SP WEBERN ~ FOUR STEFAN GEORGE SONGS Voice and Piano From the composer's autograph manuscripts in the Moldenhauer Archive Contents Prefatory Note Texts of the Songs 1. Erwachen aus dem tiefsten Traumesschosse 1 2. Kunfttag 1 2 3. Trauer I 6 4, Das lockere Saatgefilde lechzet krank 10 stb eeaweee 13 ‘Text-Critical Notes Printed by arrangement with the Publishers ‘CARL FISCHER, INC., (62 Cooper Square, New York, NV.,US.A. Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers Limited Lonlon - Paris ~ Bonn - Johannesburg » Sydney - Toronto . New YorkPREFATORY NOTE In Anton von Webern’s entire output, and in the development of his musical thinking gen- erally, the two cycles of songs after poems by Stefan George, Opus 3 (1907/08) and Opus 4 (1908/09), occupy a crucial position. They mark the shift from traditional harmony to the realm of what thereafter became known as “atonality.” New facts concerning the genesis of the George songs came to light when, on October 26, 1965, a discovery of theretofore unknown music manuscripts was made by this writer. During the ‘turmoil at the end of the Second World War, the manuscripts had been removed from Webern's abandoned home at Maria Enzersdorf. They were stored away in the attic of an old house in Perchtoldsdorf, the parental home of Hermine von Webern, the composer's daughter-in-law. For twenty years, the cache lay unnoticed amid the dusty pile of remnants from Webern’s library and of various household goods.* Found among the manuscripts were the two groups of George songs. Surprisingly, each of these cycles turned out to have originally contained not five but seven songs. Title pages accom- panying the sets disclose the composer's erstwhile intentions. According to one cover page, written in red ink, Webern’s first plan was to combine seven of these songs as his “Opus 2” (sic), in- cluding Eingang Dies ist ein Lied Erwachen aus dem tiefsten Traumesschosse Im Windesweben Kunfttag | Kahl reckt der Baum Im Morgentaun, A second plan, listed on another title page and also in Webern’s autograph, calls for a group of seven more songs. which were to form his “Opus 4”: Trauer 1 Ja Heil und Dank dir Noch zwingt mich Treve ‘An Bachesrantt Das lockere Saatgefilde So ich traurig bin Ihr tratet zu dem Herde awe Always given to revisions, as well as to frequent changes of his opus numbers, Webern subsequently altered these groupings. Of the seven titles contained in the first cycle, No. 1 later became the first song in the composer's Opus 4, whereas Nos. 2, 4, 6, and 7 eventually were incorporated into his Opus 3. Of the second group, No. 4 was included in Opus 3, and Nos. 2, 3, 6, and 7 in Opus 4. For whatever reasons. two songs from each of the original cycles were omitted. These four posthumous songs. Nos. 3 and 5 from the first set and Nos. 1 and 5 from the second, form the present publication. Since the songs were taken out of their original context, their sequence in rendition must be left to the artistic judgment of the performer. (An interesting possibility would be to hear them within the groupings listed above, representing Webern's first conception of each cycle.) The order of the songs in the present publication has been chosen by the editor. ‘The autograph manuscripts underlying this edition are now preserved in the Webern Archive (a division of the Moldenhauer Archive). The Four Stefan George Songs (1907/09) were first heard on October 29. 1966. during the Third International Webern Festival at Buffalo, New York, when they were presented by Ethel Casey, soprano, and Cornelius Cardew, pianist. Hans Moldenhauer © For the complete sory, sce Hans Molienhauer, “In Quest of Webern,” Saturday Review, August 27. 1966, and Hans Molden: bauer, “A Webern Pilgrinoge.” Musical Times (London). February. 1968Erwachen aus dem tiefsten Traumesschosse Stefan George ANTON von WEBERN (1868 - 1933) (1883 - 145 ) Edited by Peter Westergaard Sehr langsam ge eR et - chen aus dem tief~sten Trau - mei 5 ie als ich von lan-ger Spie - ge-lung be-trof - fen mich neig-te auf die Lip-pen,die er - ee he tf x sits MEM ar Yor Altrights reserved right Me Sn Fischer ee ee awies Musi 395 Regen Stet, London, WIA 1BR Printedin England. 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