Arnold Schönberg wanted his melodies to be whistled on the street one day. In the year of his 150th birthday, this can safely be described as an illusion, and not just because there are hardly any people whistling on the streets anymore. But the composer has definitely achieved one thing: that people who don’t constantly deal with classical music, especially those of the 20th and 21st centuries, also know his name. Albeit with sometimes rather dubious connotations: that of a man who taught “the beautiful Musi” to fear. Even in musical circles, his works are often considered brittle.
Arnold Schönberg on his 150th birthday: “Friday the Thirteenth” – Culture
