TRANSLATION: Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire, "Serenade"

Lost in the fire of last year's Pierrot centennial was translation. After all, it was Otto Erich Hartleben's German--translated from the original French of Albert Giraud--that Arnold Schoenberg had set.

And with Stanley Appelbaum's Anglicised Hartleben turning 20 next year (not to mention having its own Twitter account @PierrotTweets), Classicalite figured a new English language translation was passed due.

To wit, for the next 21 weekdays, we'll be offering a new take on each of Giraud/Hartleben/Appelbaum's 3x7 poems...alongside some of our favorite performances.

SERENADE

With a bow monstrously gross,
Pierrot scratches on his viola.
Like a stork on one leg standing,
He dully plucks a pizzicato.

Suddenly, Cassander comes
raging at the nighttime virtuoso.
With a bow monstrously gross,
Pierrot scratches on his viola.

Fast, he throws down the viola;
With his left hand delicate,
He grasps Cassander by the collar.
Dreaming, he plays on the man's bald spot
With a bow monstrously gross.

Up next: "Heimfahrt (Barcarole)"

Tags

Translation, Schoenberg, Pierrot Lunaire, Part III, Albert Giraud, Otto Erich Hartleben, Stanley Appelbaum