Talk with Arnold Schönberg

Arnold Schoenberg (originally spelled Schönberg) was an Austrian-American composer, music theorist, teacher, writer, and painter. He was born on September 13, 1874, in Vienna, Austria, and died on July 13, 1951, in Los Angeles, California. Schoenberg is widely considered one of the most influential figures in the realm of 20th-century music. He played a pivotal role in the development of modernism in music, particularly through his innovations in the realm of atonal and twelve-tone music.

Schoenberg's early works were rooted in the late-Romantic traditions of composers like Gustav Mahler and Richard Wagner. However, around 1908, he began to explore atonality, a style of composition that avoids traditional harmonic and tonal centers. His move towards atonality can be seen in works such as his Second String Quartet (1908), where the final movement departs from traditional tonality, and his seminal Pierrot Lunaire (1912), which employs a technique known as "Sprechstimme," a cross between speaking and singing.

Perhaps Schoenberg's most revolutionary development was his creation of the twelve-tone technique, which he began formulating around 1921. This method involves the use of a series of all twelve notes within the chromatic scale arranged in a specific order called a "tone row" or "series." This row can be manipulated in various ways but must maintain its intervallic structure throughout a piece. This technique is foundational to many works of the second half of his career, including the Suite for Piano (Op. 25) and the Violin Concerto (Op. 36).

Schoenberg's influence extends beyond his own compositions. As a teacher, he mentored several significant composers of the 20th century, including Alban Berg and Anton Webern, who with Schoenberg formed the core of the Second Viennese School. This group was crucial in the advancement of contemporary classical music. Schoenberg also wrote extensively on music theory and was a proponent of new ideas in music education, performance, and composition.

His works and theoretical ideas provoked strong reactions and were often controversial during his lifetime. Nevertheless, Arnold Schoenberg's legacy is profound, with his techniques and theoretical concepts continuing to influence musicians and composers well into the 21st century.

Arnold Schönberg had a significant and influential relationship with both Alban Berg and Anton Webern, two of his most prominent students. Together, they are often considered the core members of the Second Viennese School, a group of composers who were pivotal in the development of atonal and twelve-tone music in the early 20th century.

Berg and Webern studied under Schönberg in Vienna, and their compositional styles were deeply influenced by his innovative approaches to harmony and musical structure. Schönberg, in turn, was supportive of his students and took a keen interest in their development both as composers and as theorists. He admired their work and often promoted it alongside his own.

The bond between Schönberg and his students went beyond mere teacher-student formalities; it was characterized by a deep mutual respect and intellectual exchange. Schönberg saw in Berg and Webern not only talented students but also important contributors to the modern music movement. Their relationships were marked by significant correspondence, where they discussed musical ideas, compositions, and theories. This professional and personal connection helped foster a vibrant creative atmosphere, which was crucial for their collective exploration of new musical territories.

Overall, the relationship between Arnold Schönberg and his contemporaries like Alban Berg and Anton Webern was one of mentorship, collaboration, and profound influence, reflecting a shared commitment to the advancement of contemporary music.

Arnold Schönberg's teaching career had a profound impact on modern music composition, primarily through his development of the twelve-tone technique and his role as a mentor to several significant 20th-century composers. His teaching stints spanned various prestigious institutions across Europe and the United States, including the Prussian Academy of Arts in Berlin and the University of California, Los Angeles.

Schönberg's approach to composition was deeply influential. He introduced the twelve-tone technique, which used a series of all twelve notes of the chromatic scale in a particular order (the tone row), and this became a pivotal aspect of his teaching. This technique radically changed the landscape of musical composition by offering a method to ensure atonality, thereby freeing composers from traditional tonal systems that had dominated Western music for centuries.

Among Schönberg's students were several composers who would go on to be major figures in the 20th century, including John Cage, Lou Harrison, and Leon Kirchner in the United States, as well as Anton Webern and Alban Berg in Europe. These students not only adopted various elements of his techniques but also developed their unique styles and ideas, which continued to propagate Schönberg's influence across different musical landscapes.

Moreover, Schönberg’s commitment to theoretical education culminated in his publication of "Harmonielehre" (Theory of Harmony), which became a seminal text in musical theory education. In this work, Schönberg explored the fundamentals of musical structure, harmony, and dissonance, impacting how music was taught academically.

Through these facets—his technical innovations, directly influenced pedagogy, and authoritative writings—Schönberg had a lasting effect on how composers thought about, composed, and theorized music in the modern era. His teaching therefore not only changed the direction of the careers of individual artists but also shifted the broader trajectory of music composition methodology.

Arnold Schönberg faced several challenges when he moved to America, primarily stemming from his status as an émigré fleeing Nazi Europe, cultural differences, and adapting to a new academic and musical environment.

1. Exile from Europe: Schönberg, being Jewish, fled Nazi Germany due to the rise of anti-Semitic laws and policies. This displacement was not just geographical but also emotional and intellectual, as he was separated from his cultural roots and a familiar audience that had a greater understanding of his work.

2. Adaptation to the American music scene: The musical tastes and traditions in America were markedly different from those in Europe. At the time, America was largely dominated by a different aesthetic in classical music, with a stronger emphasis on a more traditional, late-Romantic style, which contrasted with Schönberg’s atonal and twelve-tone compositions. Thus, his music initially received a mixed reception from both audiences and performers.

3. Financial difficulties: Though Schönberg was appointed to prestigious positions, such as at the Malkin Conservatory in Boston and later at the University of California, Los Angeles, financial security was a continuous concern. The Great Depression impacted funding and support for the arts, exacerbating these financial challenges.

4. Health issues: Schönberg's health was also a significant concern during his years in America. He suffered from asthma and heart problems, which were aggravated by the stress of displacement and adapting to a new life.

5. Professional integration: While he held academic positions, Schönberg sometimes found it challenging to integrate fully into the American academic and musical life. His teaching and compositional methods were innovative and often met with resistance or lack of understanding from students and peers accustomed to different approaches.

These challenges, however, did not prevent Schönberg from continuing to compose, teach, and influence the course of American music. His time in America was also marked by significant achievements, including the continuation of his development of twelve-tone technique and his influence on a new generation of American composers.

Arnold Schoenberg is known for pioneering the twelve-tone technique, which marked a significant shift in the tone and structure of music composition. This technique, also known as dodecaphony, involves arranging the twelve notes of the chromatic scale in a sequence called a tone row, and using this sequence as the basis of a composition. This method allowed Schoenberg to write music that was atonal, meaning it did not have a key center like traditional compositions. The tone of his music is often described as dissonant, intricate, and emotionally intense, reflecting his goal of expressing deep psychological and existential themes through new musical language.

Arnold Schönberg had several children from two marriages. With his first wife, Mathilde Zemlinsky, he had two children: Gertrud Schönberg and Georg Schönberg. After Mathilde's death, Schönberg married Gertrud Kolisch, with whom he had three children: Nuria Schönberg, who later married the famous Italian conductor Luigi Nono, Ronald Schönberg, and Lawrence Schönberg. His children, particularly through Nuria’s marriage to Luigi Nono, continued to influence the world of classical music and the arts.

Yes, Arnold Schoenberg did perform his own music, particularly as a conductor. He often led performances of his works, especially when introducing his newer compositions to the public. Schoenberg was also involved in the rehearsal processes of his pieces, ensuring the performers understood his innovative techniques and complex scores. While he was not primarily known as a performer like a virtuoso pianist or violinist, his role in conducting and interpreting his own compositions was significant in promoting his musical ideas and aesthetic.

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