Anton Webern: The Man and His Music Author(s): Willi Reich Source: Tempo, No. 14 (Mar., 1946), pp. 8-10 Published by: Cambridge University Press Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/943713 Accessed: 17/03/2010 07:52 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp. JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use provides, in part, that unless you have obtained prior permission, you may not download an entire issue of a journal or multiple copies of articles, and you may use content in the JSTOR archive only for your personal, non-commercial use. Please contact the publisher regarding any further use of this work. Publisher contact information may be obtained at http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=cup. Each copy of any part of a JSTOR transmission must contain the same copyright notice that appears on the screen or printed page of such transmission. JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact
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TEMPO
ANTON
WEBERN
THE MAN AND HIS MUSIC By Willi Reich
MULTA, SED MULTUM. "XTON How happy I would be, could this saying be applied here!" With these words, Anton Webern dedicated the score of his Op. 9, the six Bagatelles for string quartet, to his friend Alban Berg. Each of pieces, though lasting only few seconds, contains truly remarkable wealth of musical expression. But this old Latin adage may also very suitably be applied to the whole of Webern's work. The published list commences with large composition for orchestra, the Passacaglia Op. (1908), written after long and strict study with Arnold Sch6nberg. It shows the twenty-five-year-oldcomposer twenty-five-year-oldcomposer in comof traditionalmeansof plete commandof all the traditionalmeans his art. Even this work, clearly nfluenced by Brahms's late style, betrays peculiar originality, wrestling for its own means of expression in its melodic invention and its endeavour to expand tonality to the utterdouble most. Also the next work, Canon for mixed choir cappella words certain by Stefan George, strives for conciliation between conventional ways of writing and the new presentation of clearly conceived tone-world. The early marshal and arrange even the tendency to marshaland boldest and freest musical thoughts by orthodox musical form-laws (passacaglia, canon), remains characteristic also of Webern's latest compositions. In 1910 Webern, simultaneously with Sch6nberg and Alban Berg, finally freed himself from the ties of tonality. Already in the song-cycles to poems by Stefan and 4, composed 19o8George (Opp. path prescribed solely 1909) he follows and the inner tension of his the texts by music. Subsequently, the five Movements for string quartet, Op. 5, give us for the first time in purely instrumental music those concise, miniature-like orms, which become for long time Webern's only medium of expression. Soon, in his six orchestral Pieces Op. 6, the new form principleis applied to larger instrumental body without any loss of power and intensity. Especiallythe fourth piece, alla marcia funebre,' seems to me typical in that respect: in a few bars it expresses in most convincing manner the experience
of profound mourning for the loss of a beloved friend. No one, hearing this piece with their senses awake, can escape the impression of deep, inconsolable pain. The succeeding works, Opp. to II, (four Pieces for violin and piano, two songs to words by Rilke, six Bagatellesfor string quartet, five orchestralPieces, three Pieces for 'cello and piano) are entirely on the lines of the miniature style originating with Op. 5. Each piece contains hardly more than a single theme, presented and-of an extremely striking concise form and-of tone-character. They are not accessible to analytical or theoretical explanation. Somehow they strike us as if they were illustrations of those words with which Sch6nberg concluded his famous Harmonielehreof 1911: "The melody of timbre! What refined senses are required to apprehendsuch a subtle quality, what a cultivatedmind to enjoy such things. highly cultivatedmind In 1926, dares to demand theory Who daresto at the Zurich Festival of the ISCM, the effect of Webern's five orchestral Pieces (Op. io) was truly sensational. Everyone in the audience felt that he faced a completely new world of sound, whose peculiarity and profundity he could sense without knowing how to fathom the causes of the experience. On the occasion of later performance Vienna, Webern gave the following titles to the pieces: Urbild(' Archetype '), Verwandlung Metamorphosis'), morphosis'), Rfickkehr ('Return '), Erinnerung' Recollection '), and Seele(' Soul '). These titles were not intended as programmatic explanations; they simply indicatethe dicate the emotions by which the composer was swayed whilst writing the pieces. In his works up to Op. II (1914), border-line Webern had progressed to of musical form, whose nature was such that further intensification would have entailed the disintegration of all structure into mere isolated sounds. This crisis he overcame in number of writtenbetween vocal works (Opp. 12 to 19) writtenbetween 1917 and 1925, preparing in them the transition to entirely new principles of composition. Firstly, in contrast to his previous choice of the complicated poetry of George and Rilke, he now chose folk
