Schoenberg: Why He Matters

Written by Harvey Sachs

Narrated by Paul Boehmer

An astonishingly lyrical biography that rescues Schoenberg from notoriety, restoring him to his rightful place in the pantheon of twentieth-century composers.



In his time, the Austrian American composer Arnold Schoenberg (1874–1951) was an international icon. His twelve-tone system was considered the future of music itself. Today, however, leading orchestras rarely play his works, and his name is met with apathy, if not antipathy. With this interpretative account, the acclaimed biographer of Toscanini finally restores Schoenberg to his rightful place in the canon, revealing him as one of the twentieth century's most influential composers and teachers. Sachs shows how Schoenberg, a thorny character who composed thorny works, raged against the "Procrustean bed" of tradition. Defying his critics—among them the Nazis, who described his music as "degenerate"—he constantly battled the anti-Semitism that eventually precipitated his flight from Europe to Los Angeles. Yet Schoenberg, synthesizing Wagnerian excess with Brahmsian restraint, created a shock wave that never quite subsided, and, as Sachs powerfully argues, his compositions must be confronted by anyone interested in the past, present, or future of Western music.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Aug 15, 2023
• ISBN: 9798350848021

Reviews for Schoenberg

[jwhenderson_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A superb biography of one of the twentieth century's most important musicians. Leading the way in the creation of new classical music at the start of the century were Schoenberg and the second Viennese school.

[adaorhell · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I listen to audiobooks about composers because sometimes they play the composers music. This did not happen. Which is okay, I get it, rights, permissions, etc. But I did enjoy it. His beef with Stravinsky, his ceaseless efforts (mostly failed, sometimes didn't) to sponsor or assist other Jews fleeing the Nazis (Schoenberg was wise to Hitler quick, and left Austria in the 1930s) and his dedication to making the music he wanted even as his health deteriorated. Jackie Robinson took one of his classes at UCLA, and Schoenberg was extremely proud that one of his students broke the color barrier in "America's sport." I think I would have liked him. But, I'm going to have to figure out how to learn about his music another way.