Egon Wellesz, Composer

Egon Joseph Wellesz (October 21, 1885 – November 9, 1974) Austrian composer, teacher and musicologist, pupil of Arnold Schoenberg and student of Byzantine music. Left Austria for England in the wake of the Anschluss — more specifically, as noted in a review of the recent recording of songs and orchestral works on the Capriccio label — probably quoting their program notes — was in the Netherlands at the time by good fortune. Wrote nine symphonies and an equal number of string quartets, the former starting, in 1945, only with his arrival in England and the latter series of works spread throughout his life. Also wrote much other music including operas — of which Die Bakchantinnen was revived and recorded a few years ago; an octet with the same instrumentation as Schubert's, piano and violin concerti (one of each), for instance. Stylistically his earliest music, somewhat like that of Ernst Krenek, is in a very harsh but tonal style; there is a definite second period of sorts around the time of the first two symphonies (1940s) in which his music has a somewhat Brucknerian sound — in the symphonies sometimes an equal breadth, though still with something of a 20th-century feel and harmonies, and after his fourth symphony (the Austriaca) his music is more pan-tonal/non-tonal, serial in character. This is consistent, in for instance the 8th quartet, with hints of tonality. Image File history File links 202(1). ... A composer is a person who writes music. ... October 21 is the 294th day of the year (295th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 71 days remaining. ... 1885 (MDCCCLXXXV) is a common year starting on Thursday. ... November 9 is the 313th day of the year (314th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 52 days remaining. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1974 calendar). ... A composer is a person who writes music. ... A musicologist is someone who studies musicology. ... Arnold Schoenberg, Los Angeles, 1938 Schoenberg redirects here. ... Byzantine music is the music of the Byzantine Empire and by extension the music of its culture(s) as they continued in the Orthodox Christian parts of the population after the fall of the empire to the rule of the Ottoman Empire. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the United Kingdom (light green), with the Republic of Ireland (blue) to its west Languages English Capital London Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population – Total (mid... German troops march into Austria on 12 March 1938. ... A symphony is an extended composition usually for orchestra and usually comprising several movements. ... The resident string quartet of the Library of Congress in 1963 A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string instruments—usually two violins, a viola and cello—or a piece written to be performed by such a group. ... Sydney Opera House: one of the worlds most recognizable opera houses and landmarks Opera refers to a dramatic art form, originating in Europe, in which the emotional content or primary entertainment is conveyed to the audience as much through music, both vocal and instrumental, as it is through the... In music, an octet is a musical ensemble consisting of eight instruments or a musical composition written for it. ... A piano concerto is a concerto for solo piano and orchestra. ... A violin concerto is a concerto for solo violin (occasionally, two or more violins) and instrumental ensemble, customarily orchestra. ... Ernst Krenek Ernst Krenek (August 23, 1900 – December 22, 1991) was an Austrian-born composer of Czech ancestry; throughout his life he insisted that his name be written Krenek rather than KÅ™enek, and that it should be pronounced as a German word. ... Tonality is a system of writing music according to certain hierarchical pitch relationships around a center or tonic. ... Anton Bruckner (portrait by Josef Büche) Anton Bruckner (4 September 1824 – 11 October 1896) was an Austrian composer who wrote the majority of his mature music near the end of the Romantic era. ... Serial is a term, originating in literature, for a format by which a story is told in contiguous installments in sequential issues of a single periodical publication. ...

Egon Wellesz, painted by Oskar Kokoschka in 1911

The record label cpo in Osnabrück has now almost finished releasing a complete recording of his nine symphonies, though aside from this his music has been comparatively sparsely represented on CD or LP. The 3rd symphony, unpublished until recently, was only premiered — in Vienna — in 2000, after the composer's death (receiving its US premiere the year after, from the American Symphony Orchestra under Leon Botstein), though the others attained premieres and usually BBC broadcasts during his lifetime. Several have titles, the 2nd (The English), 4th as mentioned (Austriaca) and 7th (Contra torrentum). Image File history File links Kokoschka-bild. ... Image File history File links Kokoschka-bild. ... Oskar Kokoschka (March 1, 1886-February 22, 1980) was an Austrian artist and poet of Czech origin, best known for his intense expressionistic portraits and landscapes. ... 1911 (MCMXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar). ... Osnabrück is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, some 80 km NNE of Dortmund, 45 km NE of Münster, and some 100 km due west of Hanover. ... In 1962, at the age of 80, Leopold Stokowski founded the American Symphony Orchestra. ... Leon Botstein, as photographed during a February 2004 interview with WXBC Radio Bard. ...

External links

• An Austrian Symphonist in Britain
• Notes to US premiere of symphony 3