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songs and sacred verses, poems of the simplest mood and strophic structure by Goethe, Strindberg, Karl Kraus, and Georg Trakl, which promoted the moulding of clearly shaped and easily comprehensible musical forms (Opp. 12 to 15). Later, etc. -gave contrapuntal technique-canon, new impulse to the course of his music. characteristic feature in connection with most of these vocal works is the uncommon combinations of their instrumental accompaniments. For instance, the two choral songs (Op. 9) to words by Goethe are accompanied by celesta, guitar, violin, clarinet and bass-clarinet. The thematic lines are usually distributed amongst several instruments, producing in the accompaniment that peculiarly immaterial, swaying effect which gives particular charm to Webern's later works. About 1923, Webern became acquainted with Sch6nberg's twelve-tone' technique, latter had perfected in which meantime. This had a most stirring effect on his impulse to proceed again to larger instrumental forms, and in the compositions which followed, Webern developed Sch6nberg's theory further in own individual manner. All of his later compositions had to obey certain contrapuntal laws, (e.g. strict canon in all possible variations) and, beyond that, to observe traditional form rules (sonata, rondo, etc.). This 'overdefinition' of form was handled by the composer with such virtuosity that there was perfect freedom of life for his ideas even under the strictest discipline. It is this mysterious unity of freedom and law which gives Webern's late works the stamp of greatest mastery. Webern's final works are headed by the string Trio Op. 20, which, strange to say, provoked open disapproval not only at its first performance in Siena (1928) but also But other ten years later in London. chamber music in the new style, like the piano Quartet (Op. 22), the Variations for piano (Op. 27), and the string Quartet (Op. 28), were received by their audiences with immediate respect. The Symphony (Op. 21) set for nine solo instruments was first performed in New York in 1929, at concert of the League of Composers; it was again played at the festival of the ISCM in London in 1931, and was afterwards broadcast by the B.B.C. Webern's greatest success in England to date was gained by his cantata for choir and orchestra 'Das Augenlicht' (Op. 26, composed
1935). It was performed at the last ISCM Festival in London, in June 1938, and was truly enthusiastic reception. Of given the last three works completed by Webern, the scores of which are in my possession, only the Variations for orchestra (in form of an overture) Op, 30, has as yet been performed (February 1943, in Winterthur, Webern, who by Hermann Scherchen), attended in person, was profoundly happy over the excellent performance, and this was the last time that saw him. His two Cantatas (Opp. 29 and 31) to words by Hildegard Jone have not yet been heard. In his last letter to me Webern revealed that he was working on concerto in several movements. Whether it was comdo not know, as had no communication from him after July 1944. Webern's most important remark to me was, think, the following from letter of February 23rd 1944: To quote freely from H61derlin: 'To live-that is to defend a form.'* iell you this gladly. This poet has been occupying my attention intensely for a considerable time. Imagine what an impression it made on me, when this passage occurred in the notes to the (3dipus translation: 'Also, other works of art lack reliability, as compared with those of the Greeks. They have, at least up to now, been judged more by the impression they convey than by the artistic considerations and other methods through which their beauty is created.' Do still need to tell you why this passage moved me so much ? "' These words embody the whole artist and man Webern-the ardent idealism which animated all his work, the strict sense of law to which both his life and work were subject and which in return gave the greatest, uncompromising reliability to both. Finally, his humanity, which was mirrored so accurately in his works, comparable in their mysterious symmetries and perfect proportions to the most perfect crystals. Humanity and highly artistic mind were united also in his extraordinary accomplishments as conductor and teacher. This was especially apparent in his activities as director of the Workers' Symphony Concerts in Vienna. He not only worked on large scale as pioneer in the performance of the great masters, but also quickly created out of group of musical laymenall working-class people of simple circumstances-a choral body capable of performing in public the most complicated works bhirrtsine Form verteidigen'. *'Lebin bhirrtsine
