Webern, Anton von#
Webern, Anton (von), b. Vienna, Dec. 3, 1883, d. Mittersill, province of Salzburg, Sept. 15, 1945 (shot accidentally by a US soldier). Composer. 1904-1908 pupil of A. Schoenberg, who later became his friend. Studied musicology with G. Adler, from 1908 theatre kapellmeister (Bad Ischl, Prague and elsewhere). 1918-1922 he worked in Schoenberg's "Verein fuer musikalische Privatauffuehrungen". In 1921 his first works were published by Universal Edition; 1922-1934 manager and conductor of the Workers' Symphony Concerts and from 1923 of the Vienna Workers' Singing Society. W. is considered one of the most significant representatives of twelve-tone music, along with A. Schoenberg and A. Berg.
W. had a decisive influence on the development of modern music,
reducing and concentrating Schoenberg's twelve tone music (
dodecaphony) to produce brief atonal and dodecaphonic aphorisms and
"stenographic records" which have been interpreted as symptoms of
a reduction of expression to its shortest form. The abstract,
constructive technique, together with a subtle application of tone
colours, made the reception of his compositions by his contemporaries
quite difficult.
Works#
Orchestra works, chamber music, songs, chorals. - Writings: Wege zur neuen Musik, publ. by W. Reich, 1960.Literature#
W. Kolneder, A. W. Einfuehrung in Werk und Stil, 1961; W. Reich, A. W., 1961; H. Moldenhauer, The Death of A. W., 1961; F. Wildgans, A. W., 1966; F. Doehl, W. Beitrag zur Stilwende der neuen Musik, 1976; H. Moldenhauer, A. W., 1979; M. Hayes, A. v. W., 1995.