Between the Wars

Anton Webern (1883 Vienna - 1945 Mittersill/Saalzburg) felt bound to Schönberg's twelve-tone technique but allowed himself the prohibited tonal repetitions within the row and other deviations in interest of expressiveness. His Symphonie op.21 (1928) hints at tradition, but without a large orchestra, reduced in its dimensions to achieve transparency of sound and the absolute connection to the symmetrical form of the row. The listener cannot appreciate the composition merely with his ears but rather through a higher principle that requires the knowledge of the musical text and Webern's spiritual universe. Later, Serialism often reverts to Webern's compositional methods. (M. Saary)