7 Arnold Schoenberg 7Before he was nine years old, Schoenberg began com-
posing little pieces for two violins, which he played with
his teacher or with a cousin. A little later, when he acquired
a viola-playing classmate, he advanced to the writing of
string trios for two violins and viola. When he learned the
cello, he promptly began composing quartets.
Schoenberg’s father died in 1890. To help the family
finances, the young man worked as a bank clerk until 1895.
During this time he came to know Alexander von
Zemlinsky, a rising young composer and conductor of the
amateur orchestra Polyhymnia in which Schoenberg
played cello. The two became close friends, and Zemlinsky
gave Schoenberg instruction in harmony, counterpoint,
and composition. This resulted in Schoenberg’s first publicly
performed work, the String Quartet in D Major (1897).
Highly influenced by the style of Brahms, the quartet was
well received by Viennese audiences during the 1897– 98
and 1898– 99 concert seasons.
First Major Works
A great step forward took place in 1899, when Schoenberg
composed the string sextet Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured
Night), a highly romantic piece of program music (unified
by a nonmusical story or image). Its programmatic nature
and its harmonies outraged conservative program commit-
tees. Consequently, it was not performed until 1903, when
it was violently rejected by the public.
In 1901 Schoenberg decided to move to Berlin, hoping
to better his financial position. He married Mathilde von
Zemlinsky, his friend’s sister, and began working as musical
director at the Überbrettl, an intimate artistic cabaret. He
wrote many songs for this group, among them, “Nacht-
wandler” (“Sleepwalker”) for soprano, piccolo, trumpet, snare