Chamber Symphony No. 1 (Schoenberg)

The Chamber Symphony is a single-movement work which lasts approximately 20 minutes. Even though it is listed as one movement, the form can be considered as subdivided into as many as five continuous movements. Schoenberg himself outlined the following form using the rehearsal numbers as reference points:

{{Ordered list|type=upper-roman

|Sonata. Allegro (beginning to no. 38)

|Scherzo (nos. 38–60)

|Development (nos. 60–77)

|Adagio (nos. 77–90)

|Recapitulation and finale (nos. 90–100)

}}

Schoenberg claimed in later years that the work "was a first attempt to create a chamber orchestra."{{cite web

|url = https://www.naxos.com/MainSite/BlurbsReviews/?itemcode=8.557523&catnum=557523&filetype=AboutThisRecording&language=English

|title = Schoenberg: Pierrot Lunaire / Chamber Symphony No. 1 / 4 Orchestral Songs (Schoenberg, Vol. 6)|type=Liner notes|id=CD 8.557523

|author = Robert Craft

|author-link = Robert Craft

|year = 2007

|publisher = Naxos Records

|access-date = 30 September 2021

|quote = ... a first attempt to create a chamber orchestra.

}}

Schoenberg makes use of a "motto" theme constructed of fourths.Walter Frisch, The Early Works of Arnold Schoenberg, 1893–1908 (Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1993): p. 223. The "motto" theme helps delineate the structural articulation points in the piece.

: \relative c { \clef bass \numericTimeSignature \time 4/4 \key e \major \set Staff.instrumentName = #"Hrn" \partial 4*1 d\ff \bar "||" g c \clef treble f bes8. ees16 | ees4 }

The "motto" theme first appears in measure 5 and is framed by two cadences which introduce the two main key areas.

Cadence 1 in F major:

: { \new PianoStaff << \new Staff \relative c'' { \clef treble \key e \major \time 2/2 \tempo "Langsam" << { aes1\fp~ | aes4 aes'2.~ | aes4 aes,2.~ | aes4 2\fermata } \\ { r2 bes,,\f | ees1( | e! | f2.) } >> \bar "||" } \new Staff \relative c { \clef bass \key e \major \time 2/2 << { r2 c2\f | s2 bes'~ | bes1~ | bes4 a2 } \\ { s1 | f1 | s1 | s2. } \\ { \stemDown s1 | r2 _( | 1 | 2.) } >> \bar "||" } >> }

Cadence 2 in E major:

: { \new PianoStaff << \new Staff \relative c''' { \clef treble \key e \major \numericTimeSignature \time 4/4 \tempo "Sehr rasch" \partial 4*1 << { dis!8.( cis!16 | c2~ c8) b( dis!8. cis!16) | c4.( b8 a gis fis dis! | 4) } \\ { 4\ff | 2\fp\> 4\! | 4\fp\> \! r2 | s4 } >> \bar "" } \new Staff \relative c { \clef bass \key e \major \numericTimeSignature \time 4/4 cis!8[ r16 f] | a8 r \times2/3 { a,->\ff d,-> d'-> } gis!2-> | \times 2/3 { a8-> d,-> d'-> } gis2-> \times 2/3 { a,,8-> d,-> d'-> } | gis!4 \bar "" } >> }

It is scored for the following instruments:

• The composer himself arranged this piece for piano four hands in 1906.{{cite web|title=Kammersymphonie [Chamber symphony] no. 1, op. 9 (1906) (arr. Arnold Schoenberg (piano 4 hands))|url=http://www.schoenberg.at/diskographie/works/009c.htm|website=schoenberg.at|access-date=30 September 2021}} He also revised the composition for large orchestra in 1923 and again in 1935, which was catalogued as Op. 9b.{{cite web|title=Kammersymphonie [Chamber symphony] no. 1, op. 9b (1906) (arr. Arnold Schoenberg (1922) (orchestra); rev. Arnold Schoenberg (1935))|url=http://www.schoenberg.at/diskographie/works/009b.htm|publisher=www.schoenberg.at|access-date=26 April 2014}} The latter was premiered in Los Angeles by Schoenberg himself.
• Fellow composer Alban Berg also arranged the composition for two pianos in 1914.{{cite web|title=Kammersymphonie [Chamber symphony] no. 1, op. 9 (1906) (arr. Alban Berg (1914) (2 pianos))|url=http://www.schoenberg.at/diskographie/works/009d.htm|publisher=www.schoenberg.at|access-date=26 April 2014}}
• Between 1922 and 1923, at Schoenberg's suggestion his disciple Anton Webern made an arrangement for this composition scored for violin, flute (or second violin), clarinet (or viola), cello, and piano;{{cite web |last1=Jarman |first1=Douglas |title=Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951) arr. Anton Webern - Chamber Symphony No.1 in E, Op.9 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57p-4eeTBGo|publisher=www.youtube.com|access-date=12 December 2022}} this arrangement was intended to be played alongside Pierrot lunaire, which is similarly scored.

Chamber Symphony No. 1 is one of the most recorded of Schoenberg's works and has received attention from conductors including Pierre Boulez, Simon Rattle, Riccardo Chailly, Claudio Abbado, Giuseppe Sinopoli, Zubin Mehta, and chamber groups such as the Hyperion Ensemble, Hagen Quartett and Orpheus. A 1998 performance conducted by Robert Craft on the Koch International Classics label and reissued in 2007 on Naxos received a positive critical response.{{cite web

{{Reflist}}

• {{IMSLP|work=Kammersymphonie, Op.9 (Schoenberg, Arnold)|cname=Chamber Symphony No. 1 in E major, Op. 9}}