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