A reissue of a classic that represents the culmination of over 40 years in Schoenberg's life devoted to the teaching of musical principles to students and composers in Europe and America. For his classes, he developed a manner of presentation in which "every technical matter is discussed in a very fundamental way, so that at the same time it is both simple and thorough". This book can be used for analysis as well as for composition. On the one hand, it has the practical objective of introducing students to the process of composing in a systematic way, from the smallest to the largest forms on the other hand, the author analyzes in detail, with numerous illustrations, those particular sections in the works of the masters which relate to the compositional problem under discussion.

The Gedanke manuscripts, from which The Musical Idea is compiled, are legendary writings of Arnold Schoenberg. Central to his concern was his concept of the "musical idea," which represents the wholeness of the musical work and embraces Schoenberg s notions of motive, gestalt, phrase, theme, rhythm, harmony, and form. Ultimately, the musical idea is the vision of the composer by which a musical work achieves unity in relation to the means by which the work is comprehended in its unity by the listener."

This text contains Arnold Schoenberg's thoughts on classical and romantic harmony. It presents a resume of the principles of the "Theory of Harmony", then demonstrates the concept of "monotonality". The music examples range from the entire development sections of classical symphonies. Ninety integrated music examples range fromthe entire development sections of classical symphonies to analyses of the harmonic progressions of Strauss, Debussy, Reger and his own early music.

This treatise relates Schoenberg's concept of the musical idea. It defines his thought on gestalt, motive, grundgestalt, phrase, rhythm and accent, the construction function of harmony, homophonic and contrapuntal forms, and compositional coherence.

For nearly a century, it has inspired composers, scholars, critics, performers, and visual artists.  Severine Neff re-creates for her readers the quartet's historical, cultural, and musical background–its introduction of the human voice, its genesis during a personal crisis in the composer's life, the scandal at its premiere, and its endlessly controversial reception, both critical and analytic.  This volume includes a newly edited, authoritative score of the quartet, as well as previously unavailable and newly translated texts by Grant Chorley. "Indispensable for understanding one of the central compositions of the twentieth century."—Walter Frisch, Columbia University.

Daniel Barenboim leads the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, made up of young musicians from the Middle-East, in a selection of works by Mozart, Beethoven, Schoenberg and Tchaikovsky recorded at the Salzburg Festival in 2007.

Claudio Abbado conducts the Lucerne Festival Orchestra for a performance of three works, recorded at the KKL Luzern Concert Hall in 2013. The works are: Brahms' 'Tragic Overture'; Schoenberg's Orchestral Interlude and 'Song of the Wood Dove' from 'Gurre-Lieder'; and Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 in E flat major ('Eroica').

Nikolaus Harnoncourt leads the Arnold Schoenberg Chor and the Concentus Musicus Wien in live performances from the 'Ouverture Spirituelle' concert series, recorded at the Salzburg Festival in 2012. Focusing on religious themes and musical works, the concert features performances of Mozart's 'Litaniae de Venerabili Altaris Sacramento K. 243' and 'Missa longa in C major K. 262'. The featured soloists are Sylvia Schwartz, Elisabeth Von Magnus, Jeremy Ovenden and Florian Boesch.

French composer Pierre Boulez is honored in this release that collects some of his best performances. Included here are pieces by Debussy, Schoenberg, and Stravinsky.

For this performance of Mahler's Symphony No. 3, recorded live in 2007 at the Congress and Concert Hall Lucerne, Claudio Abbado and the Lucerne Festival Orchestra are joined by the Arnold Schoenberg Chor and the Tölzer Knabenchor. The soloist is Anna Larsson.

Together with one of the world's leading youth orchestras - the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester - Claudio Abbado performs Mahler's Fourth Symphony and Schoenberg's Pelleas und Melisande.

Daniel Barenboim leads the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, made up of young musicians from the Middle-East, in a selection of works by Mozart, Beethoven, Schoenberg and Tchaikovsky recorded at the Salzburg Festival in 2007.

Additional Authors Include Edwin Gerschefski, Richard F. Goldman, Alberto Ginastera And Others. Edited By Minna Lederman, Frani Muser, And Donald Fuller.