Arnold Schwarzoenberger

Fossicking around in Hug Basel on Saturday, I came across a Double Decca of Schoenberg (Riccardo Chailly). It has Gurrelieder, Symphony for Chamber Orchestra and "Verklärte Nacht". Given the recent discussions elsewhere, I bought it and listened to "Verklärte Nacht" that very Nacht. As predicted elsewhere, I found it quite enjoyable. Not great music in my opinion, but listenable and hearable again. Haven't had the chance to listen to any more, but I'm encouraged. The accompanying booklet makes the point that Schoenberg should not be ignored as a maker of tortured cat sounds, but that his early output is approachable, even late Romantic. I'm not sure that Arnie would have seen it this way - didn't he disown all his early stuff?

 

He may have done. I think the main problem was that Mr Schoenburger wanted to go somewhere else after climbing the Romantic pinnacle. He tried expressionism, there's a rather amazing piece called Erwatung, but music of this style is also something of an aquired taste. I was lucky enough to spend a week doing it with Simon Rattle, but I don't think I would have got into it very easily without this sort of exposure.
Alben Berg kind of realised the problem and tried to make the 12 note system more romantic, the violin concerto is an example of this. Personally I hate it.
I reckon composers were fishing around trying to find something different to do that no-one had ever done before, a bit like Biber, now there's some weird stuff

 

Hi Tones:

Listen again, loud if possible. You might change your mind.