.e. "Nebuchadnezzar II, Nebuchadnezzar") is an Italian-language opera in four acts composed in 1841 by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Temistocle Solera. The libretto is based on the biblic ...
'', Mussorgsky's '' Boris Godunov'', and Britten's '' Peter Grimes''.


Cultural context

''Wozzeck'' comes from the same expressionist milieu, with its origins in Symbolism, as novelist
Franz Kafka Franz Kafka (3 July 1883 – 3 June 1924) was a novelist and writer from Prague who was Jewish, Austrian, and Czech and wrote in German. He is widely regarded as a major figure of 20th-century literature. His work fuses elements of Litera ...
, painters
Oskar Kokoschka Oskar Kokoschka (1 March 1886 – 22 February 1980) was an Austrian artist, poet, playwright and teacher, best known for his intense expressionistic portraits and landscapes, as well as his theories on vision that influenced the Viennese Expre ...
and Emil Nolde, and poets Gottfried Benn, Rainier Maria Rilke, and
Franz Werfel Franz Viktor Werfel (; 10 September 1890 – 26 August 1945) was an Austrian-Bohemian novelist, playwright, and poet whose career spanned World War I, the Interwar period, and World War II. He is primarily known as the author of '' The Forty ...
. In German opera, Strauss's '' Elektra'' is an early example, followed by Schoenberg's more radical '' Erwartung'' and '' Die glückliche Hand''. Among the operas premiered within a year of ''Wozzeck'' were Hindemith's '' Cardillac'', Krenek's ''Zwingburg'' and '' Sprung'', and Weill's ''
Protagonist A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a ...
''. Schoenberg and Webern influenced Berg most, but his operas show other influences, David Schroeder suggests, emphasizing
Viennese coffee house culture The Viennese coffee house (, ) is a typical institution of Vienna that played an important part in shaping Viennese culture. Since October 2011 the "Viennese Coffee House Culture" is listed as an "Intangible Cultural Heritage" in the Austrian ...
as facilitating Berg's early contact with a mix of innovative personalities across disciplines. Among these were more popular composers like
Franz Lehár Franz Lehár ( ; ; 30 April 1870 – 24 October 1948) was an Austro-Hungarian composer. He is mainly known for his operettas, of which the most successful and best known is '' The Merry Widow'' (''Die lustige Witwe''). Life and career L ...
and Oscar Straus, or Erich Korngold and Strauss at establishments like the Café Museum. John L. Stewart suggests that ''Wozzeck'' was influenced not only by Schoenberg's ''Erwartung'' but also by Schreker's '' Der ferne Klang'', the piano-vocal score of which Berg prepared in 1911. Schroeder agrees, cautioning that Berg thought less of Schreker than he did of Mahler, Schoenberg, or himself, and that Schreker's operas were more
Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, essayist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most o ...
ian.


Wagner

In his 1929 lecture on ''Wozzeck'', Berg said he rejected "the Wagnerian recipe of ' through-composing'" in opting for traditional forms. At the time, this prompted comparisons to Busoni's '' Doktor Faust'' and Hindemith's ''Cardillac''. Deathridge and Hailey wrote that the intense emotional depth of Berg's music still linked it to (post-)Wagnerian . Hailey contended that Berg always highlighted this formal approach partly to subvert his reputation for quasi-
Romanticism Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century. The purpose of the movement was to advocate for the importance of subjec ...
. Werfel, perhaps the Bergs' closest literary friend, disparaged Wagner's "bloated excess" and "garrulous monotony" in favor of Verdi, and may have influenced Berg's 1920s opinion of Wagner as "antiquated".


Gurlitt

The much delayed discovery and staging of Büchner's incomplete ''Woyzeck'' inspired not only Berg, but also Manfred Gurlitt. Premiered only four months after Berg's, Gurlitt's opera was also entitled '' Wozzeck'' and published by
Universal Edition Universal Edition (UE) is an Austrian classical music publishing firm. Founded in 1901 in Vienna, it originally intended to provide the core classical works and educational works to the Austrian market. The firm soon expanded to become one of t ...
, discomfiting Berg. They worked without any knowledge of one another. When Berg examined Gurlitt's piano–vocal score, he considered it "not bad or unoriginal", but a weak "broth ... even for (poor folks)". Hailey agreed, noting its simpler
musical texture In music, texture is how the tempo and the melodic and harmonic materials are combined in a musical composition, determining the overall quality of the sound in a piece. The texture is often described in regard to the density, or thickness, and ...
s and describing its
polystylism Polystylism is the use of multiple styles or techniques in literature, art, film, or, especially, music. Some prominent contemporary polystylist composers include Peter Maxwell Davies, Alfred Schnittke, and John Zorn. Polystylist composers fro ...
as closer to Hindemith or Weill. Hailey praised Gurlitt's more frequent, socially oriented use of chorus, and wrote that Gurlitt's approach may have been more faithful to Büchner's original conception. Gurlitt's work has remained in the shadow of Berg's.


