Pierrot Lunaire - Structure

Structure

"Pierrot Lunaire" consists of three groups of seven poems. In the first group, Pierrot sings of love, sex and religion; in the second, of violence, crime, and blasphemy; and in the third of his return home to Bergamo, with his past haunting him.

  • Part One
  1. Mondestrunken (Moondrunk)
  2. Columbine
  3. Der Dandy (The Dandy)
  4. Eine blasse Wäscherin (An Ethereal Washerwoman)
  5. Valse de Chopin (Chopin Waltz)
  6. Madonna
  7. Der kranke Mond (The Sick Moon)
  • Part Two
  1. Nacht (Passacaglia) (Night)
  2. Gebet an Pierrot (Prayer to Pierrot)
  3. Raub (Theft)
  4. Rote Messe (Red Mass)
  5. Galgenlied (Gallows Song)
  6. Enthauptung (Beheading)
  7. Die Kreuze (The Crosses)
  • Part Three
  1. Heimweh (Homesickness)
  2. Gemeinheit! (Vulgarity)
  3. Parodie (Parody)
  4. Der Mondfleck (The Moonspot)
  5. Serenade
  6. Heimfahrt (Barcarole) (Homeward Bound)
  7. O Alter Duft (O Ancient Fragrance)

Schoenberg, who was fascinated by numerology, also makes great use of seven-note motifs throughout the work, while the ensemble (with conductor) comprises seven people. The piece is his opus 21, contains 21 poems, and was begun on March 12, 1912. Other key numbers in the work are three and thirteen: each poem consists of thirteen lines (two four-line verses followed by a five-line verse), while the first line of each poem occurs three times (being repeated as lines seven and thirteen).

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