E. Okuneva

The paradigm of a new musical being: on the perception of A. Webern’s works in the early 1950s

The article defines the major features of A. Webern’s legacy perception in the early 1950s in the light of the West European serial composers’ aspirations. The author notes the particular interest for the Webern’s works was formed by R. Leibowitz («Schoenberg and His School») and T. W. Adorno («Philosophy of New Music»). Side by side with the total estimate of compositions by Webern, the mentioned treatises accented the technical-stylistic aspect of his legacy. Later on P. Boulez’s writings contributed to forming the critical treatment of the Schoenberg’s legacy and predominating of the pro-Webern moods. The researcher analyzes also the papers by H. Eimert, K. Stockhausen, L. Nono, P. Boulez and K. Goeyvaerts, which have taken place in the concert organized on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of Webern’s birth (Darmstadt, 1953) and read in the night program of the Nordwestdeutscher Rundfunk. The named young composers were united by the general requirement to bring structure of the musical work out of the uniform guideline. In point of fact the serial composers’ thoughts about Webern were in many respects a reflection of their own musical practice. The author of article reveals the ideas which have given impetus to the individual trajectories of creative development of Stockhausen, Boulez, Goeyvaerts, and Nono.

Key words

A. Webern, T. W. Adorno, R. Leibowitz, K. Stockhausen, P. Boulez, K. Goeyvaerts, L. Nono, serial music.

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