Arnold Schoenberg

Definition

Arnold Schoenberg was an Austrian composer, music theorist, and painter, best known for developing the twelve-tone technique, which revolutionized 20th-century classical music. His innovative approaches to harmony and form shifted the focus of composition away from traditional tonality, leading to new methods of musical expression that influenced many composers and styles in the modern era.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Schoenberg initially composed in the late Romantic style but transitioned to atonal music before developing the twelve-tone technique in the 1920s.
2. His works include notable pieces like 'Pierrot Lunaire,' which is a melodrama that incorporates speech-like singing and explores themes of madness and existentialism.
3. Schoenberg's influence extended beyond music composition; he also wrote extensively on music theory and philosophy, shaping modern music education.
4. He emigrated to the United States in 1933 to escape the rise of Nazism and continued to compose and teach throughout his life in Los Angeles.
5. Schoenberg's ideas about music were controversial during his time, leading to a divide between traditionalists and modernists in the classical music community.

Review Questions

• How did Schoenberg's twelve-tone technique alter the landscape of classical music composition?
  • Schoenberg's twelve-tone technique marked a significant departure from traditional tonal harmony by treating all twelve notes of the chromatic scale equally. This approach allowed composers to create music without a tonal center, resulting in more complex and varied harmonic structures. The introduction of this technique influenced numerous composers who sought to explore new expressive possibilities, ultimately leading to a broader acceptance of avant-garde styles in classical music.
• In what ways did Schoenberg's background and experiences shape his musical style and innovations?
  • Schoenberg's Jewish heritage and experiences as an artist in Vienna during a time of cultural upheaval heavily influenced his musical development. His transition from late Romanticism to atonality reflected his desire to break free from traditional constraints and express deeper emotional truths. Additionally, his emigration to America amid political turmoil led him to further experiment with musical forms, allowing him to blend diverse influences into his compositions while establishing himself as a key figure in 20th-century music.
• Evaluate Schoenberg's lasting impact on both contemporary classical music and the broader landscape of 20th-century art.
  • Schoenberg's impact on contemporary classical music is profound, as his twelve-tone technique laid the groundwork for serialism, which became a dominant compositional method for many later composers. His embrace of expressionism reflected broader trends in 20th-century art that prioritized emotional experience over traditional aesthetics. By challenging established norms in both music and visual art, Schoenberg opened avenues for innovation, influencing not just musicians but also artists across various disciplines who sought to capture complex human emotions through their work.

Related terms

Twelve-tone Technique: A method of composition created by Schoenberg that uses a series of all twelve notes of the chromatic scale in a specific order, which serves as the basis for a piece of music.

Expressionism:

An artistic movement that emerged in the early 20th century, focusing on representing emotional experience rather than physical reality; Schoenberg's music often embodies these principles.

Second Viennese School: A group of composers that included Schoenberg, Alban Berg, and Anton Webern, known for their innovative approaches to music and their development of serialism.