Arnold Schoenberg remains one of the most controversial figures in

the history of music. From the final years of the nineteenth century to
the period following the World War II, Schoenberg produced music of
great stylistic diversity, inspiring fanatical devotion from students,
admiration from peers like Mahler, Strauss, and Busoni, riotous anger
from conservative Viennese audiences, and unmitigated hatred from his
many detractors.
Born in Vienna on 13 September 1874, into a family that was not
particularly musical, Schoenberg was largely self-taught as a musician.
An amateur cellist, he demonstrated from early age a particular aptitude for composition. He
received rudimentary instruction in harmony and counterpoint from Oskar Adler and studied
composition briefly with Alexander Zemlinsky, his eventual brother-in-law. Early in his career,
Schoenberg took jobs orchestrating operettas, but most of his life was spent teaching, both
privately and at various institutions, and composing. His moves between teaching jobs were as
much a result of seeking respite from the bouts of ill health which hampered him as they were
due to his being offered a position.
The composer's early works bear the unmistakable stamp of high German Romanticism, perhaps
nowhere more evident than in his first important composition, Verklrte Nacht, Op. 4 (1899).
With works like the Five Orchestral Pieces (1909) and the epochal Pierrot lunaire (1912),
Schoenberg embarked upon one of the most influential phases of his career. Critics reviled this
"atonal" (Schoenberg preferred "pantonal") music, whose structure does not include traditional
tonality. Still, the high drama and novel expressive means of Schoenberg's music also inspired a
faithful and active following. Most notable among Schoenberg's disciples were Alban Berg and
Anton Webern, both of whom eventually attained stature equal to that of their famous mentor.
These three composers -- the principal figures of the so-called Second Viennese School -- were
the central force in the development of atonal and 12-tone music in the first half of the twentieth
century and beyond.
Schoenberg's Suite for Piano (1921-1923) occupies a place of central importance in the
composer's catalogue as his first completely 12-tone composition. Though the 12-tone technique
represents only a single, and by no means predominant, aspect of the composer's style, it remains
the single characteristic mostly closely associated with his music. Schoenberg made repeated,
though varied, use of the technique across the spectrum of genres, from chamber works like the
String Quartet No. 4 (1936) and the Fantasy for Violin and Piano (1949) to orchestral works like
the Violin Concerto (1935-1936) and the Piano Concerto (1942), to choral works like A Survivor
from Warsaw (1947).
Schoenberg fled the poisonous political atmosphere of Europe in 1933 and spent the remainder
of his life primarily in the United States, becoming a naturalized citizen in 1941. During this

phase of his career, he at times returned to frank tonality, as in the Theme and Variations for band
(1943), reaffirming his connection to the great German musical heritage that extended back to
Bach. For Schoenberg, the dissolution of tonality was a logical and inevitable step in the
evolution of Western music. Despite a steady stream of critical brickbats throughout his entire
career, the composer, whose life inspired one of twentieth century's great novels, Thomas Mann's
Doctor Faustus, persisted in his aims, insisting that his music was the result of an overwhelming
creative impulse. Though debate over the man and his music rages on, Schoenberg is today
acknowledged as one of the most significant figures in music history. The composer, a wellknown triskaidekaphobe, died in Los Angeles, CA, on July 13, 1951.

Compositions
Year
Accompaniment to a Film-Scene (Begleitungsmusik
zu einer Lichtspielszene), Op. 34
Alliance Waltzer, for 2 violins
1909 Am Strande, song for voice & piano
1907 Ballads (2) for voice & piano, Op. 12
Die Beiden: Sie trug den Becher in der Hand, song for
1899
voice & piano
The Book of the Hanging Gardens, cycle of songs (15)
1908
for voice & piano, Op. 15
1901 Brettl-Lieder (Cabaret Songs), for voice & piano
Cello Concerto (orchestration of Matthias Georg
1911
Monn's "Concerto for cello & orchestra in G minor")
Cello Concerto (transcription of Matthias Georg
1932 Monn's "Concerto for keyboard & orchestra in D
major") (also for cello & piano)
1906 Chamber Symphony No. 1 in E major, Op. 9
1911

Chamber Symphony No. 1, for piano, 4 hands (Arr.

from Chamber Symphony Op.9)

