The Second Viennese School (Schoenberg vs. Berg vs. Webern)

[Mirror Image]

Looking back at my vote, now I wish I could change it to Schoenberg. I have really become attuned to his music over the past few days. I think a lot of it has to do with just throwing down my arms and listening to the music on it's own terms like I should have been doing in the first place. This is what I did with Berg and Webern, but I wouldn't allow Schoenberg the satisfaction for some reason. It's almost like I had a mental block against him. He was a hard sell, but I finally got my mind around several of his compositions that were previously giving me some problems and they proved to be more emotionally/intellectually rewarding than a lot of Berg's music. I still love Berg, but I really admire the range of Schoenberg's music. Such a fantastic composer IMHO. I finally see what Karl and many others see in him. This isn't to say that I still don't struggle with some works, because I do, but there's more music by Schoenberg that I have a better grasp of now than I did before.

[TheGSMoeller]

Looking back at my vote, now I wish I could change it to Schoenberg. I have really become attuned to his music over the past few days. I think a lot of it has to do with just throwing down my arms and listening to the music on it's own terms like I should have been doing in the first place. This is what I did with Berg and Webern, but I wouldn't allow Schoenberg the satisfaction for some reason. It's almost like I had a mental block against him. He was a hard sell, but I finally got my mind around several of his compositions that were previously giving me some problems and they proved to be more emotionally/intellectually rewarding than a lot of Berg's music. I still love Berg, but I really admire the range of Schoenberg's music. Such a fantastic composer IMHO. I finally see what Karl and many others see in him. This isn't to say that I still don't struggle with some works, because I do, but there's more music by Schoenberg that I have a better grasp of now than I did before.

Just read through this thread again, these three composers have always interested me, knowing Webern's works the least. But all three, regardless of their differences, compliment each other quite well.

John, you mentioned earlier in this thread about struggling with Ah-nold's choral pieces, but I do think you recently said you've enjoyed Die Jakobsleiter? That along with Pierre Lunaire I find to be some of the most affecting and fervent pieces of choral/vocal writing in the 20th Century.

Of course, nothing truly comes close to the monumental emotions that are delivered by his short but painful, A Survivor from Warsaw. When the choir begins to sing the Hebrew prayer, gets me every time, the stuff of masterful writing.

[Mirror Image]

Just read through this thread again, these three composers have always interested me, knowing Webern's works the least. But all three, regardless of their differences, compliment each other quite well.

John, you mentioned earlier in this thread about struggling with Ah-nold's choral pieces, but I do think you recently said you've enjoyed Die Jakobsleiter? That along with Pierre Lunaire I find to be some of the most affecting and fervent pieces of choral/vocal writing in the 20th Century.

Of course, nothing truly comes close to the monumental emotions that are delivered by his short but painful, A Survivor from Warsaw. When the choir begins to sing the Hebrew prayer, gets me every time, the stuff of masterful writing.

I'm not fond of Pierrot Lunaire (yet), but I love Die Jakobsleiter, Erwartung, Die glückliche Hand, and A Survivor from Warsaw. All of these have made a good impression on me. I do like several of his other vocal works as well like his Orchestral Songs. Of course, his orchestral music is what drew me into Schoenberg to begin with. Works like Five Pieces for Orchestra, Variations for Orchestra, Violin Concerto, Piano Concerto, Chamber Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2, and, of course, his late-Romantic works: Gurre-lieder, Verklarte Nacht, and Pelleas und Melisande are all masterful. An incredible composer for sure.