This work was composed in August 1947 and was commissioned by the Koussevitzky Foundation. The work was inspired by events in Europe during the Second World War, amongst whose victims were friends of the composer. The first performance took place in Albuquerque, USA, on November 4th, 1948 under Kurt Frederick.

Instrumentation:
for narrator, men's chorus and orchestra

op. 46 / Die Komposition entstand August 1947 im Auftrag der Koussevitzky Foundation. Die Anregung zu diesem Werk erhielt Schönberg jedoch von den Ereignissen in Europa während des 2. Weltkrieges, unter dessen Opfern sich auch Freunde des Komponisten befanden. Die Uraufführung fand am 4. November 1948 unter Kurt Frederik in Albuquerque, USA, statt.