Arnold Schönberg

The Profile

Austrian composer (1874–1951), founder of the Second Viennese School and developer of the twelve-tone (dodecaphonic) technique; influential composer and theorist of early 20th-century music.

Founder of the Second Viennese School; teacher of Alban Berg and Anton Webern; developed dodecaphony (twelve-tone technique); author of theoretical works including Treatise on Harmony and Structural Functions of Harmony; notable compositions include Verklärte Nacht (Op.4) and Ode to Napoleon Buonaparte (Op.41).

Two DeBaser reviews praise both live performances of Schoenberg works (Verklärte Nacht; Ode to Napoleon Buonaparte) and his theoretical writing. The Treatise on Harmony is described as a foundational textbook. Reviews highlight Schoenberg's role in the Second Viennese School and the use of Sprechgesang and early serial techniques.