In 1929 Schoenberg received a commission to compose some folk song settings. In the wake of this project he produced two, non-twelve-tone choruses for male voices, "Glück" and "Verbundenheit." These would become two of the Six Pieces for male chorus, Op. 35, despite the fact that the remaining four, composed in February and March 1930, are dodecaphonic.

Schoenberg wrote both text and music of these six pieces for unaccompanied male voices, published in 1930 in Berlin. In 1931, Alban Berg noted that with these choruses, composed for a "singing society" ensemble, Schoenberg had demonstrated how "the simple forms generally associated with low 'communal music' can also lay claim to the highest standards of artistry and skill." Their first performance may have been as late as April 21, 1965.

All six choruses feature a tightly-knit contrapuntal texture, although "Verbundenheit" is more homophonic than the others. The scoring covers a wide range of three octaves.

"Hemmung" (Restraint) explains that those who speak freely have no thoughts, because genuine thoughts are difficult to express. Opening with imitative entries, "Hemmung" becomes a lesson in twelve-note counterpoint. At "Aber sie reden doch flüssiger" (But, they speak more fluently) the text declamation becomes rapid—some of the only text painting in the set of six pieces.

In "Das Gesetz" (The Law), Schoenberg implores us not to think of the extraordinary as something miraculous, but rather to consider that, aside from the occasional incident, the consistency of life from day to day is a miracle. The lower voices plod along as tenors sing a more sustained line above.

"Ausdrucksweise" (Manner of Expression) asks whether or not we can really understand what we are. When we are apart, we are true to ourselves, but when we fight, we fight as one. Declaimed very slowly and deliberately, the text unfolds slowly in Schoenberg's setting. When the piece closes on "wie Einer" (as one), all voices move in the same rhythm.

"Glück" (Happiness) can exist in three states: as something we have never enjoyed and that always evades us; as something to which we hold that could vanish at any moment because it is neither expected nor deserved; and as something we cannot understand or ever grasp. Detached singing characterizes "Glück," exposing its contrapuntal texture.

In "Landsknechte" (Mercenaries) the narrator, a mercenary who lives life for the moment, scoffs at death. He kills in order to keep all the women for himself, proclaiming himself Lord and telling his offspring to live as he does. The smell of blood, however, makes him question his behavior and what he calls, "Landsknechtsschicksal" (a mercenary's destiny). Choral effects pervade the piece, which opens and closes with a non-texted, march-like rhythmic pattern. This pattern continues throughout, the intensity increasing as the mercenary fights to possess the women.

"Verbundenheit" (Obligation) called by Robert Craft "the sleeping beauty in Schoenberg's choral music," is truly focused on D minor. Its antiphonal setting closes on a D minor triad, although not in root position. The text reminds us to think of what has been done for us. In return, we should help others without thought of reward.



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