New arrival in the Music Library:

Schönberg, Sechs kleine Klavierstücke, op. 19 [facsimile]

Published by the Arnold Schönberg Center, Vienna.

Schönberg's Sechs kleine Klavierstücke (Six little piano pieces), op. 19, were composed during a very creative period in Schönberg's life, around the years 1910-1912. In addition to musical composition, Schönberg exhibited his paintings and kept a lively correspondence with his friend, the expressionist painter Kandinsky, and was also at work completing his orchestration for the Gurre-Lieder, and writing his Theory of Harmony. Five of the Six little piano pieces were composed in a single day, February 19, 1911. After the revered composer Gustav Mahler's death on May 18, 1911, Schönberg painted his impression of the event, the Begrabnis von Gustav Mahler (Burial of Gustav Mahler), and then composed the sixth piece in the op. 19 set, on June 17, 1911. 

This publication reproduces the first written copy and the holograph fair copy (a neatly written copy in the composer's hand, usually in advance of publication) of these atonal miniatures. Also reproduced is the oil painting of Mahler's burial, followed by an epilogue in German and English by Christian Meyer.

There are eight circulating recordings of op. 19 in the Music Library and three additional recordings available online. Five editions of the score are in the stacks. It is also included in the Sämtliche Werke (complete works) of the composer.

The Music Library has nearly 3000 facsimiles of musical scores composed from the 15th to the 21st centuries. Many can circulate or be used in class presentations.