Correspondence between Arnold Schoenberg and the music publishers Dreililien and Universal Edition

The correspondence between Arnold Schoenberg and the music publishers Dreililien and Universal Edition comprises 1,600 documents (1902–51) and represents the largest collection of correspondence relating to the Vienna School. The project is part of a collaboration between the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna and the Arnold Schönberg Center Vienna, which are responsible for editing the letters, and the Staatliches Institut für Musikforschung, with the aim of incorporating the digital edition into the renowned series Briefwechsel der Wiener Schule.

Arnold Schönberg’s business relationship with Universal Edition (UE) dates back to 1902. His first commissioned works were published by UE in 1904. In 1909, he signed a contract with UE director Emil Hertzka for the publication of his compositions. Until Schönberg’s emigration to the USA in the fall of 1933, most of his musical works, his treatise on harmony, and other writings were published by UE. Although no further works were published by UE after that, the correspondence (with the exception of 1942–45) continues until Schönberg’s death in 1951.

Arnold Schoenberg’s Opera 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7 were published between 1903 and 1907 by the Dreililien publishing house. In 1912, Universal Edition took over these works from the Berlin publisher. For this reason, around 150 letters between Schoenberg and Dreililien are also included in the Schoenberg-UE correspondence and have been included in the edition.

Due to the Jewish composer’s emigration to the United States after the Nazis seized power, the correspondence between Schönberg and his publishers focuses mainly on the period before 1933. The historical-critical edition of the extensive correspondence, edited by Katharina Bleier and Therese Muxeneder, is a hybrid publication in the form of a digital edition of all documents and a print edition with extensive commentary and additional material. The publication is supported by the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation.

Further information:
schoenberg-ue.at