Alban Berg Violin Concerto

April 22, 2008 2:45 PM

12tone Music: I need a little help regarding Alban Berg's Violin Concerto

Firstly i want to say that im studying music in germany so im not sure if i'm using the right terminology.
I know that the first movement symbolises Manon's life and the second one symbolises her death, but how do i analyse the parts in more detail?
The original row of 12 notes at the beginning symbolises her childhood (like a beginner tuning a violin) but what does it mean when it gets repeated and variated later on? (and how do i find all the variations?)

posted by freddymetz to Education (1 answer total)

You might be reading a little too much into this. I mean I know that the piece is dedicated to Manon Gropius but does every instance of the row have to be symbolic? As far as analyzing the piece is concerned, you should get a copy of the score and listen through a few times whilst reading the score. Then you should look at the row and see how Berg manipulates it. I guarantee that you can relate almost everything that happens back to the row, which is why I think you're reading too much into it.

Another thing, what about the quoted Bach chorale near the end "Es ist Genung" what does that symbolize, why is it there? That is one of the most important moments in the piece -how is it related to the row?

There's also a wonderful moment near the end where the solo violin is playing an ascending sequence and gradually one, by one the orchestral violins (I can't remember if it's both the first and the second violins or just the first violins) join it as if to bear it up to the skies. That is, as I say, an important moment.

One caveat, I haven't looked at this piece in detail for well over ten years, so I don't remember every detail. Anyway, I hope this helps somewhat.
posted by ob at 3:51 PM on April 22, 2008