Arnold Schoenberg

By: Sidney Tigler

Biography•Born on September 13, 1874, to a working class

Jewish family in Vienna, Austria•Died July 13, 1951, Los Angeles, California•Age 8, he learned how to play the violin and

began to compose. • In 1901, Schoenberg married his mentor’s

sister, Mathilde.•Mathilde died in 1923; Schoenberg married his

second wife 10 months later.•Children: Nuria Schoenberg, Lawerence

Schoenberg, & Ronald Schoenberg

Early Career• Joined the orchestra, “Polyhymnia,” in 1891• Introduced to Alexander von Zemlinsky• Age 20, began his first original composition• May have been considered as one of the

numerous births of modern music in 1906• During his “scandal concert” in 1908, he

performed String Quartet #2, op.10 and the chamber symphony (op.9) for the 1st time

• People disliked his performance and declared the press to call Schoenberg “insane.”

Influences

•Major Influence: Alexander von Zemlinsky•Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss

influenced his string sextet, Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night), op.4.

• Its romantic character and richness in harmony and color are clearly seen.

Major Compositions

•Moses und Aron (opera), displays the twelve-note series

•Pelleas and Melisande (symphonic poem) •Greatest piece-string sextet, Verklärte Nacht, op.4.

• -Wrote in 1899• -Based on a mystical poem by German writer, Richard

Dehmel• -Used in 1944 ballet, Pillar of Fire• -Utilizes a heavy chromatic post Wagnerian idiom• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcMRTLv7kA4

Last Years• In 1933, he left Germany for the U.S. due to the

rise of the Nazi Party.• Stayed in Los Angeles• Taught at the University of Southern California

and at UCLA• During his last year, he composed more religious

pieces• Known as one of the greatest influences in the

20th Century

Fun Fact

•Fear: The number 13•Titled his opera, “Moses und Aron,” with

12 letters instead of 13.•Died on Friday, July 13, 1951 from an

unrecovered severe heart attack five years earlier.

Sources

•http://library.thinkquest.org/27110/noframes/composers/schoenberg.html

•http://school.nettrekker.com/goExternal?np=/sections/external/web/external.ftl&pp=/includes/widgets/errors/error.ftl&evlCode=270746&productName=school&al=High

•http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcMRTLv7kA4