Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951) was one of the greatest composers of the twentieth century. Selected unpublished correspondence written between 1903 and 1950 includes the responses of the addressees. Gives a vivid picture of the historical controversies between the composer and other major figures in the field.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

This short, readable volume of previously unpublished letters is an important piece of music history. With the exception of the Downes correspondence, the focus is on projects for which Schoenberg supplied figured-bass realizations, cadenzas, and a transcription of music by the 18th-century composer, Georg Matthias Monn (1717-50). Radiating gentlemanly warmth and mutual respect, most of the letters deal with technical, musical matters and business concerns, but there are many interesting biographical and historical facts along the way that make for very absorbing reading. The arguments between Schoenberg and Downes are especially entertaining. Here, the composer's singlemindedness often seems curiously ``old world'' compared with Downes's inborn American sense of fair play. Letters from Aaron Copland, reviews, and an excellent introductory homage to the master by Josef Ruter round out the collection. A feast for cognoscenti and amateurs alike.--Daniel Fermon, Museum of Modern Art Lib., New York (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

CHOICE Review

Although this correspondence is only a minute portion of that in which Schoenberg engaged, it does cover a wide span of his life and captures admirably the uncompromising, idealistic spirit of this most important and controversial 20th-century composer. The Adler-Casals-Feuermann correspondence (1903-38) is concerned with activities somewhat incidental to Schoenberg's main thrust as the founder of the atonal-serialist school. These letters deal with the composer's work as editor of a cello concerto by the 18th-century composer Georg Matthais Monn and Schoenberg's efforts to get performances of this and of his own cello concerto, which was modeled on yet another Monn composition. The Downes correspondence (1934-50) touches on many events during Schoenberg's American period and reveals the composer to have been an avid follower of musical events, particularly those regarding the reception of his own music and ideas. The bulk of the correspondence is taken from the Adler and Downes papers at the University of Georgia; however, the author has drawn on other archives, made extensive annotations for all letters, and brought in related materials such as musical examples, concert reviews, periodical articles, and letters from other persons in his effort to flesh out the topics of the principal correspondence. The correspondence section is preceded by Ennulat's excellent translation of Josef Rufer's informative essay, Hommage `a Schoenberg, and concluded with the author's thoughtful analysis of Schoenberg's basso-continuo realizations in the light of contemporaneous critic Max Graf's attack on them. Recommended for all research libraries.-W. K. Kearns, University of Colorado at Boulder

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Egbert Ennulat (Ph.D., musicology, Case Western Reserve) is a professor of music history, organ, and harpsichord at the University of Georgia. Born in Germany, he studied organ and harpsichord at the Staatliche Hochschule fuer Music in Frankfurt am Main with Helmut Walcha and continued his harpsichord studies with Ralph Kirkpatrick at Yale. He has previously taught at Oberlin and Wooster Colleges and has toured Europe, the US, South America, Korea, and Japan as a harpscidhordist and organist.