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of Sch6nberg and Mahler. This must remain an unforgettable experience for all those who were privileged to watch Webern at his rehearsals. He worked with almost superhuman patience and passionate devotion with these amateurs, until they reached a standard of performance not often of by professionals. Proof acquired Webern's outstanding ability as conductor was also given when on various occasions he acted as guest conductor to the B.B.C. Symphony Orchestra. He gave the music of Beethoven, Schubert, Bruckner and Mahler, as well as that of Sch6nberg and Alban Berg, whose art he served with the greatest possible devotion. In his work as
teacher Webern was thorough exponent of the great masterpieces. This was by no means confined to private lessons, but was extended to lengthy series of lectures in popular language, directed towards the broad masses. Webern's ability to interpret clearly to musical laymen the most subtle problems last string quartets or of Beethoven twelve-tone technique was Sch6nberg really astounding. The effect of his inspiring personality was so strong that even in the times of Nazi terror, when Webern was forbidden any public activity, he was urged
Re-opening of Covent Garden The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, re-opened its doors to opera and ballet on February 2oth-the occasion of a brilliant social and musical event and, it is hoped, the beginning of an auspicious new chapter in British operatic history based on firmer foundations than heretofore. The performance of Tchaikovsky's The Sleeping Princess ' by the Sadler's Wells Ballet Company drew festive audience that included the King and Queen, Queen Mary, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret, the Prime Minister and Mrs Attlee, members of the Cabinet and Diplomatic Corps, and many leading figures in British musical life. The public response has exceeded even the most optimistic expectations, and the organizers at Covent Garden have secured large initial measure of good will for their future enterprises. B61a Bart6k Series of concerts in commemoration of Bart6k have been given in Budapest and Amsterdam, and the Hungarian Government plans to erect a public monument to the composer in the capital. The posthumous third piano Concerto, Bart6k's last work, was given in Philadelphia for the first time on February 8th, repeated the next day, and broadcast on the 12th. The performers were Gyorgy Sandor (soloist) and the Philadelphia Orchestra under Eugene Ormandy. of the Concerto The first London for orchestra were given by the B.B.C. Symphony Orchestra (Sir Adrian Boult conducting) on February 6th and ioth. This work was also given in Geneva (Ansermet) and Brussels. In Liverpool and Manchester there have been double perfor-
to-and in fact did-continue his lectures. In private life Webern was extremely reserved. He lived in almost monastic solitude, on the edge of the forest, in little provincial town about ten miles from Vienna. Here, in the closest communion with Nature, he worked and studied, with the care of his garden as his special recreation. He did not participate in the official musical life of the city, and his socialability was restricted to few personal friends with whom he frankly discussed his innermost thoughts in simple, loving manner. His character was simple and profound, like a monk of the Middle Ages, yet the Franciscan gentleness of his personality could change rapidly into the burning Savonarola if decisive passion of were called into question-the works of the great masters, for instance, which he held sacred, or his own music, achieved with such fervent enthusiasm. Through his premature death, the world has been bereaved of one of its most important exponents. But all who were personally in close contact with Webern have lost in him an unforgettable example of a pure life and a most lovable friend.
(Translatedrom the Germanby Dr. Robert Koppel) mances of the violin Concerto under Dr. Sargent, with Max Rostal as the 'wonderfully assured and masterly soloist (Liverpool Post). I.S.C.M. London Festival The first post-war festival of the International Society for Contemporary Music will be held in London from July to July 14, 1946, under the auspices of the News-Chronicle. Events already arranged include two concerts with the B.B.C. Symphony Orchestra, chamber-orchestra concert, and three chamber-music and solo instrumental programmes. The works to be performed will be selected by an international committee meeting in London during Easter. English composers and foreign composers domiciled in this country desirous of submitting works for the committee's consideration, should send them to The Hon. Secretary, London Contemporary Music Centre, c/o Messrs. J. & W. Chester,Ltd., Chester, Ltd., ii, Great Marlborough Street, London, W.I. Scores should be inscribed I.S.C.M. Festival", and must be received not later than April I. The Boosey & Hawkes Concerts The next concert in this series will be given at Wigmore Hall, at 6.45 p.m. on Wednesday, March 2oth. Programme: Ravel, String Quartet; Webern, String Quartet, Op. 28 (first English performance); Prokofiev, 8th Piano Sonata (first English performance); Bart6k, 6th String Quartet. Artists: The Gertler String Quartet (Brussels) and Noel Mewton Wood. Another concert will be given on April 24th.