1906 Chamber Symphony No. 2 in E flat minor, Op. 38

Chamber Symphony No. 2, for 2 pianos (Arr. from
Chamber Symphony Op.38)
Concerto for string quartet & orchestra (after Handel's
Concerto Grosso, Op.6/7)
Dass gestern eine Wepe Dich, song for voice & piano
1950 De Profundis, for chorus, Op. 50b
Deinem Blick zu mich bequemen, song for voice &
1903
piano
1938 Double canon for 4 parts (1938)
1941

Title
Orchestral

Film Score

Chamber Music
Vocal Music
Vocal Music

Waltz
Song

Vocal Music
Vocal Music
Vocal Music

Song Cycle

Concerto

Concerto

Concerto

Concerto

Orchestral
Keyboard
Orchestral
Keyboard

Chamber
Symphony
Chamber
Symphony
Chamber
Symphony
Chamber
Symphony

Concerto

Quartet

Vocal Music
Choral

Sacred music

Vocal Music
Miscellaneous

Canon

(Classical)
1949 Dreimal tausend Jahre, for chorus, Op. 50a
Choral
Du kehrst mir den Rcken, song for voice & piano
Vocal Music
Eclogue: Duftreich ist die Erde, song for voice & piano Vocal Music
1895 Ei du Ltte, partsong for male chorus
Choral
Einsam bin ich und alleine, song for voice & piano
Vocal Music
Einst hat vor deines Vaters Haus, song for voice &
Vocal Music
piano
Die eiserne Brigade (La brigade de fer), march for
1916
Chamber Music
piano quintet
1909 Erwartung, monodrama in 1 act, Op. 17
Opera
Fanfare for a Bowl Concert, for 3 trumpets, 4 horns, 3
Chamber Music
trombones, tuba & percussion (manuscript fragment)
1949 Fantasy for violin & piano, Op. 47
Chamber Music
Folk Song Arrangements (4) for voice & piano
Vocal Music
1929 Folksongs (3) for chorus
Choral
1929 Folksongs (4) for voice & piano

Vocal Music

1894 Fragments of Piano Pieces

1938 Fugue, for 4 parts (fragment)
1897 Gavotte and Musette (in Olden Style), for strings
Geburtstags-Marsch, for 2 violins & viola, U. 10
1882
(fragment)
Gedenken ("Es steht sein Bild noch immer da"), song
for voice & piano
1948 German Folksongs (3) for chorus, Op. 49
1910 Die glckliche Hand, 1-act drama, Op. 18
Gott grss dich Marie, song for voice & piano
Gruss in die Ferne: Dunkelnd ber den See, song for
1900
voice & piano
Gurrelieder, oratorio for 5 soloists, reciter, chorus &
1900
orchestra
Herzgewchse, song for soprano, celesta, harp &
1911
harmonium, Op. 20
I am almost sure, when your nurse will change your
1945
diapers, canon for 4 parts
Ich grne wie die Weide grnt, song for voice & piano
Im Fleiderbusch ein Vglein sass, song for voice &
piano
In heller Trumen hab ich Dich oft gesehen, song for
1893
voice & piano
1917 Die Jacobsleiter (Jacob's Ladder), oratorio
1907 Jeduch, song for voice & piano (fragment)

Keyboard
Chamber Music
Orchestral

Part Song

March
Monodrama
Fanfare
Fantasy
Song
Folk Song
Arrangement
Character Piece
Musette

