Schenker, Heinrich#
Schenker, Heinrich, b. Višnewčik, Ukraine (then Wisniowczyk), June 19, 1868, d. Vienna, Jan. 13, 1935, music theorist, composer and pianist in Vienna. Studied law at the University of Vienna 1884-1888 and piano at the Conservatory of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Wien 1887-1890, one of his teachers being A. Bruckner. In his theory of structural hierarchies ("Schichtenlehre") he reduced all composition to a fundamental structure ("Ursatz" and "Urlinie"). Today this method of analysis is especially popular in the USA; the Vienna University of Music and Performing Arts offers a S. course.
Works#
Neue musikalische Theorien und Phantasien, 3 parts, 1906-1934; Der Tonwille, 10 parts, 1921-1924; Das Meisterwerk in der Musik, 3 vols., 1925-1930.Literature#
O. Jonas, Vom Wesen des musikal. Kunstwerkes, 1934; L. Laskowski, H. S., 1978; M. Eybl, Ideologie und Methode. Zum ideengeschichtlichen Kontext von S. Musiktheorie, 1995; C. Schachter, Unfoldings. Essays in Schenkerian theory and analysis, 1999; OeBL.