Fritz Ascher, Pagliaccio (Clown), 1916. White gouache over graphite, watercolor and black ink on paper, 17.25 x 12.3 inches. Private collection ©Bianca Stock

Schoenberg’s moonstruck Pierrot and the extravagance of emotions - A symbol of disguise

Pierrot, the famous character from the Italian commedia dell’arte, is set by the composer A. Schoenberg as the moonstruck and fantastical clown, who is a symbol for putting on a mask to hide one’s true feelings or opinions. Forever lovelorn and wistfully contemplating the dying moon, he lurches through the night, hiding his face underneath a thick layer of white paint. The extravagance of emotions, the aesthetic of exaggeration, and the distortion of communication through the mask turn Pierrot into an incredibly fascinating and universal figure.

The pre-concert talk featured Rachel Stern, CEO and director, The Fritz Ascher Society for Persecuted, Ostracized and Banned Art; and Stephen Decatur Smith, Stony Brook University, Department of Music.

Featured artists

Hannah Harnest – Piano
Sophie Delphis – Mezzo Soprano
Abi Kralik – Violin
Adam Kramer – Viola
Sean Hawthorne – Cello
Denis Savelyev – Flute
Bixby Kennedy – Clarinet
Teddy Poll – Conductor

The Music for Thought Series was presented in collaboration with the Fritz Ascher Society and is co-sponsored by the German Consulate General in New York.