Shame – Arnold Schoenberg

Austrian composer Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951), known as one of the creators of atonal music, was furious when Thomas Mann published his novel “Doctor Faustus”. Specifically, the main protagonist of the novel is Adrian Leverkühn, a composer who "sells his soul to the devil” to invent a new music technique like the one Arnold Schoenberg did...

After the publication of the novel, Schoenberg, in anger, wrote an open letter for the public in which he accused Thomas Mann of plagiarism. But Mann managed to defend himself and the novel by saying that Schoenberg had a great influence on him.

Nevertheless, the composer was convinced that Leverkühn, the hero of the novel, ruined his reputation in cultural circles, and complained about it for the rest of his life.

- If Thomas Mann only hinted to me that he intends to write a novel about a composer, in just a few hours I could have invented a completely different music technique, just for him! - Arnold Schoenberg used to say.

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Fear - Arnold Schoenberg!

Austrian composer Arnold Schoenberg (13 September 1874 – 13 July 1951) suffered from triskaidekaphobia, fear of the number thirteen.

This artist (father of atonal music, as he was called) was convinced that he would die on the thirteenth day of the month, so on each such day he stayed at home, taking care of what he drank and what he eats, and sometimes he did not even get up out of bed...

 

This was the case and on 13 July 1951.

Convinced that his end was near, Schoenberg was just loafing on that day. Late that night, his wife finally said that the clock struck midnight and that it was 14 July, and went to bring him some tea.  When she returned to the room, she found her husband dead.

He died, however, on 13 July. The clock in the bedroom was not accurate. When she found him, it was 5 minutes until midnight.

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