# Schoenberg's '' le pierrot lunaire''



## deprofundis (Apr 25, 2014)

*It took me a long time before enjoying it, but i think it's an œuvre majeure, a surrealist ufo among classical. I have the Robert Craft version but is there a better version out there?*Would like to point out le pierrot lunaire is pitch black in term of darkness, but infuse whit ''comedie noire''.The result is unsetling for sure.

From what i recall its inspired by a Belgian poet who wrothe a book called ''le pierrot lunaire'', doe...
I may buy tt since i kinda enjoy poetry.

I like to point out, personnaly clowns especially white clown scarred the hell out of me they are sooo creepy, after seen the movie and read the book it! (stephen king) in my early teen i started to fear clowns, dont laught .

Have a nice day :tiphat:

p.s please forgive me if i started a new tread, the purpose was to talk about le pierrot lunaire indetail, your impression of this work, what is your favorite conductor ect


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

Boulez's version with Schaefer on Deutsche Grammophon is widely considered among the best versions.










I'm also fond of Herreweghe/Posseur, where the vocalist is not classically trained.










And Boulez's Sony recording with Minton is fine as well.










I'd take any of them over the Craft, personally.


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## Marschallin Blair (Jan 23, 2014)

Mahlerian said:


> Boulez's version with Schaefer on Deutsche Grammophon is widely considered among the best versions.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


What singer do you like the most of the three? I've heard Schafer but not the other two.

I'm not a big Schafer fan but her voice just works perfectly for me with _Pierrot Lunaire_.


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## Fagotterdammerung (Jan 15, 2015)

It's one of my favorite Schoenberg works: I went to its 100th anniversary performance a couple years ago; a wonderful event for me. 

Over time, it's lost its creepiness, except for some movements ( Der Kranke Monde is always a bit disturbing ). Pierrot is, if anything, somewhat pitiable from what we glean from the songs. None the less, that "nocturnal" atmosphere prevades throughout.

I've listened to a few different recordings. I own two: one is Schoenberg's own recording, the other is the Marianne Pousseur recording on D'Abord. The latter is the one I listen to most, the former I keep mostly for reference.The most common fault in recordings of this is the singer getting too operatic and not reciting enough.


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

Helga!


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

Marschallin Blair said:


> What singer do you like the most of the three? I've heard Schafer but not the other two.
> 
> I'm not a big Schafer fan but her voice just works perfectly for me with _Pierrot Lunaire_.




Posseur is a bit "extreme" in a few ways; she actually shouts and her performance is far closer to declamation than singing.  Some have criticized both of Boulez's recordings for the vocals drifting too far the other way. I like both ways, but those used to the more "sung" Pierrot may find the other way off-putting. The chamber groups on all three are excellent, as well.


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## Marschallin Blair (Jan 23, 2014)

Mahlerian said:


> Posseur is a bit "extreme" in a few ways; she actually shouts and her performance is far closer to declamation than singing. Some have criticized both of Boulez's recordings for the vocals drifting too far the other way. I like both ways, but those used to the more "sung" Pierrot may find the other way off-putting. The chamber groups on all three are excellent, as well.


I love the chamber-like subtleties of the Boulez-- but of course I want a communicative singer with a psychological ear for inflection, shade, and color as well- and a beautiful timbre of course.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Try the first Craft recording with Bethany Beardsley (you can download it on symphonyshare), the first Boulez recording with Helga Pilarczyk (there's a good new transfer from Bilbiothèque Nationale de France) and the one on Hungaroton from András Mihály.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

I also have the Schaefer disc. To be honest, I took the fill-ups into consideration as well but it's never occurred to me to consider another recording since then. 

What a great work - Schoenberg had a fair few pivotal moments in his career but for me PL is a real stand-out as far as his entire output is concerned.


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## ptr (Jan 22, 2013)

If I had to choose one, if would be Schäfer with Boulez! I also like to put up a thumb for Cleo Laine's seventies RCA cut with the Nash ensemble and Elgar Howarth, not a perfect Pierrot, but there is something with Ms Laine's voice that excites my ear drums!

/ptr


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## Guest (Feb 3, 2015)

Mahlerian said:


> [...] I'm also fond of Herreweghe/Posseur, where the vocalist is not classically trained.


That's my favourite! I love the gritty "cabaret" feel with her voice, it conjures up sitting in a darkened, louche club in pre-war Berlin or Vienna, hanging out with fellow marginals, smoking and drinking, whilst enjoying the show. Play it, Arnie!


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Mahlerian said:


> Posseur is a bit "extreme" in a few ways; she actually shouts and her performance is far closer to declamation than singing. Some have criticized both of Boulez's recordings for the vocals drifting too far the other way. I like both ways, but those used to the more "sung" Pierrot may find the other way off-putting. The chamber groups on all three are excellent, as well.


The work was commissioned by a female cabarettiste, and it is safe to assume it was _at least_ half declaimed, with some pitch in that declamation, just like (surprise, surprise) Schoenberg's _sprechstimme_ technique.


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

The old Adès recording, the only recording of the work I am intimately familiar with, with Helga Pilarczyk:









has been reissued on its original label, Wergo:









In my opinion, Helga Pilarczyk is maîtresse of Sprechgesang. In comparing some of the Amazon samples, I would say that Marianne Pousseur's voice on the Herreweghe recording on Harmonia Mundi is close.

I also sampled the more recent Boulez version, not the one with Yvonne Minton, but the one with Christine Schäfer. She has a gorgeous voice and I feel that her approach is much closer to singing than Sprechgesang. It is an approach I am entirely unfamiliar with in interpretations of Pierrot Lunaire. I am considering adding it to my collection.

It is available as an inexpensive reissue:


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

ptr said:


> If I had to choose one, if would be Schäfer with Boulez! I also like to put up a thumb for Cleo Laine's seventies RCA cut with the Nash ensemble and Elgar Howarth, not a perfect Pierrot, but *there is something with Ms Laine's voice that excites my ear drums!
> *
> /ptr


ptr, I may be repeating...I was fortunate to see Cleo (and husband John Dankworth in small combo) up-close in-concert on three occasions, late 70's, early 80's. Sultry, smokey, sexy bedroom eyes, happy within reason, a no nonsense woman, very professional. Memorable times.

To the topic at hand. Many years ago, also, I had two "parrots". Sony Boulez, and I think a DG. Didn't like them, didn't like the work. Maybe I'll audition Schafer/Boulez.:tiphat:


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