December 3 - Anton Webern (The Musical Birthday Series)

Anton Webern (3 December 1883 – 15 September 1945) was one of the most important composers of the 20th century.

Should Old Acquaintance be Forgot?

When Webern adopted the row

He abandoned the old status quo.

Then, tritones and sevenths,

And ninths and elevenths,

Replaced the old “do mi sol do”.

Foursome

A twelve tone composer’s immersion 

In Prime, Retrograde, and Inversion,

Can reach a new high

By adding RI

In a kind of Revised Standard Version.

Ready, Set

You don’t need my verse to report

That Webern liked keeping things short.

But in spite of their length

We’re assured of their strength

In the writings of Prof Allen Forte.

Performance Practice

Webern's great Variationen
Should never be played like a phone in.
The delicate heaven
Of Op. 27
Comes alive with ideas of your own in.

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