Symphonische Gesänge

Zemlinsky composed the songs in the early part of 1929 and orchestrated them in the summer of that year while holidaying in Juan-les-Pins.Beaumont, Antony: 'Zemlinsky', Faber and Faber, 2000. The composer used texts extracted from a Viennese anthology of poems from the Harlem Renaissance entitled Afrika Singt ({{langx|en|Africa Sings}}), edited by Anna Nussbaum and published in early 1929.{{cite web |title=Symphonic Songs, for mezzo-soprano… {{!}} Details |url=https://www.allmusic.com/composition/symphonic-songs-for-mezzo-soprano-or-baritone-orchestra-op-20-mc0002416710 |website=AllMusic |accessdate=24 August 2019 |language=en-us}} The set was dedicated to the memory of Zemlinsky's wife Ida who had died in January 1929. The text was edited by Wilhelm Grosz and translated by Jean Forman.{{cite book |last1=Simeone |first1=Nigel |title=Liner Notes in Decca 478 8347 |date=2015 |publisher=Decca Music Group Limited}}

Zemlinsky's direct experience of African societies and music was limited. However, he identified with the plight of black Americans as it reflected the post-World War I experience of many Jews in both Germany and Austria {{cite book |last1=Diedrich |first1=Maria I. |title=From Black to Schwarz: Cultural Crossovers Between African America and Germany |date=2011 |publisher=LIT Verlag Münster |isbn=9783643101099 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0sKAttHHk_UC&dq=symphonische+ges%C3%A4nge+zemlinsky&pg=PA64 |accessdate=24 August 2019 |language=en}}

The work was premiered in a studio broadcast in Brno on 8 April 1935, conducted by Heinrich Jalowetz. It was not performed again until 1964 in Baltimore.Huth, Andrew (1994): booklet notes to Decca recording in 'Entartete Musik' series. The score was published in 1977 by Universal Edition.{{cite book |last1=Zemlinsky |first1=Alexander |title=Symphonische Gesänge: für eine Bariton- (oder Alt- ) Stimme und Orchester, op. 20. Partitur |date=1977 |publisher=Universal Edition |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5B3bvQEACAAJ&q=symphonische+ges%C3%A4nge |language=de}}

The set features a total of seven songs and has a performance duration of approximately 18 minutes. The titles of the songs are as follows:

{{ordered list|list_style_type=upper-roman

| Lied aus Dixieland (text by Langston Hughes)

| Lied der Baumwollpacker (text by Jean Toomer)

| Totes braunes Mädel (text by Countee Cullen)

| Übler Bursche (text by Langston Hughes)

| Erkenntnis (text by Langston Hughes)

| Afrikanischer Tanz (text by Langston Hughes)

| Arabeske (text by Frank Horne)

}}

In common with other works from the same period such as his String Quartet No. 3 and his opera Der Kreidekreis, Zemlinsky relies on tight motivic cells, static ostinato patterns and restraint characteristic of Neue Sachlichkeit.{{cite book |last1=Moskovitz |first1=Marc |title=Alexander Zemlinsky: A Lyric Symphony |date=2010 |publisher=Boydell & Brewer |isbn=9781843835783 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8X7SOdOEYgEC&dq=symphonische+ges%C3%A4nge&pg=PA383 |accessdate=24 August 2019 |language=en}} The austere, Berg-like, pared-down style is far from the jazzy, rhythmic "swing" he used in some other compositions from this period, developed after having conducted Ernst Krenek's Jonny spielt auf and Kurt Weill's Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny, two operas that incorporate jazz elements into their musical idiom.

The orchestra consists of: piccolo, two flutes, three oboes (3rd doubling cor anglais), two clarinets in B-flat, bass clarinet (doubling E-flat clarinet), three bassoons (3rd doubling contrabassoon), two horns in F, three trumpets in C, three trombones, bass tuba, timpani, percussion (3-4 players), mandolin and a full string section.{{cite web |title=Zemlinsky - Sinfonische Gesänge for baritone (or alto) and orchestra |url=https://www.universaledition.com/alexander-zemlinsky-796/works/sinfonische-gesaenge-5162 |website=Universal Edition |accessdate=24 August 2019}}

The following is a list of some of the most notable recordings of this work:

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{{Alexander von Zemlinsky}}

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Category:Compositions by Alexander von Zemlinsky

Category:1929 compositions