Chamber Music
Vocal Music
Choral
Opera
Vocal Music

Semi-Opera

Vocal Music
Choral

Oratorio

Vocal Music
Vocal Music

Canon

Vocal Music
Vocal Music
Vocal Music
Choral
Vocal Music

Oratorio
Song

Juble, schne junge Rose, song for voice & piano

Vocal Music
1938 Kol Nidre, for narrator, chorus & orchestra, Op. 39
Choral
Knnt' ich je zu dir mein Licht, song for voice & piano Vocal Music
Lied der Schnitterin: Lass deine Sichel rauschen, song
Vocal Music
for voice & piano
Lied der Waldtaube, for mezzo-soprano & 17
1922
Vocal Music
instruments (arr. from "Gurrelieder")
Little Pieces (3) for chamber orchestra (No.3
1910
Orchestral
unfinished)
1911 Little Pieces (6) for piano, Op. 19
Keyboard
Mdchenfrhling: Aprilwind, alle Knospen, song for
1897
Vocal Music
voice & piano
Mdchenlied: In meinem Garten die Nelkin, song for
1896
Vocal Music
voice & piano
Mdchenlied: Sang ein Bettlerprlein am Schenkentor,
Vocal Music
song for voice & piano
Man mag ber Schnberg denken wie man will (One
1935 might think about Schoenberg any way one wants to), Vocal Music
canon for 4 parts
Mannenbangen: Du musst nicht meinen, song for voice
Vocal Music
& piano
Mein Herz das ist ein tiefer Schacht, song for voice &
Vocal Music
piano
Mein Schatz ist wie ein Schacht, song for voice &
Vocal Music
piano
Miscellaneous
1943 Mirror canon, for 4 parts (1943)
(Classical)
Miscellaneous
1933 Mirror canon, for 4 parts (April 1933)
(Classical)
Miscellaneous
1931 Mirror canons (2), for 4 parts
(Classical)
Modern Psalm, for narrator, chorus & orchestra, Op.
1950
Choral
50c
1930 Moses und Aron, biblical drama in 3 acts (unfinished) Opera
1926 Movement for string quartet, U. 133 (fragment)
Chamber Music
1939 Mr. Saunders I owe you thanks, canon for 4 parts
Vocal Music
Nicht doch!: Mdel, lass das Stricken, song for voice
Vocal Music
& piano
Notturno (Adagio) for violin, harp & strings in A flat
1896
Concerto
major
Nur das thut mir so bitter weh, song for voice & piano Vocal Music
1905 O dass der Sinnen doch so viele sind, canon for 4 parts Vocal Music
Ode to Napoleon Buonaparte, for narrator, piano &
Miscellaneous
1942
strings, Op. 41
(Classical)

Song
Song
Piece
Suite

Canon

Canon
Canon
Canon
Psalm
Opera
Canon

Canon
Ode

1913 Orchestral Songs (4) Op. 22

1903 Orchestral Songs (6) Op. 8
Peace on Earth (Friede auf Erden), for chorus &
1907
instruments ad lib, Op. 13
1902 Pelleas und Melisande, symphonic poem, Op. 5
Der Pflanze, die dort ber dem Abgrund, song for
voice & piano
1942 Piano Concerto, Op. 42
1928 Pieces (2) for piano, Op. 33
1909 Pieces (3) for piano, Op. 11
1925 Pieces (4) for chorus & ensemble, Op. 27
1909 Pieces (5) for orchestra, Op. 16
1920 Pieces (5) for piano, Op. 23
1929 Pieces (6) for male chorus, Op. 35
1896 Pieces (6) for piano, 4 hands (3 pieces lost)
Pierrot lunaire, melodrama for voice & chamber
1912
ensemble, Op. 21
Prelude, for wordless chorus & orchestra (for
1945
collaborative cantata "Genesis Suite"), Op. 44
Presto, for string quartet in C major
1934 Puzzle canon for 3 parts
1934 Puzzle canon for 4 parts
1923 Quintet for winds, Op. 26
Romance for 2 violins & viola in D minor, U. 10
1882
(fragment)
1925 Satires (3), for chorus and instruments, Op. 28
Scherzo in F major & Trio in A minor, for string
1897
quartet
Schilflied: Drben geht die Sonne scheiden, song for
voice & piano
Das schon die Maienzeit vorber, song for voice &
piano
Sehnsucht: Als mein Auge sie fand, song for voice &
1896
piano
Serenade for baritone & septet, Op. 24
1941 Sonata for organ (fragments of 2 movements)
1898 Songs (2) for voice & piano, Op. 1
1907 Songs (2) for voice & piano, Op. 14
1933 Songs (3) for alto or bass & piano, Op. 48
1899 Songs (4) for voice & piano, Op. 2
1900 Songs (6) for mezzo-soprano or baritone & piano, Op.

Vocal Music
Vocal Music

Song Cycle

Choral

Sacred music

Orchestral

Tone Poem

Vocal Music
Concerto
Keyboard
Keyboard
Choral
Orchestral
Keyboard
Choral
Keyboard

Concerto

Vocal Music

Melodrama

Choral

Cantata

Chamber Music
Miscellaneous
(Classical)
Miscellaneous
(Classical)
Chamber Music

Quartet

Piece
Suite
Part Song

Canon
Canon
Quintet

Chamber Music
Choral
Chamber Music

Quartet

Vocal Music
Vocal Music
Vocal Music
Chamber Music
Keyboard
Vocal Music
Vocal Music
Vocal Music
Vocal Music
Vocal Music

