Anton von Webern's reputation as the originator of avant-garde music has
conspired against a true recognition of one of the twentieth-century's
greatest composer's. He was a pupil of Schoenberg and, like his teacher,
he came to use the twelve-note method, but combined this with his love
of chamber music to create a sound that was entirely his own.
Single-minded and a perfectionist, he created an ouevre of extreme
concentration. In this unique biography, Malcolm Hayes sets Webern's
radical technical advances against the Romantic inheritance of
nineteenth-century Austro-Germany, tracing the development of a man and
his music. For those seeking a deeper enjoyment or understanding of
Webern's work, this fluent introduction is essential reading.