Durham E-Theses Arnold Schoenberg's Die glückliche Hand: Artistic Self-Envisioning in the Early Modernist Era TOOKE, DANIEL,JASON How to cite: TOOKE, DANIEL,JASON (2015) Arnold Schoenberg's Die glückliche Hand: Artistic Self-Envisioning in the Early Modernist Era, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/11579/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 Abstract Arnold Schoenberg’s Die glückliche Hand : Artistic Self -Envisioning in the Early Modernist Era : This thesis focuses on Arnold Schoenberg’s stage work Die glückliche Hand (1913), a major composition of Schoenberg’s early atonal period, but one that has been less extensively studied by scholars. It argues that this work sheds considerable light on Schoenberg’s self-envisioning as creative artist during a crucial phase of his development, and is best understood as a Künstleroper with strong autobiographical resonances. The first chapter seeks to situate the piece in relation to other notable Expressionist stage works of the period, demonstrating how it can be seen to constitute an Ich-Drama with strong resemblances in both conception and dramaturgical design to stage works by Wassily Kandinsky and August Strindberg. The second chapter attempts to explore the symbolism of its libretto, elucidating connections with the work of three noted contemporary writers—August Strindberg, Otto Weininger, and Stefan George—who exerted an appreciable influence on Schoenberg’s worldview and artistic self-concept. Intrinsic to this self- concept were fin-de-siècle constructs of the artist as tortured, embattled genius, in possession of higher spiritual truths but destined to remain the target of uncomprehending hostility and persecution. Particular attention will be given to Strindberg’s autobiographical prose work Inferno as a likely source of inspiration for Schoenberg, as well as George’s major collection of poems Der siebente Ring . The conclusion sketches how the paradigm of artistic self-envisioning in Die glückliche Hand arguably remained central to Schoenberg’s self-understanding in later life. Arnold Schoenberg’s Die glückliche Hand: Artistic Self-Envisioning in the Early Modernist Era Daniel Tooke Thesis prepared for accession to the degree of Master of Arts by Research Submitted to the Music Department, Durham University March 2015 Contents List of Illustrations ................................................................................................................................... vii Statement of Copyright......................................................................................................................... viii Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................................. ix In troduction ................................ ................................ ................................ ............ xi Chapter 1: G enesis of a Dramatic Concept ................................ ....................... xvii Introduction ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 1 Synopsis ....................................................................................................................................................... 3 Die glückliche Hand and contemporary Austro-German Expressionism ...................................... 7 Technical and conceptual aspects of Expressionist drama ................................................................ 9 Three categorisations of Expressionist Drama................................................................................... 12 Kandinsky and the Geist Drama ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 14 Schoenberg and Kandinsky .................................................................................................................... 14 Der gelbe Klang ........................................................................................................................................ 15 Schoenberg and aspects of the Geist drama ....................................................................................... 18 Strindberg and the Ich Drama ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 26 Strindberg as an early exponent of Expressionist ideals ................................................................... 28 To Damascus as dramatic prototype .................................................................................................... 34 Chapter 2: Symbolic Projections of the Modern Artist ................................ ..... 45 Introduction ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 47 The Ge rstl Affair ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................ 50 Overview of events ................................................................................................................................... 51 Ramifications for our understanding of Die glückliche Hand ........................................................ 53 Weininger, Gender and Genius in Die glückliche Hand ................................ .......................... 57 Gender roles in Sex and Character ....................................................................................................... 59 Genius in Sex and Character ................................................................................................................. 61 Schoenberg’s Self -Concept as Artist ................................ ................................ ........................... 65 Schoenberg and Strindberg’s Shared Affinities ................................ ................................ ......... 71 v Schoenberg’s ‘persecution complex’..................................................................................................... 71 Shared superstition .................................................................................................................................. 77 Jacob Wrestles , Séraphita and Swedenborg ........................................................................................ 80 Inferno as possible inspiration for Die glückliche Hand .................................................................. 86 Stefan George and the Artist as Hero ................................ ................................ ......................... 91 Antagonism towards the outside world and the elevation of genius ............................................. 93 The battle of the heroic artist ................................................................................................................ 95 Conclusion ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 99 Appendix I: Strindberg’s Thanks ................................ ................................ ............................... 101 Appendix II: From Strindberg’s Inferno ................................ ................................ ................... 105 Bibliography ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 107 vi List of Illustrations Fig. 1: Schoenberg’s envisaged sunrise backdrop for Scene II; Oil on cardboard, dated no later than October 1910 ....................................................................................................................................................... 2 Fig. 2: The Man's leitmotif, b.28-9 ................................................................................................................ 22 Fig. 3: The Woman's leitmotif, b.36-7.......................................................................................................... 22 Fig. 4: Schoenberg's sketch of the Man's pose for the colour crescendo ............................................... 33 Fig. 5: Letter to Schoenberg from Hermann Bahr, 18th April 1909 ...................................................... 72 Fig. 6: Page from Schoenberg's War-Clouds diary .................................................................................... 78 Fig. 7: Schoenberg's painting of the opening scene, with 13 heads visible; painted before October 1910 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 80 Fig. 8: Critic I, 1909 or 1910 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