Septet
Sonata

3
1903 Songs (8) for voice & piano, Op. 6
Songs without Words (3) for 2 violins
Sonnenschein Polka schnell, for 2 violins
Ein Stelldichein, for oboe, clarinet, piano, violin &
1905
cello (fragment, completed by Cerha)
1926 String Quartet (fragments)
1927 String Quartet in C major, U. 107 (fragment)
1904 String Quartet in C major, U. 142 (fragment)
1897 String Quartet in D major
1904 String Quartet in D minor (fragments)
1897 String Quartet in F major, U. 119 (fragment)
1904 String Quartet No. 1 in D minor, Op. 7
String Quartet No. 2 for soprano & strings in F sharp
1919
minor (arr. from Op.10)
String Quartet No. 2 for soprano & string quartet in F
1907
sharp minor, Op. 10
1927 String Quartet No. 3, Op. 30
1936 String Quartet No. 4, Op. 37
1949 String Quartet No. 5 (fragments)
String Quartets
1905 String Quintet in D major (fragment)
1918 String Septet, U. 175 (fragment)
1946 String Trio, Op. 45
1921 Suite for piano, Op. 25
1934 Suite for string orchestra in G major
1925 Suite, septet in E flat major, Op. 29
A Survivor from Warsaw, for narrator, male chorus &
1947
orchestra, Op. 46
Theme and Variations for orchestra in G major, Op.
43b
Theme and Variations for wind band in G minor, Op.
1943
43a
1899 Toter Winkel, for string sextet, U. 167 (fragment)
Transcription for chamber ensemble of Max Reger's
"Eine romantische Suite"
Transcription for chamber ensemble of Schubert's
1921
"Horch, horch die Lerch"
Transcription for chamber ensemble of Johann Sioly's
"Weil i a alter Draher bin"
Transcription for orchestra of Bach's "Komm, Gott
1922
Schpfer, heiliger Geist"
1922 Transcription for orchestra of Bach's "Schmcke dich,

Vocal Music
Chamber Music
Chamber Music

Polka

Chamber Music
Chamber Music
Chamber Music
Chamber Music
Chamber Music
Chamber Music
Chamber Music
Chamber Music

Quartet

Quartet

Orchestral
Chamber Music

String Quartet

Chamber Music
Chamber Music
Chamber Music
Chamber Music
Chamber Music
Chamber Music
Chamber Music
Keyboard
Orchestral
Chamber Music

Quartet
Quartet

Choral

Semi-Opera

Orchestral

Variations

Band Music

Variations

String Quartet

Suite
Suite
Septet

Chamber Music
Chamber Music
Chamber Music
Chamber Music
Orchestral
Orchestral

Suite

o liebe Seele"
Transcription for orchestra of Bach's Prelude & Fugue
1928
Orchestral
in E flat major
Transcription for orchestra of Brahms' Piano Quartet
1937
Orchestral
No.1 in G minor
Transcription for string quartet, flute, clarinet & piano,
1925
Chamber Music
of Johann Strauss' "Emperor Waltz"
Transcription for string quartet, harmonium & piano of
1921
Chamber Music
Johann Strauss' "Rosen aus dem Suden"
Untitled piece for strings in D major, U. 549
1926
Chamber Music
(fragment)
Untitled piece for violin & piano in D minor
Chamber Music
1926 Variations for Orchestra, Op. 31
Orchestral
Variations on a Recitative, for organ in D minor, Op.
1941
Keyboard
40
Vergissmeinnicht: War ein Blmlein wunderfein, song
1895
Vocal Music
for voice & piano
Verklrte Nacht, for string orchestra (arr. from String
1917
Orchestral
Sextet, Op.4)
1899 Verklrte Nacht, for string sextet, Op. 4
Chamber Music
1935 Violin Concerto, Op. 36
Concerto
1930 Von Heute auf Morgen, opera, Op. 32
Opera
Waldesnacht: Waldesnacht, du Wunderkhle, song for
Vocal Music
voice & piano
1897 Waltzes (11) for string orchestra (incomplete)
Orchestral
1895 Wanderlieder, song for voice & piano
Vocal Music
Warum bist Du aufgewacht, song for voice & piano
Vocal Music
Weihnachtsmusik (Musique de Nol), for 2 violins,
1921
Chamber Music
cello, piano & harmonium
1905 Wenn der schwer Gedrckte klagt, canon for 4 parts Vocal Music
Miscellaneous
Work(s)
(Classical)
Das zerbrochene Krglein, song for voice & piano
Vocal Music
Zweiffler: Du kliene bist so lieb und hold, song for
Vocal Music
voice & piano

Fugue
Quartet

Quartet

Variations
Variations

Tone Poem
Sextet
Concerto
Opera

Song

Canon