Description
In his composition of Richard Dehmel’s poem “Verklärte Nacht” (Transfigured Night) in his opus 4, the young Arnold Schönberg aimed, as he articulated, to “explore new forms in chamber music that have emerged in orchestral music inspired by a poetic concept.” Created in September 1899 over a brief holiday period, the Sextet embodies the characteristics of a symphonic poem through its programmatic nature and single-movement structure, while also reflecting late Romantic elements in its rich tonal quality. At its premiere in Vienna in 1902, the distinctive nature of the piece was acknowledged, noted for its “unique sound combinations and innovative figures,” establishing it as a significant modern classic of the 20th century. For this Urtext edition, both the original manuscript and the 1905 first edition have been examined, along with Schönberg’s personal copies housed in Vienna, which feature numerous annotations by the composer.