Performance history

The 1924 Frankfurt premiere of the Three Fragments from ''Wozzeck'' at the annual festival, along with Webern's premiere of the and from the Three Orchestral Pieces during an Austrian Music Week in 1923 Berlin, initiated Berg's regional reputation as a considerable figure in music. Erich Kleiber conducted the world premiere of the entire work at the
Berlin State Opera The Staatsoper Unter den Linden ( State Opera under the Lime Trees), also known as the Berlin State Opera (), is a listed building on Unter den Linden boulevard in the historic center of Berlin, Germany. The opera house was built by order of P ...
on 14 December 1925, having personally decided on it. Hailey writes that it was "the event of the season", achieving a noted combination of coherence and expressivity over a substantial length of time despite its post-tonal musical language. Walsh writes that it was a '' succès de scandale'' with audience disruptions and mixed reaction in the press. Many productions followed throughout Germany and Austria until after 1933, when the Nazis forbade "
degenerate music Degenerate music (, ) was a label applied in the 1930s by the government of Nazi Germany to certain forms of music that it considered harmful or decadent. The Nazi government's concerns about degenerate music were a part of its larger and better- ...
". ''Wozzeck'' was then taken to Prague by Otakar Ostrčil at the National Theatre in 1926. It provoked a "scandal", Berg wrote his pupil
Theodor W. Adorno Theodor W. Adorno ( ; ; born Theodor Ludwig Wiesengrund; 11 September 1903 – 6 August 1969) was a German philosopher, musicologist, and social theorist. He was a leading member of the Frankfurt School of critical theory, whose work has com ...
, staged by "Czech Nationalists (virtually Nazis)" and "clerical lobbies". Berg emphasized that this was The Bohemian State Committee forbade further performances. Brian S. Locke called the "''Wozzeck'' Affair" the "most important event at the Czechs' National Theater in the interwar period". At its third premiere (1927) in
Leningrad Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...
, the
Association for Contemporary Music Association for Contemporary Music (ACM) (, ''ASM - Assotsiatsiya Sovremennoy Muzyki'') was an alternative organization of Russian composers interested in avant-garde music. It was founded by Nikolai Roslavets in 1923. ACM ran concert series and p ...
and Nikolai Roslavets staged ''Wozzeck'' at the
Mariinsky Theatre The Mariinsky Theatre (, also transcribed as Maryinsky or Mariyinsky) is a historic opera house in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Opened in 1860, it became the preeminent music theatre of late 19th-century Russia, where many of the stage masterpieces ...
with Berg and
Shostakovich Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich, group=n (9 August 1975) was a Soviet-era Russian composer and pianist who became internationally known after the premiere of his Symphony No. 1 (Shostakovich), First Symphony in 1926 and thereafter was regarded ...
in attendance. Berg wired Helene, "huge, tumultuous success", though critical reception was mixed. (Amid
Stalinism Stalinism (, ) is the Totalitarianism, totalitarian means of governing and Marxism–Leninism, Marxist–Leninist policies implemented in the Soviet Union (USSR) from History of the Soviet Union (1927–1953), 1927 to 1953 by dictator Jose ...
and deteriorating Germany–Soviet Union relations, ''Wozzeck'' had yet to be restaged in the Soviet Union,
George Perle George Perle (6 May 1915 – 23 January 2009) was an American composer and music theory, music theorist. As a composer, his music was largely atonality, atonal, using methods similar to the twelve-tone technique of the Second Viennese School. Th ...
observed in 1980.) On 19 March 1931,
Leopold Stokowski Leopold Anthony Stokowski (18 April 1882 – 13 September 1977) was a British-born American conductor. One of the leading conductors of the early and mid-20th century, he is best known for his long association with the Philadelphia Orchestra. H ...
and the Philadelphia Grand Opera Company gave the United States premiere of ''Wozzeck'' on 19 March at the Metropolitan Opera House in Philadelphia.
Henry Wood Sir Henry Joseph Wood (3 March 186919 August 1944) was an English conductor best known for his association with London's annual series of promenade concerts, known as the Proms. He conducted them for nearly half a century, introducing hundr ...
and the
BBC Symphony Orchestra The BBC Symphony Orchestra (BBC SO) is a British orchestra based in London. Founded in 1930, it was the first permanent salaried orchestra in London, and is the only one of the city's five major symphony orchestras not to be self-governing. The ...
gave a studio concert of the Three Fragments from ''Wozzeck'', which Edward Clark, a pupil of
Arnold Schoenberg Arnold Schoenberg or Schönberg (13 September 187413 July 1951) was an Austrian and American composer, music theorist, teacher and writer. He was among the first Modernism (music), modernists who transformed the practice of harmony in 20th-centu ...
, produced for broadcast on 13 May 1932. On 14 March 1934,
Adrian Boult Sir Adrian Cedric Boult, CH (; 8 April 1889 – 22 February 1983) was a British conductor. Brought up in a prosperous mercantile family, he followed musical studies in England and at Leipzig, Germany, with early conducting work in London ...
conducted a complete concert performance of ''Wozzeck'', again produced by Edward Clark, in the
Queen's Hall The Queen's Hall was a concert hall in Langham Place, London, Langham Place, London, opened in 1893. Designed by the architect Thomas Knightley, it had room for an audience of about 2,500 people. It became London's principal concert venue. Fro ...
. (The opera was not staged there until 22 January 1952 at the
Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House (ROH) is a theatre in Covent Garden, central London. The building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. The ROH is the main home of The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet, and the Orch ...
, Covent Garden.)


