Five Orchestral Songs

Alban Berg's Five Orchestral Songs, composed in 1912, are a significant work within his early output. These songs were inspired by postcard texts from the eccentric Viennese poet Peter Altenberg. The music, even more unconventional than Berg's previous compositions, uses these nonconformist texts as a basis for his innovative musical style. When two of these songs were performed in 1913, they provoked a strong, even riotous, reaction from the audience, highlighting their avant-garde nature. Berg, a student of Arnold Schoenberg, was a key figure in the Second Viennese School, known for his atonal and 12-tone compositions that still retained elements of late Romanticism. His work, including pieces like Five Orchestral Songs, pushed the boundaries of musical expression and often challenged traditional conventions.12