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I would like to ask everyone their opinions about Arnold Schoenberg. Do you like his music? Do you absolutely hate it? He is personally one of my favorite composers. I enjoy his music because it is highly original, it is extremelly progressive, and it just sounds awesome, for lack of a better word.

The only work by Schoenberg I know I realy like is "A Survivor in Warsaw" Op. 46, wich I think is a fantastic piece. But I also like some of his early works to, but not "Gurrelieder". That piece is "to much" in every way.

I do prefer Alban Berg among the members of the Second Viennese School.

DALTORPS (Brian Cohn).

I find Schoenberg somewhat boring, at least that is my current opinion. I have not listen to much Schoenberg, though. I presently prefer his student Anton Webern over him. I am still young and I am sure my opinion will change over time.

If you are familiar with Tchaikovsky's Manfred Symphony and Brahms's String Quintet No. 2, please comment on what you think about those pieces on their according threads.

I too find Berg more musical. (Perhaps it is his tonal approach to serialism...).

Schönberg has his moments, but is generally (to me), not the most interesting serialist composer.

I do prefer Webern, however Schoenberg has a great many masterpieces that surpass even the Webern Op. 21 or 27 - Erwartung, Pierrot Lunaire, the Phantasy, the Trio, and even Verklarte Nacht come to mind.

I would say pretty much the same thing about Schoenberg as Stockhausen- he wasn't very talented as a musician, just as an innovator, and was merely trying to be interesting. Both of his major pupils were superior; in fact, Webern was probably one of the greatest composers since his time. Although maybe I shouldn't pass so harsh judgment considering I have not heard all of his works...Pierrot Lunaire is the only piece of his that I have heard that I would say is a really good piece. Other than that...

Schoenberg is one of the greatest musical thinkers of all time. Berg and Webern, both great composers wouldn't have been possible without Schoenberg's innovations and development of atonal language, which influnced (and continues to influence) contemporary music and much of the 20th centrury. His writing and text books are fantastic, profound - although they do in my mind represent a German viewpoint and historical development in my opinion. Schoenberg's later works even get better when Stravinsky's later works (in my opinion) seem to become more conservative. Ode to Napolean is a later Schoenberg work that surpases many of his earlier works in maturity, expression, and remains on the cutting edge at a point much later in Schoenerg's life! Schoenberg, like Wagner is somewhat idiosyncratic, self-taught to a certain extent, and a brilliant man, thinker, and artist! I never tire of his music and it moves me deeply every time I hear his work. I especially love his sprecht stimme technique.