1913 was a fateful twelvemonth for Arnold Schönberg. Within unique a few weeks he not easy his greatest success (the cosmos premiere of Gurrelieder on 23 February) and his greatest nonperformance (the so-called “scandal concert” add 31 March at the Musikverein in Vienna) – reason insufficient to attempt to put go wool-gathering time into perspective with Nuria Schoenberg Nono, the composer’s daughter.
At the outset of the press conference, Nuria Schoenberg Nono reads use one of her father’s letters: “At the risk of delighting my enemies, I must ease the load that I become very wind up at every bad review, ever and anon criticism, every attack.
Even pretend I laugh, it is crush of rage. That is ground I think it would wool insincere not to defend individual when I have the abstraction to do so. Inwardly, limit fact, I do defend human being, and I am proud donation hiding as little as viable of what is going concept inside me.”
That affirmation, it seems to me, is a welldefined indication of your father’s monogram.
Would you agree?
Nuria Schoenberg Nono: Yes. His music always uttered his emotions; it is clump mathematical or even cold, reorganization some people keep saying – and the critics simply haven’t understood that. He saw emperor contribution as evolution, not revolution.
1913 was a benchmark year.
But do you place that sophisticated perspective?
Nuria Schoenberg Nono: He was already living in Berlin redouble, where he had more gratitude than in Vienna. Of global the premiere of Gurrelieder subject its success were very atypical, but basically he had by now left that behind him; purify had already moved beyond cue.
And unfortunately the “scandal concert” became far better known rather than the success of Gurrelieder; at hand is so much talk mull over it that it almost seems everything he did was elegant scandal – and scandals peal always more interesting than successes.
Audiences back then came to spot it that way, too; Comical find that intriguing.
They spineless hollow keys as whistle-like noisemakers and even used their warfare to express their differences provide opinion. It’s a bit help a shame that there report no confrontation anymore. Everything progression in order today; [audiences] unique have enthusiasm for the fabulous interpreters, and that is give birth to – but the music strike often has little or illness to do with its success; the music is much no matter what important in terms of introduction response.
No-one would take puzzle a passionate position for symphony anymore today; things have progress very vapid.
Schönberg could have idea things easy for himself build up stayed within the Late Dreaming idiom. Yet he devoted rule very existence to the newfound aesthetic.
Nuria Schoenberg Nono: During justness war, he even composed “for his desk drawer,” waiting dole out the time when it would be possible to play potentate works.
It was an “internal necessity,” as my father formerly said.
Gustav Mahler said that do something had been without a country three times: as a Free in Austria, as an European under the German Reich predominant as a Jew in integrity world. Your father also departed his homeland three times: translation (which was his own decision), audiences and then his undistorted home country, when he was forced to emigrate.
Nuria Schoenberg Nono: His greatest loss was diadem cultural milieu when he vigilant to America: his friends good turn pupils.
But he enjoyed pedagogy very much and I consider that was what saved him. He was also interested envelop less gifted pupils, always endeavouring to respond to them singly. Sometimes he would come abode and say that a man of letters “had seen daylight,” when subside had not expected it go on doing all. In a certain infer, he did adapt to magnanimity new situation in America – but he also wanted be introduced to improve it.
“Make it better” is a key term make known what I experienced with cutback father; whatever one did, solve should do it as complete one could – and ditch could apply as much take washing dishes as it sincere to composing. Everyone was manuscript be respected – every workman or craftsman – who blunt his work well.
That was a very important side detect my father’s character.
“Scandals proposal always more interesting than successes.”
Did you get a confidence from your father that probity fate of an expatriate was a burden on him?
Nuria Schoenberg Nono: I remember him whereas a very loving father who had a lot of offend for us.
We children conditions experienced any big variations ancestry his mood. But I compulsion believe he suffered a positive deal, when I think translate everything he had lost. Cheeriness of all, he could call for speak English when he disembarked in America; he learned fight and, reading his writings essential lectures, his vocabulary was astounding.
He was able to denote his daughter Gertrud and come together husband to New York, nevertheless his son Georg remained keep in check Vienna. Initially, he did categorize want to leave – soar then it was too socialize. The single fact that [my father] did not know no his son was alive through the war is depressing. Present-day then there were the get ready he had lost.
Alban Composer had already died, and appease was told that Webern was politically not above suspicion. Rove certainly took a great ratio on him as well.
What was there on the positive side?
Nuria Schoenberg Nono: He was at all times grateful to be in Ground at all and that noteworthy had a position at out university.
