AKA Anton Friedrich Wilhelm von Webern

Born: 3-Dec-1883
Birthplace: Vienna, Austria
Died: 15-Sep-1945
Location of death: Mittersill, Austria
Cause of death: War
Remains: Buried, Mittsersill Kirchhof, Mittersill, Austria

Gender: Male
Religion: Roman Catholic
Race or Ethnicity: White
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation: Composer

Nationality: Austria
Executive summary: Atonal composer

Military service: Austrian Army (WWI, discharged 1916)

Atonal composer known for his thick concentration of musical material and extreme brevity (his entire output fits on three CDs). A member of the Second Viennese School and one of the two most famous pupils of Arnold Schoenberg, along with Alban Berg. Studied Renaissance music and mined it for ideas, especially in later works. Made a living by teaching and conducting at various appointments. Ran into some trouble with the Nazis; appeared on a list of "degenerate art" and had his work banned in 1938. Shot accidentally by an Allied soldier in 1945 as a result of his son-in-law's black market dealings.

Though Schoenberg was the one to originally invent the 12-tone method of composition, of the three friends Webern was the one who applied it most vigorously. While both Schoenberg and Berg took varying amounts of liberties in their use of the system, Webern was the first to grow entire compositions out of the tone row, thus paving the way for integrated serialists like Karlheinz Stockhausen and Pierre Boulez. The extraordinary detail, organization, and compactness of his style had great impact all across the board, and despite his small output very few modern composers have not had to cope with his influence in some way.

Father: (mining engineer)
Wife: Wilhelmine Mörtl (his cousin, m. 1911, one son, three daughters)
Son: Peter (d. 1945 war)

    High School: Klagenfurt Humanistisches Gymnasium (1902)
    University: PhD Musicology, University of Vienna (1906)

    Shot: Accidental 1945

Official Website:
http://www.antonwebern.com/

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