Effect on Berg

The success of ''Wozzeck'' transformed Berg's life. It brought him international renown, and he was able to live comfortably off the royalties nearly until his death in 1935. He traveled not only to Germany, Czechoslovakia, the Soviet Union, and England, but also to Switzerland, Belgium, Holland, France, and Italy for performances of and talks about the opera. Busy attending to his newfound success and enjoying financial independence, Berg declined Schreker's offers of an appointment at the Berlin Musikhochschule as well as subsequent vacations with Schoenberg, though the two remained committed friends. He benefited from new relationships with Karl Böhm, Erich Kleiber, and
Gian Francesco Malipiero Gian Francesco Malipiero (; 18 March 1882 – 1 August 1973) was an Italian composer, musicologist, music teacher and editor. Life Early years Born in Venice into an aristocratic family, the grandson of the opera composer Francesco Malipiero, Gi ...
, among others, and was appointed to serve on the jury of the ADMV.


Influence


Krenek

Hans Hartleb saw many parallels between ''Wozzeck'' and Krenek's '' Orpheus und Eurydike''. He cited the composers' use of violent scenes and saw the music of both Eurydike and Marie as evocative of "fatalism, melancholy, and sensuality". Stewart agrees, writing that Berg's music for Marie raised her from a "
stock character A stock character, also known as a character archetype, is a type of character in a narrative (e.g. a novel, play, television show, or film) whom audiences recognize across many narratives or as part of a storytelling tradition or convention. Th ...
" to one of more substance. Berg and Krenek knew each other from the salons of Alma Mahler. (Alma was a close friend of the Bergs and the wife or lover of
Gustav Mahler Gustav Mahler (; 7 July 1860 – 18 May 1911) was an Austro-Bohemian Romantic music, Romantic composer, and one of the leading conductors of his generation. As a composer he acted as a bridge between the 19th-century Austro-German tradition and ...
, Kokoschka, and Werfel.) Krenek began studying the piano-vocal score of ''Wozzeck'' in early 1923, while visiting Kokoschka, the librettist of ''Orpheus''. Krenek wrote Berg to praise ''Wozzeck'' and ask about Berg's vocal writing. Berg responded at length, citing (and transcribing) examples from Wagner, Mozart, and Bach to support what he said was his treatment of the human voice as "the supreme instrument". He said he adapted the music with respect to the voices' limitations and dramatic function. Berg also used () for dramatic effect. Krenek later said he did not use ''Wozzeck'' as a model for ''Orpheus'', but Stewart suggests that he at least adhered to Berg's advice about vocal writing.


