!!!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.


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