Arnold Schoenberg

Arnold Schoenberg remains one of the most controversial figures in the history of music. From the final years of the 19th century to the period following 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 September 13, 1874 into a family that was not particularly musical, Schoenberg was largely self-taught. An amateur cellist, he demonstrate...