Alexander von Zemlinsky

Alexander von Zemlinsky or Alexander Zemlinsky, (October 14, 1871 - March 15, 1942) was an Austrian composer of classical music, a conductor and a teacher.

Early Life

Zemlinsky was born in Vienna and studied the piano from a young age. He played the organ in his synagogue on holidays, and was admitted to the Vienna Conservatory in 1884. There he studied the piano with Anton Door, winning the school's piano prize in 1890. He also took composition lessons, and began to write pieces.

Related Topics:
Vienna - Piano - Organ - Synagogue - 1884 - Anton Door - 1890

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Zemlinsky met Johannes Brahms on several occasions, who, among other acts of encouragement, recommended Zemlinsky's Clarinet Trio (1896) to the Simrock company for publication. He also met Arnold Schoenberg when Schoenberg joined the Polyhymnia, an orchestra Zemlinsky had formed in 1895, as a cellist. The two became close friends, and later mutual admirers. Zemlinsky gave Schoenberg counterpoint lessons, thus becoming the only formal music teacher Schoenberg ever had. Zemlinsky was also to teach Erich Wolfgang Korngold.

Related Topics:
Johannes Brahms - Simrock - Arnold Schoenberg - Orchestra - 1895 - Cellist - Counterpoint - Erich Wolfgang Korngold

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In 1897, Zemlinsky's Symphony No. 2 (actually the third he had written, and sometimes numbered as such) was premiered in Vienna and was a success. His reputation as a composer was further helped when Gustav Mahler conducted the premiere of his opera Es war einmal at the Hofoper in 1900. In 1899, Zemlinsky secured the post of Kapellmeister at the Carltheater in Vienna.

Related Topics:
1897 - Gustav Mahler - Opera - Hofoper - 1900 - 1899 - Kapellmeister

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