Fin-de-Siecle Modernism
Fin-de-Siecle = ‘Turn of Century’
Schoenberg, Mahler, Strauss
Maximalism and Compressionism
Maximalism
One of the major ideas in Fin-de-Siecle Modernism
Thick, Loud
Extended Cadences
Ex: Mahler, Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection,” mvt. 5
Compression
One of the ideas of Fin-de-Siecle Modernism
Simple; less with more
Ex: Schoenberg, ‘Erwartung’
Weltanschauungsmusik
Music that is expressive of a “world outlook” of “philosophy music.”
Works of huge ambiguous dimensions
Modernism’s answer to “absolute music”
Example of Weltanschauungsmusik
Mahler, Symphony No. 2, ‘Resurrection,’ mvt. 5
Emphasis on expansion and long cadences
Chimes are added at the end to emphasize ending
Ringstrasse and urban planning in Vienna
Vienna was basically a circle
City walls were torn down, universities/opera houses/courthouses were built all over
Lots of immigration in and and out
Mahler moved here
Unemployment started
City became shithole
Jugendstil
German for ‘youth styles’
French use: New art philosophy and style of art
The secession styles: Decorative modernism
Example of Jugenstil
Painting: Gustav Klimt, ‘The Kiss,’ 1909
Theodore Thomas Heine, ‘Girl Dancing with Wavy Figures’ – heavy emphasis on lines!!
‘Serpentinentanzerin,’ 1900 – emphasis on moment, not girl herself
Mahler’s Identity
Never fit in…
Born Jewish
Converted to Catholicism
Spoke German with poor English
Lived in Vienna
Moved to NY
Symphony No. 1 – mvt. 3, ‘Funeral March’
Song Symphony
Wunderhorn
A collection of Austrian and German folk songs that Mahler musically referenced often.
Especially in Symphony No. 2, ‘Resurrection’ – mvt. 4, ‘Urlicht’
Decadence
A personal trait
The state of a society
Used to describe a person’s lifestyle
Late 19th c. fin-de-siecle writers who were associated with symbolism or the aesthetic movement.
Richard Dehmel
Vienna’s leading decadent poet
Forefront of modernist poetry
Very risque topics
Wrote the text for Erwartung, 1899 (Schoenberg)
Color Chord
Femme fatale
French for “Deadly Woman”
A woman who seduces her “victims”
Salome?
New Woman
The idea of a strong, independent woman.
Salome from ‘Salome’ represented her
Instead of men oggling women’s bodies, women return the gaze.
Salome
Oscar Wide’s Play (1891)
Aubrey Beardsley’s Drawings (1894)
Strauss’ Opera (1905)
Oscar Wilde’s take on Salome
The Decadent Movement changed “Salome” from an innocent girl and made her a slutty, incestual murderess. 1891
Aubrey Beardsley’s Take on Salome
Sexy black and white drawings of Salome
Changed Salome from innocent girl she was in the Bible to slutty and promiscuous
1894
Succes de Scandale
Popularity of music/theatre, etc. coming mainly from its scandalous characters or plot (tabloids)
Mahler, Symphony No. 1 – mvt. 3, ‘Funeral March,’ 1888
“Frere Jacque” turned into a funeral march (represents Catholicism)
Kletzmer-sounding (dotted rhythms and reed instruments)
Two separate themes are juxtaposed; he does not seem to want to resolve them…
Mahler, Symphony No. 2, ‘Resurrection’ – mvt. 1, 1895
Entitled “Funeral Rite”
Tremolo in strings
cataclysmic recapitulation (SOOO DOMINANT!!)
Mahler was famous for calm, lyrical interludes
Progressive tonality, but still tonal because it’s so dominant
Symphony No. 2, ‘Resurrection’ – mvt. 5, 1895
Finale, ‘Resurrection’
Debated whether or not this is about Bulow (Friend that died)
Mahler, Des Antonius von Padua, 1893 vs. Symphony No. 2 – mvt. 3, 1895
Schoenberg, ‘Erwartung,’ op. 2 no. 1, 1899
An early decadent work during Schoenberg’s Atonal Period
Used Fourth and tritone
Strauss, Salome, part 2, 1905
The monologue
Necrophiliac ecstasy
Salome’s death