Later music

In ''Sinfonia'' (1968–69),
Luciano Berio Luciano Berio (24 October 1925 – 27 May 2003) was an Italian composer noted for his experimental music, experimental work (in particular his 1968 composition ''Sinfonia (Berio), Sinfonia'' and his series of virtuosic solo pieces titled ''Seque ...
quotes the rising orchestral chords Berg uses in the word painting of Wozzeck's drowning.


Arrangements

Working with Berg, Erwin Stein made an arrangement of ''Wozzeck'' for smaller theaters, reducing the orchestra to about 60 players. John Rea's arrangement is for 22 singer and 21 instrumental parts.


Recordings

* Heinrich Nillius (Wozzeck), Suzanne Danco (Marie), Walter Widdop (Tambourmajor), Frank Vroons (Andres), Otakar Kraus (Doctor), Parry Jones (Hauptmann), Mary Jarred (Margret),
BBC Chorus There have been three choirs named The BBC Chorus in the history of the British Broadcasting Corporation. # Today's BBC Symphony Chorus. Founded in 1928 as the BBC National Chorus, it changed its name to the BBC Chorus in 1932, before changing ...
and
Symphony Orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * String instruments, such as the violin, viola, cello, ...
,
Adrian Boult Sir Adrian Cedric Boult, CH (; 8 April 1889 – 22 February 1983) was a British conductor. Brought up in a prosperous mercantile family, he followed musical studies in England and at Leipzig, Germany, with early conducting work in London ...
, SOMM Ariadne (1949 radio broadcast from the
Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London, England. It has a seating capacity of 5,272. Since the hall's opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the world's leading artists from many performance genres ...
, issued 2023) * Mack Harrell (Wozzeck),
Eileen Farrell Eileen Farrell (February 13, 1920 – March 23, 2002) was an American soprano who had a nearly 60-year-long career performing both classical and popular music in concerts, theatres, on radio and television, and on disc. NPR noted, "She possessed ...
(Marie), Frederick Jagel (Tambourmajor), David Lloyd (Andres), Joseph Mordino (Hauptmann, Soldat, Idiot), Ralph Herbert (Doktor), Edwina Eustis (Margret),
New York Philharmonic The New York Philharmonic is an American symphony orchestra based in New York City. Known officially as the ''Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc.'', and globally known as the ''New York Philharmonic Orchestra'' (NYPO) or the ''New Yo ...
, conducted by Dimitri Mitropoulos, Label: Columbia (FCX 157–FCX 158), 1951 *
Tito Gobbi Tito Gobbi (24 October 19135 March 1984) was an Italian operatic baritone with an international reputation. He made his operatic debut in Gubbio in 1935 as Count Rodolfo in Bellini's '' La sonnambula'' and quickly appeared in Italy's major oper ...
(Wozzeck), Dorothy Dow (Marie), Mirto Picchi (Tambourmajor), Italo Tajo (Doktor), Petre Munteanu (Andres), Hugues Cuénod (Hauptmann), Maria Teresa Mandalari (Margret), RAI Chorus and Symphony Orchestra of Rome, conducted by Nino Sanzogno, Label: /RAI/Myto, 1955 (sung in Italian) *
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (; 28 May 1925 – 18 May 2012) was a German lyric baritone and conductor of classical music. One of the most famous Lieder (art song) performers of the post-war period, he is best known as a singer of Franz Schubert's ...
(Wozzeck), Evelyn Lear (Marie), Helmut Melchert (Tambourmajor),
Fritz Wunderlich Friedrich "Fritz" Karl Otto Wunderlich (26 September 1930 – 17 September 1966) was a German lyric tenor, famed for his singing of the Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Mozart repertory and various lieder. He died in an accident aged 35. Biography Wunde ...
(Andres), Gerhard Stolze (Hauptmann), Karl-Christian Kohn (Doktor), Alice Oelke (Margret), Chorus and Orchestra of the
Deutsche Oper Berlin The Deutsche Oper Berlin is a German opera company located in the Charlottenburg district of Berlin. The resident building is the country's second largest opera house (after Munich's) and also home to the Berlin State Ballet. Since 2004, the ...
, conducted by Karl Böhm, Label: Deutsche Grammophon, 1965 –
1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...
Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording The Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording has been awarded since 1961. The award was originally titled Best Classical Opera Production. The current title has been used since 1962. Prior to 1961 the awards for operatic and choral performances wer ...
* Walter Berry (Wozzeck), Isabel Strauss (Marie),
Fritz Uhl Fritz Uhl (2 April 1928 – 21 May 2001) was an Austrian operatic tenor, particularly associated with Richard Wagner, Wagner roles. Born in Matzleinsdorf, near Vienna, he studied in Vienna with Elisabeth Radó, and while still a student toured th ...
(Tambourmajor), Richard van Vrooman (Andres), Albert Weikenmeier (Hauptmann), Karl Dönch (Doktor), Ingeborg Lasser (Margret), Chorus and Orchestra of the
