Brussels Philharmonic | Schönberg: the painter

Schönberg: the painter

From Scores to Brushes

We know Arnold Schönberg as a groundbreaking composer, educator, and theorist – but also as a painter. Starting in 1907, Schönberg increasingly took up painting. By 1910, he was even exhibiting with Wassily Kandinsky's Blaue Reiter group. Musicologist Oliver Wray Neighbour called this period Schönberg’s ‘expressionistic period’, making a link between the composition Pierrot lunaire and the composer’s brief excursion into painting around 1910.

Both as an individual and as an artist, Schönberg stood firmly against any form of compromise. Throughout his life, he fought against narrow-minded and conservative views. Schönberg’s painting frequently revolves around the themes of 'gaze' and 'vision'. As in his musical works, Schönberg’s style of composition for the paintings completed roughly between 1906 and 1911 is that of free association; he does not paint on account of a “beautiful and charming” picture but to “record his subjective impression” (Wassily Kandinsky). His oeuvre encompasses portraits, self-portraits, landscapes, and designs for theatrical sets.

Want to learn more about Arnold Schönberg as a painter? Browse through his paintings and drawings, or be sure to check out the interview "Museum Talk on Painting" conducted by Halsey Stevens with Arnold Schönberg.

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With special thanks to the Arnold Schönberg Center, Wien for providing text, photo, and video material.

AIMEZ-VOUS SCHÖNBERG ?

This year, Flagey celebrates the 150th anniversary of Arnold Schönberg with a weekend filled with exceptional concerts and artists. Schönberg was a musical visionary who captured the unique spirit of his era. Rooted in Romanticism, his musical ideas continue to be a vital source of inspiration in the 20th-century repertoire.

concert part of Flagey : Aimez-Vous Schönberg ?

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10.10.2024 FLAGEY - Shades of Schönberg
12.10.2024 FLAGEY - Pierrot lunaire

Expo Arnold Schönberg: discover the life and work of Arnold Schönberg during the festival as a painter, teacher and key figure of the early 20th century throughout this exhibition featuring photographs, scores and reproductions of historical documents. [more info]

works by Arnold Schönberg in chronological order

1/ Blue Self-Portrait, 1910
2/ Self-Portrait, ca. 1908
3/ Self-Portrait, ca. 1910
4/ Gaze, 1910

SCHÖNBERG Marc Pennartz P1155981 Dx O CROP

Shades of Schönberg · 10.10.2024 · Flagey

Even after a century and a half, the name Arnold Schönberg still inspires fear in some people. The festival Aimez-vous Schönberg celebrates his jubilee year and will probably help you break free of that phobia. Because although we generally associate the man with his sometimes somewhat calculated twelve-tone technique, there is a wealth of repertoire that is rarely heard because the dodecaphony hangs over Arnold’s head like the sword of Damocles. It turns out that the younger Arnold could just as easily look over his shoulder romantically or be inspired by the art movements around him. This weekend with Pierrot lunaire and Verklärte Nacht is all about his connection with symbolism… and therefore with Claude Debussy, too.

SCHÖNBERG Marc Pennartz P1155981 Dx O CROP

Schönberg: Pierrot lunaire · 12.10.2024 · Flagey

"Pierrot lunaire is for a small orchestra and a singer who sings and half-speaks. Based on 21 selected poems from the Belgian Symbolist poet Albert Giraud, Schönberg’s music invites you to a one-of-a-kind experience: sometimes beautiful, sometimes grotesque, and sometimes both at the same time – you might be surprised!" – Kazushi Ono

Schoenberg Spraypaint P G

Arnold. Schönberg. Are you starting to shiver?

The majority of Schönberg’s music is now more than a century old. In 2024, we are celebrating the 150th anniversary of his birth. And yet his name alone still tends to elicit visceral reactions. It is something that Schönberg had always faced. In his lifetime, he received many extremely nasty reactions from the audience. Why is that?

Schoenberg Spraypaint P G

Arnold. Schönberg. Are you starting to shiver?

The majority of Schönberg’s music is now more than a century old. In 2024, we are celebrating the 150th anniversary of his birth. And yet his name alone still tends to elicit visceral reactions. It is something that Schönberg had always faced. In his lifetime, he received many extremely nasty reactions from the audience. Why is that?

Csm Schoenberg Portraet Arnold Schoeberg Center Wien 63a0c230a2

Schönberg: a visionary's struggle

"I had had to fight for every new work; I had been offended in the most outrageous manner by criticism; I had lost friends and I had completely lost any belief in the judgment of friends. And I stood alone against a world of enemies"

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