Gedanken zur »inneren Wahrheit« in Arnold Schönbergs Opus 6

Abstract

This article examines Arnold Schönberg's Eight Songs op. 6 as a turning point in the composer's development, characterized by a shift towards introspective expression. Alles, op. 6/2, the setting of a poem by Richard Dehmel, shows how Schönberg captures the implicit emotional depth of the poem through contrapuntal techniques and motivic condensation, thereby realizing a new “inner truth”. Gasch argues for the coherence of the cycle through recurring themes of love and nature. The analysis emphasizes the transitional function of the work, which anticipates his later expressionist style.