There is something just right about publishing my first blog of the new year. Just as we are eager to look back on the past year and address improvements for next year, this book actually serves a similar purpose.
Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951) was born into turbulent times. His life spanned political change, social change, two world wars, and dramatic changes in the way music was made and listened to. His life and the changes in the world described above are the subject of Harvey Sacks’s relatively brief review of Schoenberg’s life and career. But the relative brevity does not sacrifice the obvious goal of presenting the composer’s work in the context of its time, thereby providing the reader/listener with a helpful understanding of the man, his music, and his (arguably still evolving) place. perspective.
“As you can see, it’s not easy to get along with me. But don’t let that discourage you.
At 272 pages, the book wisely focuses on the composer’s published works, the drama of their performances, and the reactions of critics and audiences. This is not a comprehensive review of all things Schoenberg. Although Sachs mentions the composer’s early works, he focuses primarily on published music and the response of musicians, critics, and audiences. More importantly, his focus on the vast sociopolitical changes that paralleled the music provides useful context for future listeners and performers to better understand Schoenberg and his place in music history.
Sachs paid little attention to the composer’s paintings, or even his writings. What the author has achieved is a very readable and accessible article, which the audience (including your humble reviewer) can use to revisit/listen and make a judgment about Schoenberg and his place in the world New judgment. As the subtitle suggests, to better understand “why he matters”.
I must admit that I did not immediately understand and appreciate the music of Arnold Schoenberg, and even when I ventured to read this book, I found that my familiarity with the composer was mainly limited to Transfigured Night, Pierrot Lunaire “, “String Quartet No. 2”, “Moses and Aaron” (Solti recording), piano concerto, violin concerto, string trio, and one or two short piano pieces.
The joy of this book lies in its chronological account of all the composer’s major works and their historical and political context. As a result, I found myself listening to two chamber symphonies, other string quartets, and more for the first time (or at least for the first time in years). Chance.
As Sacks concluded:
“Art is cyclical. Perhaps we have reached the end of a great, centuries-long period of individualistic European art music and its global offshoots. We have no way of knowing. But, in rare cases, Homo sapiens species will not self-destruct all at once, there is every reason to expect that a new cycle will begin sooner or later, and, for now, we have a treasure trove of brilliant creations that will continue to pour out to anyone who will listen.
