Inspired by a poem of Richard Dehmel, the 1899 work Verklärte Nacht is a tone poem for string sextet composed in the late-Romantic tradition. Pierrot Lunaire, composed in 1912, is a musical setting for speaker and chamber ensemble of 21 poems by Albert Giraud, incorporating Schoenberg's revolutionary theory of atonality and singing-speech delivery called "Sprechstimme." Both works are reprinted from authoritative editions.
String Quartets Nos. 1 and 2 by Arnold Schoenberg Two major chamber works by influential modern composer. String Quartet No. 1, Op. 7, and String Quartet No. 2, Op. 10. Reproduced from authoritative editions. New English translations of Stefan George poems in String Quartet No. 2.
Works for String Quartet by Alban Berg, Igor Stravinsky, Anton Webern This impressive volume brings together three major 20th-century chamber works: Berg's String Quartet No. 1, Op. 3; Stravinsky's Three Pieces for String Quartet; and Webern's Five Movements for String Quartet.
