ONE WHO IS STRUGGLING

In defiance of old wisdom – spoken,
Written and seen for myself –
All of which seemed banal to me,
I innocently sought happiness.
When it was denied me,
I strove for ‘painlessness’ through renunciation
Which also failed. (Arnold Schönberg, Die Jakobsleiter)

Tomorrow, on 12 May, Arnold Schönberg’s fragmentary oratorio Die Jakobsleiter will be performed by the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (cond. Alexander Liebreich) in Katowice.

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