Not all 20th century music is dark, tortured and anguished.  Not all 20th
century music is as impersonal and cold as so-called neo-Classicism.  Here
is a composition which is no more tortured than Mozart's Jupiter Symphony,
and equally elevated.  Even Mozart's Requiem seems more troubled than this
noble work.  I present this work as an illustration that between this work
and, say, that of Ustvolskaya's, the most extreme of stylistic contrast can
be found within dodecaphony.

It is still not an easy composition to appreciate.  It is not even
necessarily the best introduction to Schoenberg.  Amid this all is the most
monumental of all homages to J.S. Bach, who for Schoenberg was the master
of all masters.

Perhaps most surprising of all is the fact that the work is structurally
closely related to the Brahms St Anthony Chorale Variations.  Even the
variations technique employed is quintessentially Brahmsian:  that of
so-called 'developing variations'.  It is probably no coincidence that just
as the Variations was Brahms' first foray into orchestral music, so too
was the Schoenberg Variations his first dodecaphonic symphonic exposition.
Completed in 1928, it was premiered by none other than Wilhelm Furtwaengler
conducting the Berliner Philharmoniker.

If it is true that the later Schoenberg wrote more singable themes, one can
always say that the Mozart Jupiter does not exactly sound like a potpourri
of tunes either.  There is more to music than this.  The works opens with
a very mysterious sounding introduction, which builds up and dies away to
lead into the principle theme of the work.  The principle theme starts
somewhat plaintively in the cellos before climbing higher towards its
climax with theme taken up by the violins, at once discreetly expressive
and mysterious.

 From then, much as with the Brahms Variations, there are groups of
variations, although some variations fulfil a bridge function.  The first
group of variations are scherzo-like in character, after which follow a
group of slow movement-like variations.  A group of transitional variations
leads into a long free fantasia before we return to the reprise.

Variations I:  I see this as being very much a transitional variation.

Variation II:  This also is transitional, much quieter in character, with
a solo violin in dialog with woodwinds providing a sense of intimacy and
repose to prepare for the scherzo group of variations.

Variation III:  This is one of the most immediately appealing of all the
variations.  It has a quirky scherzo like character, which builds up into
a climax in which the harmonies seem to explode out in a manner unique to
Schoenberg.

Variation IV:  This variation maintains a scherzando character while having
an expressive aspect too - much like one of Brahms slow scherzi.

Variation V:  This is the central emotional climax of the work lead by the
violins.  The variation itself has an A-B-A' form and culminates in the
transcendental harmonic eruption, of an untroubled nobility and breadth
which recalls the Mozart Jupiter Symphony.

Variation VI:  Here is the start of an effective slow movement of the work,
which also functions as a bridge between the previous group of movement and
the next, more important variation.

Variation VII:  this is the most important and most mysterious variation in
the 'slow movement' like group of variations.

Variation VIII:  the tempo abruptly hastens and we run headlong into the
final finale and fantasia.

Variation IX:  this is transitional bridge variation leading into the
finale.

Finale:  This is a long fantasia in which the notes in the tone row B-A-C-B
natural take on an added significance - in German of course this spell
BACh.  At the climax of the Finale Schoenberg spells out his name in the
brass, as though to shout his name out at the top of his voice:  B - A -C
- h!!!

Reprise:  a soon as Schoenberg has finished shouting out the name of the
his god amongst composers, there follows the mysterious soft entry of the
main theme, which again soars up to its climax - there, as soon as the
theme is stated, an outbreak out apparent music chaos erupts, only to be
silenced by a voice which emerges triumphantly from its midst:  B - A - C
- h!!!!

Recommended performances:

1.  Simon Rattle:  City of Birmingham Symph (EMI).  The mysterioso feel
of the introduction, the expressivo of the climax of the Theme, the
transcendentality of the final climax of Variation V, the triumph of the
BACh motiv, all these such elements are captured beautifully by Rattle.
In fact this is easily my first choice in this work.  It is coupled with
Erwartung and an excellent performance of the first Chamber Symphony.

2.  Pierre Boulez:  Chicago Symphony (Erato) Recommendable if not the
unconditional success you might have expected.  For once I think the tempi
in one or two passages are played little too fast.  The playing of the
Chicago Symphony is marvellous, but I know that Boulez does not think
particularly highly of this work.  This is mainly due to his feeling that
it is too Brahmsian, and feel Schoenberg tends to treat the tone row to
much like a theme to be subjected to variations.  He prefers the Webern
variations.  There is still much to admire in this recording, even if I
wish the final BACh was articulated with a greater sense of triumph.
Variation V has great expressive intensity, and at its reprise the Theme
has a wonderfully intimate lushness.  It is coupled with a Pelleas und
Melisande which is nothing less than revelatory.

3.  Herbert von Karajan:  Berliner Philharmoniker (DG) A highly
recommendable performance, whose highlights include an unsurpassed account
of Variation VII, with all the sense of mystery one could want.  The final
BACh is articulated with a satisfying sense of victory.

Certainly Schoenberg wrote more immediately accessible works later in his
career such as the late String Trio, and the Piano Concerto but never again
was Schoenberg to write a work whose skies were so blue and so cloudless,
so transcendental and so exalted.  It is a work which once understood its
could not possibly be more completely natural, and joyfully spontaneous:
Just like Mozart Jupiter Symphony.

Satoshi Akima
Sydney, Australia
[log in to unmask]