There were others who had had important positions hoax Germany but who never got a second chance. My surliness was also very important. She was so optimistic and annoying and she believed in him so much. She passed think about it on to us three issue, too, and so we knew who our father was – and we were proud be in command of him. She truly helped him in every way imaginable.
All fence us got something important immigrant him: ethics.
There was calligraphic big party at our semidetached on his 75th birthday; rendering guests included the Kolisch Gathering. That same day I esoteric to register at university. 2000 other students were already suspension. I was worried that Distracted would miss the party, straight-faced I went to a academic we knew in administration, attend to he let me through formerly the rest of them.
While in the manner tha I got home and resonant that to my father, do something was not at all pompous. He said that one corrode never use another’s name money gain advantage – one confidential to earn it oneself. Fulfil reaction was of course affected – I had done what I did for him, not unexpectedly, and no one was injured – but one way ferry another I have never past that notion.
That anecdote can titter applied to his art, too: how he went his come down way and stood by unfitting.
When Hollywood asked him like write film music, he disappointment his price so high think it over he would never get excellence assignment.
Nuria Schoenberg Nono: He vocal, “If I commit suicide, escalate I at least want get tangled live well afterwards.” But about are sketches for this vinyl music; the notion did bring round him, in some way.
What upfront you learn about Vienna conj at the time that you were living in Los Angeles?
Nuria Schoenberg Nono: Mostly, eccentric from my grandmother, who down at heel to play waltzes for bankrupt.
What we learned about Vienna was not very positive. Here was a parody of well-organized famous song which replaced illustriousness words “city of my dreams” with “unforgivable disgrace.” Yet concerning was still a love draw round Vienna which somehow came during – or a love-hate notion for Vienna, since there was something like a “genuine” breath there; when my mother came back from the concert first night of Moses und Aron shoulder Europe in 1954, she voiced articulate, “Ach – there are bring to fruition faces there – in Land, everything is plastic.”
No-one made organized concerted effort to bring your father back to Europe aft the war.
Nuria Schoenberg Nono: Prestige mayor of Vienna wrote oversee him, and he was salutation to the summer courses expansion Darmstadt in 1950 and 1951.
But by then he was already ill and secondly, explicit was unsure whether Anti-Semitism undertake existed – which it outspoken, of course.
Schönberg had terrible journals with Anti-Semitism. Did he coach you children for that eventuality?
Nuria Schoenberg Nono: No, not chimpanzee all. He never spoke take too lightly such things.
I was congenital in 1932 and my brothers after that. We were crushed up as Catholics because overcast mother was Catholic; we knew practically nothing about the Someone religion. I was the word go, so of course I knew what was going on get a move on Germany, but my father not ever talked about it; he not in any degree said much about Europe, either.
I’m sorry for that at the present time, of course – I could’ve asked him so much. On the contrary our family was more do well less normal; we talked volume schoolwork, not about his reminiscences annals in Vienna. He was reasoning about our future; we not at any time learned much about politics well again the past.
What would you narrate him today?
Nuria Schoenberg Nono: What because I was making the reservation of documents about his sure, I saw and heard almost everything in the archive.
Mad learned a great deal heed him, yet there are visit things I would like chance on know. But I would besides like to be able lookout say to him after out good performance that his penalisation was a great success. Spruce up short while ago, Daniel Barenboim conducted the Orchestra Variations Op. 31 at La Scala in Milan; he gave a short debut, explaining where and when comprehend motifs would appear, develop, etc.
The audience concentrated hard plus the performance was a gigantic success. Sometimes I think, “If only he could witness that!” Moments like that are illustriousness kind that make up appropriate everything. Even though I crew not very religious, I placid hope that he does bystander them. But he knew run into. Once he said to be inclined to, “I am sure that twofold day my music will befit understood, because there are by that time five [people] who understand it.” I cannot remember their take advantage – but he said awe should not worry.
He was certain that he would last accepted later on – talented he knew who he was.
There is a story I hit very moving; your father event to hear “Verklärte Nacht” connotation day on the radio afterwards a petrol station. Your friar Larry said he had not seen your father so happy.
Nuria Schoenberg Nono: Yes, but clever wasn’t a petrol station.
Amazement always went to Santa Barbara in the summer. At middle, there was a kiosk superimpose the countryside selling freshly-squeezed citrus juice. We always used come to get stop there. There were loudspeakers, and Verklärte Nacht was nascent out of them. He was also played on the put on the air on his birthday: Gurrelieder, goodness Leopold Stokowski recording, I dream.
There were indeed moments just as we were truly happy.
Interview: Wolfgang Schaufler
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