Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951)

Kate Molleson explores the twists and turns of Schoenberg’s life


Is there a more controversial, infamous figure in 20th Century
music than Arnold Schoenberg? Arguably no other twentieth-century
composer’s ideas have been more influential among composers
since, however his music is still neglected and misunderstood by
programmers and audiences. Schoenberg was a revolutionary - one
of the founders of musical Modernism - but he also recognised the
importance of musical tradition. His music defined the times in
which he lived, and whether you see Schoenberg as the most
important innovator in 20th century music, or as a heretic who
led his followers to an artistic dead end, he was absolutely
dedicated to art – both musical and visual. This week, Kate
Molleson explores the twists and turns of Schoenberg’s life, and
tracks the composer’s changing relationship with art through the
prism of 5 different visual works, from an image which terrified
and obsessed Schoenberg as a child, through the composer’s own
paintings, and one of his practical twelve-tone selection dials,
to a portrait of Schoenberg painted while he was in exile in
America, by his friend and fellow composer George Gershwin.


Music Featured:


Strauss (arr. Schoenberg): Roses from the South 2 Gesange, Op ,
No 1 “Dank” 4 Lieder, Op 2, No 1 “Erwartung” Pelleas und
Melisande, Op 5 (Langsam) Verklarte nacht, Op 4 6 little piano
pieces (No 6) Mahler (by Schoenberg and Webern): Das Lied von der
Erde (No 3, Of Youth) Gurrelieder (excerpt) String Quartet No 2,
Op 10 (3rd mvt, Langsam, 'Litanei') Erwartung (excerpt) Friede
auf Erden De Profundis Pierrot Lunaire, Op 21 (Act II excerpt)
Die eiserne Brigade (The Iron Brigade) Bach (orch. Schoenberg):
Gott Schopfer, heiliger Geist, BWV 631 Suite for piano, Op 25
(2nd mvt, Gavotte & 3rd mvt, Musette) Suite, Op 29 (3rd mvt,
Theme and Variations) Accompaniment Music to a Film Scene, Op 34
Songs for male chorus, Op 35 (No 6 Verbundenheit "Man hilft zur
Welt dir kommen") Die Jakobsleiter (Ob rechts, ob links) Kol
Nidre, Op 39 Moses und Aron (Act II excerpt) Concerto for String
Quartet and Orchestra (after Handel) Prelude to Genesis Suite for
string orchestra (2nd mvt, Adagio) Brahms (orch. Schoenberg):
Piano Quartet No 1 in G Minor, Op 25 (2nd mvt, Intermezzo)
Chamber Symphony No 2, Op 38b A Survivor from Warsaw, Op 46
Notturno


Presented by Kate Molleson Produced by Sam Phillips for BBC Audio
Wales & West


For full track listings, including artist and recording details,
and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after
broadcast) head to the series page for Arnold Schoenberg
(1874-1951) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0022k1r


And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve
featured on Composer of the Week here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z