Pelleas und Melisande, op. 5
Symphonic poem
Pelleas und Melisande, Op. 5, is a symphonic poem written by Arnold Schoenberg and completed in February 1903. It was premiered on 25 January 1905 at the Musikverein in Vienna under the composer's direction in a concert that also included the first performance of Alexander von Zemlinsky's Die Seejungfrau. The work is based on Maurice Maeterlinck's play Pelléas and Mélisande, a subject suggested by Richard Strauss. When he began composing the work in 1902, Schoenberg was unaware that Claude Debussy's opera, also based on Maeterlinck's play, was about to premiere in Paris.
Movements
- Anfang
- Heftig
- Lebhaft
- Sehr rasch
- Ein wenig bewegt
- Langsam
- Ein wenig bewegter
- Sehr langsam
- Etwas bewegt
- In gehender Bewegung
- Breit
Recommended recordings
- Berliner Philharmoniker · Herbert von Karajan YouTubeSpotify (subscription)
- Chicago Symphony Orchestra · Pierre Boulez YouTubeSpotify (subscription)
Most recent recordings
- Schoenberg: Pelleas und Melisande, Op. 5: IX. Ein wenig bewegter — Arnold Schoenberg, Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, Lahav Shani (2026) Spotify
- Schoenberg: Verklärte Nacht, Op. 4 & Pelleas und Melisande, Op. 5 (Remastered 2021) — Arnold Schoenberg, Hollywood String Quartet, Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra, Bruno Maderna (2021) Spotify
New releases via Spotify — surfaced automatically, not editorial picks.