Pierrot
Lunaire
Sprechstimme
In
the Preface to the score Schoenberg provides the following
instructions relative to Sprechstimme.
The melody given
in the Sprechstimme by means for notes is not intended for
singing (except for specially marked isolated exceptions).
The task of the performer is to transform it into a speech-melody,
taking into acount the given pitch. this is achieved by:
I. Maintaining the
rhythm as accurately as if one were singing, i.e. with no
more freedom than would be allowed with singing melody;
II. Becoming acutely
aware of the difference between singing tone and speaking
tone: singing tone unalterably stays on the pitch, whereas
speaking tone gives the pitch but immediately leaves it again
by falling or rising. However, the performer must be very
careful not to adopt a singsong speech pattern. That is not
intended at all. Nor should one strive for realistic, natural
speech. On the contrary, the difference between ordinary speaking
and speaking that contributes to a musical form should become
quite obvious. but it must never be reminiscent of singing.
Moreover, I stress
the following concerning performances:
It is never the task
of performers to recreate the mood and character of the individual
pieces on the basis of the meaning of the words, but rather
solely on the basis of the music. the extent to which the
tone-painting-like rendering of the events and emotions of
the text was important to the author is already found in the
music. where the performer finds it lacking, he should abstain
from presenting something that was not intended by the author.
He would not be adding, but rather detracting.
|