Arnold Schoenberg (1874–1951)

How to say the name:

‘Schoenberg’ is said like Shern-berg. ‘Arnold’ is easy to say.

Born:

13th September 1874 in Vienna, Austra.

Schoenberg’s grave in Vienna

Died:

13th July 1951 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Buried:

Zentralfriedhof (Central Cemetery) in Vienna.

Type of Music:

Modern classical music (but also late romantic music as well).

Some famous pieces:
  • Most definitely none at all!!
Some great pieces:
  • Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured night).
  • Gurrelieder (Songs of Gurre)—for singers and orchestra.
  • Kammersymphonie (Chamber Symphony) Nos. 1 and 2.
  • Pelleas und Melisande (Pelleas and Melisande).
  • String Quartet No. 2. (See below for a video.)
  • Erwartung (Expectation)—a short opera for only one singer.
  • Pierrot lunaire (a set of songs ‘sung’ in a way that sounds almost as if the singer is speaking instead of singing).
  • Violin Concerto.
  • Piano Concerto.
  • Moses und Aron (Moses and Aron)—an opera.
Some interesting facts:
  • His String Quartet No. 2 is one of the first pieces of modern classical music. It was so different from anything that had been written before that the first audience was shocked (see what you think in the video below)!
  • When most people think of Schoenberg, they think of one thing—yuk! Many musicians don’t even like his music, although most will admit that his music is very clever! You could say he was a ‘musical bogey-man’!! In fact, this is what he called himself!!!
  • Most people don’t know that Schoenberg actually wrote some very beautiful music (quite like Mahler’s, in fact). Examples of this are Verklärte Nacht and Gurrelieder.
  • He only started writing modern music because he couldn’t express everything he wanted to in romantic music.
  • He invented a completely new way of composing (called ‘Serialism’). Many composers throughout the 20th century copied this style (and many people hated it!!).
  • He was delighted that his Violin Concerto was almost impossible to play!!
  • He was also a skilled painter.
  • He escaped Nazi Germany in the 1930s and spent most of the rest of his life in Los Angeles teaching people how to compose.

Here is a video of part of Schoenberg’s Serenade Op. 24. Do you like this music? Not everybody does!

Part of Schoenberg’s Seranade Op. 24

And here is part of Schoenberg’s String Quartet No. 2. This music was one of the first pieces of modern classical music.

Fourth movement of Schoenberg’s String Quartet No. 2

Finally, here is a video of Schoenberg himself taken from a home movie made in about 1938!

A home movie of Schoenberg!

Choose another composer of classical music.
Picture credits:
  1. Arnold Schoenberg. This photograpgh was taken by Florence Homolka around 1948. It is from the Schoenberg Archives at the University of Southern California. This image is free to use providing one credits the photographer. Click here for the source of this image, along with the relevant copyright information.
  2. Schoenberg’s grave in Vienna. This photograph may be used freely. Click here for the source of this image, along with the relevant copyright information.
Video credits:
  1. Arnold Schoenberg: Serenade op. 24 (Excerpts). Arnold Schoenberg’s (1874-1951) dodecaphonic Serenade op. 24, performed in the garden of his home in Mödling near Vienna (2005). Performers: Ensemble Wiener Collage, René Staar (conductor).
  2. Schoenberg: String Quartet No 2 Mvmnt 4 “Entrückung” – Margaret Price and the LaSalle Quartet. The final movement of Schoenberg’s 2nd string quartet. “I feel the air of other planets…”.
  3. Arnold Schoenberg filmed by Serge Hovey. Home movies by Serge Hovey of Arnold Schoenberg circa 1938 in Malibu and Brentwood.