Paris Opera The Paris Opera ( ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be kn ...
, conducted by
Pierre Boulez Pierre Louis Joseph Boulez (; 26 March 19255 January 2016) was a French composer, conductor and writer, and the founder of several musical institutions. He was one of the dominant figures of post-war contemporary classical music. Born in Montb ...
, Label: Columbia, 1966.
1968 Events January–February * January 1968, January – The I'm Backing Britain, I'm Backing Britain campaign starts spontaneously. * January 5 – Prague Spring: Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Cze ...
Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording * Toni Blankenheim (Wozzeck), Sena Jurinac (Marie), Richard Cassilly (Tambourmajor), Peter Haage (Andres), Gerhard Unger (Hauptmann), Hans Sotin (Doktor), Elisabeth Steiner (Margret), Chorus of the Hamburg State Opera, Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra, conducted by Bruno Maderna, directed by Rolf Liebermann, Label: Arthaus Musik, 1970 * Eberhard Waechter (Wozzeck), Anja Silja (Marie), Hermann Winkler (Tambourmajor), Horst Laubenthal (Andres), Heinz Zednik (Hauptmann), Alexander Malta (Doktor), Gertrude Jahn (Margret), Wiener Staatsopernchor, Vienna Philharmonic, conducted by
Christoph von Dohnányi Christoph von Dohnányi (; born 8 September 1929) is a German conducting, conductor. Biography Youth and World War II Dohnányi was born in Berlin, Germany to Hans von Dohnanyi, a German jurist of Hungarian ancestry, and Christine von Dohnan ...
, Label: Decca, 1979 * Franz Grundheber (Wozzeck), Hildegard Behrens (Marie), Walter Raffeiner (Tambourmajor), Philip Langridge (Andres), Heinz Zednik (Hauptmann), Aage Haugland (Doktor), Anna Gonda (Margret), Wiener Staatsopernchor, Vienna Philharmonic, conducted by
Claudio Abbado Claudio Abbado (; 26 June 1933 – 20 January 2014) was an Italian conductor who was one of the leading conductors of his generation. He served as music director of the La Scala opera house in Milan, principal conductor of the Berlin Philharm ...
, Label: Deutsche Grammophon, 1987 * Franz Grundheber (Wozzeck), Waltraud Meier (Marie), Mark Baker (Tambourmajor), Endrik Wottrich (Andres), Graham Clark (Hauptmann), Günter von Kannen (Doktor), Dalia Schaechter (Margret), Chorus and Children's Choir of the
Deutsche Oper Berlin The Deutsche Oper Berlin is a German opera company located in the Charlottenburg district of Berlin. The resident building is the country's second largest opera house (after Munich's) and also home to the Berlin State Ballet. Since 2004, the ...
, Staatskapelle Berlin, conducted by
Daniel Barenboim Daniel Moses Barenboim (; born 15 November 1942) is an Argentines, Argentine-Israeli classical pianist and conductor based in Berlin, who also has Spain, Spanish and State of Palestine, Palestinian citizenship. From 1992 until January 2023, Bare ...
, Label: Teldec, 1994 * Andrew Shore (Wozzeck), Josephine Barstow (Marie), Alan Woodrow (Tambourmajor), Peter Bronder (Andres), Stuart Kale (Hauptmann), Clive Bailey (Doktor), Jean Rigby (Margret), Philarmonia Orchestra, conducted by Paul Daniel, Label: Chandos (Chan 3094), 2003 (sung in English) * Franz Hawlata (Wozzeck),
Angela Denoke Angela Denoke (born 27 November 1961) is a German opera singer (soprano). Born in Stade, she studied at the University of Music and Drama of Hamburg. Her first contract was at the Theater Ulm (1992–1996), where she sang Fiordiligi (''Così ...
(Marie), Reiner Goldberg (Tambourmajor), Johann Tilli (Doktor), Hubert Delamboye (Hauptmann), Vivian Tierney (Margret), Vivaldi Chorus; IPSI; Petits Cantors de Catalunya; Orchestra & Chorus of the Gran Teatre del Liceu, conducted by Sebastian Weigle, directed by
Calixto Bieito Calixto Bieito (Miranda de Ebro, 2 November 1963) is a Spanish theater director known for his radical interpretations of classic operas. Biography Born in the small town of Miranda de Ebro, Bieito moved to Barcelona with his family when he was ...
. Label: Opus Arte, 2006 * Roman Trekel (Wozzeck), Anne Schwanewilms (Marie), Gordon Gietz (Tambourmajor), Nathan Berg (Doktor), Robert McPherson (Andres), Marc Molomot (Hauptmann),
Katherine Ciesinski Katherine Ciesinski (born October 13, 1950) is an American mezzo-soprano, stage director, and voice professor. Ciesinski was born to Delaware Sports Hall of Famer Roman Ciesinski and Katherine Hansen Ciesinski. She is the sister of opera singe ...
(Margret), Houston Grand Opera Children's Chorus, Chorus of Students and Alumni, Shepherd School of Music,
Rice University William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University, is a Private university, private research university in Houston, Houston, Texas, United States. Established in 1912, the university spans 300 acres. Rice University comp ...
, Houston Symphony, conducted by Hans Graf. Label: Naxos, 2017


