I see that today is the birthday of Austrian composer Anton Webern (born in Vienna in 1883). He studied with Arnold Schoenberg and became a leading proponent of twelve-tone serial music, but he also extended serialization to include other musical elements, such as rhythm and dynamics.
I have always had a soft spot in my heart for Webern. I believe a paper I wrote about him is what got me accepted into Michigan State's doctoral program in music theory. Actually, it wasn't so much about him but about his String Trio, Op. 20, which I analyzed to within an inch of its life. It's a fascinating piece from an analytical standpoint, but it isn't very pretty to listen to. Most of Webern's music isn't pretty to listen to, actually, but he holds an important place in 20th-Century music.
What is really fascinating about Webern is his untimely end. He was living in Salzburg during the Allied occupation of Austria following the end of World War II. One evening in September, 1945, Webern, in violation of a curfew, went out onto his front porch to smoke a cigar. A passing patrol of American soldiers saw the flame from the match and shot him to death.
No comments:
Post a Comment