Schoenberg Problem

[Karl Henning]

I have not mentioned this in some time, but there is a supremely stupid book by a certain E. Michael Jones called Dionysos Rising: The Birth of Cultural Revolution Out of the Spirit of Music , where the adultery of Schoenberg's wife is blamed on...the rise of chromatic harmony and its descendant, "atonalism" !

And a reader at Amazon reviews the book thus (review in its entirety):

Jones traces the work and lives of Wagner, Nietzche, Schonberg, and rockers such as Jagger to demonstrate the fall of culture and the rise of rock 'n roll. From the barricades in Dresden in 1849 to Woodstock and the death at Altamont in 1969, Jones shows that classical music and culture did not die a natural death: the demise was plotted by sexual revolutionaries as a direct attack on Christian morality. The Stones said it all: Sympathy for the Devil.

[snyprrr]

And a reader at Amazon reviews the book thus (review in its entirety):

Just as I thought: klemzer is the culprit, that dirty jazz...

[Cato]

I'm sorry, but that sounds just about right. Sheesh,... why WOULDN'T she? I can't imagine 'sexy Ahnold' being anything but a human pill in a marriage. Good for her!! I would love to know the marriage-lives-of-the-serialist-composers. Are you saying Boulez is gay?

No, I am not saying that, but following the theory of Mr. Jones, one might say that since Tchaikovsky was homosexual, one is in danger of becoming a homosexual by listening to Tchaikovsky's music.

In the end, this is the old ancient Greek theory (mainly from Plato) that the power of music (and Art in general) is not to be trusted, and that a certain amount of censorship is needed to protect the future citizens of the Republic.  Certain modes must be proscribed, especially for younger people, since they lead to debauchery, drunkenness, etc.

[Mirror Image]

I always love reading through this thread because it makes me realize how much easier it is to come back to Schoenberg after a long hiatus. The expressiveness of his music is in a completely different realm altogether. Going from Elgar to Schoenberg may, by some standards, seem like quite the jump, but, for me, it really isn't and the reason why I would say comes from the fact that both Elgar and Schoenberg have dramatic shifts of mood in their music. Now granted, it's obvious that both composers are working in two completely sound-worlds, but the expression of their music is similar.

I really hope that people can start opening up to Schoenberg's music and actually listen with their ears instead of what their mind continues to tell them, which, in most cases, is this music continues to sound unresolved and seems aimless, but there is rhyme and reason to Arnie's music and, while he might not be 'Mr. Popular' with concert audiences, his music begins to make more and more sense with each passing year. Just my two cents.

[kishnevi]

I really hope that people can start opening up to Schoenberg's music and actually listen with their ears instead of what their mind continues to tell them, which, in most cases, is this music continues to sound unresolved and seems aimless, but there is rhyme and reason to Arnie's music and, while he might not be 'Mr. Popular' with concert audiences, his music begins to make more and more sense with each passing year. Just my two cents.

If asked to describe why I have problems with Schoenberg's music, I'd describe it in exactly the reverse of how you phrase it.  My mind (sort of) understands what he's doing,  but my ears keep telling me there is no rhyme or reason.  That's why, with the newly found exception of his string quartets,  I vastly prefer early Schoenberg (Verklarte Nacht, GurreLieder) to middle or later Schoenberg.

[Mirror Image]

If asked to describe why I have problems with Schoenberg's music, I'd describe it in exactly the reverse of how you phrase it.  My mind (sort of) understands what he's doing,  but my ears keep telling me there is no rhyme or reason.  That's why, with the newly found exception of his string quartets,  I vastly prefer early Schoenberg (Verklarte Nacht, GurreLieder) to middle or later Schoenberg.

Schoenberg's music exists in another realm for me. It's like visiting the Twilight Zone or something and you know what? I occasionally love finding myself there. I appreciate the textures and overall otherworldliness of Schoenberg and not many other composers can put me into that kind of frame of mind other than good ol' Arnie.