Profile of Anton Webern

Born: Dec. 3, 1883, his father was a mining engineer and his mother was a pianist.

Birthplace: Vienna, Austria

Died: Sept. 15, 1945 in Mittersill, near Salzburg, Austria

Also Known As: Anton von Webern, an Austrian composer belonging to the 12-tone Viennese school, arranger.

Type of Compositions: He is famous for his lieders, chamber music, instrumental and vocal compositions and his passacaglia.

Influence: His mother was his first teacher, she taught Webern how to play the piano. Later on Edwin Komauer took over his piano instruction and taught him about music theory as well. Anton Webern also learned how to play the cello and later studied musicology at the University of Vienna. Arnold Schoenberg also became his teacher and influenced him immensely.

Notable Works: Some of his famous works are: "Passacaglia, op. 1", "Im Sommerwind", "Entflieht auf leichten Kähnen, Opus 2", "Cello Sonata", "Kinderstück", "Klavierstück" and "Five Songs After Poems by Richard Dehmel".

Interesting Fact: During Wolrd War 1, Webern enlisted in the army but was discharged a year later due to his poor eyesight. In 1945, a soldier in the U.S. forces accidentally shot and killed him.