Fred Sherry, the cellist and leader of the Fred Sherry String Quartet and Sextet on this album, is a pioneer in contemporary music, with many composers writing concertos and works for him.
Performer Biography
Fred Sherry's recordings of Schoenberg's String Quartet Concerto and String Quartets Nos. 3 and 4 for Naxos were both nominated for a GRAMMY®.
Performer Biography
Robert Craft had a historic association with Igor Stravinsky, serving as his constant companion, co-conductor, and musical confidant for over twenty years.
Critical Reception
Schoenberg's Verklärte Nacht, Op. 4, caused "riots and fist fights" at its 1903 Vienna premiere, but soon became very successful and was embraced as one of his greatest achievements.
Performer Biography
Robert Craft, the conductor on this album, holds a unique place in world music, having won the Grand Prix du Disque twice and the Edison Prize for his recordings of Schoenberg, Webern, and Varèse.
Compositional Technique
Schoenberg's First String Quartet, Op. 7, expanded upon Wagner's use of leitmotifs by fashioning new themes from subsidiary material and allowing them to coexist through variation and transformation.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Arnold Schoenberg considered himself "the last of the modern composers who has occupied himself with tonal harmony in the sense of the oldest masters."
