Canon
Where to start with Zemlinsky
Essential works to know this composer by — spread across their styles-
OrchestralLyrische Symphonie for soprano, baritone and orchestra, op. 18
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Vocal12 Songs, for voice and piano, op. 27
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Chamber2 Satze, for string quartet
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KeyboardAlbumblatt, for piano
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StageBallet pieces from "Triumph der Zeit," for orchestra
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OrchestralDie Seejungfrau, fantasy for orchestra
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OrchestralSinfonietta, op. 23
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Orchestral3 Ballettstucke
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Chamber3 Stücke, for cello and piano
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Vocal6 Lieder, op. 13
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VocalAhnung Beatricens Gibt's Strass und Park, wo wir im Traum ims sahn?
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KeyboardBallades, for piano
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ChamberCello Sonata in A minor
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OrchestralCymbeline, incidental music
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VocalDas Rosenband, for voice and piano
Listening guide
Hand-curated paths into Zemlinsky's catalogueMost Popular
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Lyric Symphony
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Die Seejungfrau (The Little Mermaid)
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String Quartet No. 2
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Sinfonietta
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Six Songs Op. 13
Most Acclaimed
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Lyric Symphonyafter Tagore — like Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde with two soloists
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Der Zwerg (The Dwarf) — opera
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String Quartet No. 4
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Die Seejungfrau
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Eine florentinische Tragödie
Most Weird
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Der Zwergopera — a birthday gift dwarf arrives, doesn’t know he’s ugly; falls in love with the princess who mocks him; Zemlinsky was short and considered himself ugly; he adored Alma Schindler who married Mahler instead of him
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String Quartet No. 4almost atonal; his last major work; rarely performed
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Die Seejungfrauthe little mermaid — Zemlinsky was working on it and Schoenberg simultaneously; Schoenberg told him to cut it; he cut it and lost 30 pages of the score
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Eine florentinische TragödieOscar Wilde opera — a silk merchant arrives home to find his wife with a prince; they fight; he kills the prince; she falls in love with him for his strength
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Lyric SymphonyTagore poetry alternating between baritone and soprano — the most ”late-Romantic” work after Mahler’s symphonies
Similar composers
Same era, overlapping styles — by genre & period affinityWorks 66
- Orchestral
- ● Lyrische Symphonie for soprano, baritone and orchestra, op. 18
- Die Seejungfrau, fantasy for orchestra
- Sinfonietta, op. 23
- 3 Ballettstucke
- Cymbeline, incidental music
- Die Seejungfrau
- Symphony no. 1 in D minor
- Symphony no. 2 in B flat major
- Vocal
- 12 Songs, for voice and piano, op. 27
- 6 Lieder, op. 13
- Ahnung Beatricens Gibt's Strass und Park, wo wir im Traum ims sahn?
- Das Rosenband, for voice and piano
- Die Beiden
- Ehetanzlied und andere Gesänge op.10
- Frühlingsbegräbnis, for soprano, baritone, chorus and orchestra
- Frühlingsglaube, for chorus and strings
- Harmonie des Abends
- Hortest du denn nicht hinein
- Irmelin Rose and Other Songs, op. 7
- Liebe und Frühling, for voice and piano
- Lieder, op. 2
- Lieder, op. 5
- Mailblumen blühten überall, for soprano and string sextet
- Noch spur ich ihren Atem
- Psalm 13, op. 24
- Psalm 13: "Klage und Vertrauten in grosser Not," for chorus and orchestra, op. 24
- Psalm 23, op. 14
- Psalm 23: "Der gute Hirt," for chorus and orchestra, op. 14
- Schlummerlied Schlaf mein Kind, der Abendwind weht
- Sechs Lieder op.22
- Symphonic Songs, for mezzo-soprano or baritone and orchestra, op. 20
- Süße, süße, Sommernacht, for voice and piano
- Turmwächterlied and Other Songs, op. 8
- Vor der Stadt, for voice and piano, Vol.1, op. 2, no. 7
- Waldgespräch, ballad for soprano, 2 horns, harp and strings
- Waltz Songs on Tuscan Folk Lyrics, for voice and piano, op. 6
- Waltz Songs on Tuscan Folk Lyrics, for voice and piano, op. 6
- Wandl' ich im Wald des Abends, for voice and piano
- Zwölf Lieder op.27
- Chamber
- 2 Satze, for string quartet
- 3 Stücke, for cello and piano
- Cello Sonata in A minor
- Humoresque, for wind quintet
- Movements, for string quartet
- Piano Trio in D minor, for clarinet, cello and piano, op. 3
- Serenade in A minorDur für Violin und Klavier
- String Quartet no. 1 in A major, op. 4
- String Quartet no. 2, op. 15
- String Quartet no. 3, op. 19
- String Quartet no. 4, op. 25
- Suite in A major, for violin and piano
- Trio in D minor, for piano, clarinet and cello, op. 3
- Keyboard
- Albumblatt, for piano
- Ballades, for piano
- Fantasies on Poems of Richard Dehmel, for piano, op. 9
- Ländliche Tänze, for piano, op. 1
- Skizze, for piano
- Stage
- Ballet pieces from "Triumph der Zeit," for orchestra
- Der Kreidekreis, opera
- Der Traumgörge, opera
- Ein Lichtstrahl, mime drama with piano
- Ein Tanzpoem
- Eine Florentinische Tragödie, opera, op. 16
- Es war einmal, opera
- König Kandaules, opera
- Sarema, opera