Film adaptation

The 1970 Hamburg State Opera production was filmed for the 1972 TV film ''Wozzeck'', directed by and broadcast on
Norddeutscher Rundfunk (; "North German Broadcasting"), commonly shortened to NDR (), is a public broadcasting, public radio and television broadcaster, based in Hamburg. In addition to the city-state of Hamburg, NDR broadcasts for the German states of Lower Saxony, ...
. Filming was done in and around a deserted castle.


References


Notes


Citations


Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Further reading

* Adorno, Theodor W. (1991), ''Alban Berg: Master of the Smallest Link''. Trans. Juliane Brand and Christopher Hailey. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. * Bailey Puffett, Kathryn. 1997. "Berg's aphoristic pieces". '' The Cambridge Companion to Berg'', ed. Anthony Pople, 83–110. Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Press. . *Bonds, Mark Edward (June 2020). " Wozzeck''s Worst Hours': Alban Berg’s Presentation Copy of ''Wozzeck'' to
Eduard Steuermann Eduard Steuermann (June 18, 1892, Sambor, Austria-Hungary – November 11, 1964, New York City) was an Austrian-born American pianist and composer. Steuermann studied piano with Vilém Kurz at the Lemberg Conservatory and Ferruccio Busoni in ...
". ''
Notes Note, notes, or NOTE may refer to: Music and entertainment * Musical note, a pitched sound (or a symbol for a sound) in music * ''Notes'' (album), a 1987 album by Paul Bley and Paul Motian * ''Notes'', a common (yet unofficial) shortened versi ...
'', 76(4), 527–534. *Hall, Patricia (2011), "Berg's ''Wozzeck''". ''Studies in Musical Genesis, Structure, and Interpretation''. New York: Oxford University Press. (accessed 29 October 2012). *Jarman, Douglas (1979), ''The Music of Alban Berg''. London and Boston: Faber & Faber ; Berkeley: University of California Press. *Jarman, Douglas (1989), "Alban Berg, ''Wozzeck''". ''Cambridge Opera Handbooks''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (cloth) (pbk). *Schmalfeldt, Janet (1983), "Berg's ''Wozzeck''", ''Harmonic Language and Dramatic Design''. New Haven: Yale University Press .


External links

* * *
Portrait of the opera in the online opera guide opera-inside.com
{{Authority control Atonal compositions Operas by Alban Berg German-language operas Music dramas 1925 operas Operas Opera world premieres at the Berlin State Opera Expressionist music Adultery in theatre Operas based on plays Works based on Woyzeck Compositions that use extended techniques Operas based on works by Georg Büchner