The Seven Early Songs as they appear here are revisions, or to be even more precise, revisions of reworkings of Berg's own compositions. Together with many others, the songs were composed during the years 1905 to 1908, that is, at a time when Berg was already studying with Arnold Schoenberg. They were not a part of these studies but nevertheless cannot be seen as completely independent of Schoenberg's influence, since three of them, Die Nachtigall, Liebesode, and Traumgekrönt, were first performed publicly on 7 November 1907 in a concert of Schoenberg's students. (Rudolf Stephan, translated by Robert Lindell)

Grade: 7-8

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