Josef Matthias Hauer - His Music and Life

Born on March 19, 1883, the Austrian Josef Matthias Hauer, a simple elementary school teacher who wanted to be treated as the composition inventor of the so-called "12-tones-numbers-technique" or - in Greece - Dodecaphony.

Since 1908, Hauer used that technique in all his compositions.

Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951), the "real Dodecaphony inventor never accepted Hauer's theory and work, Hauer calculated 479,001,600 combination possibilities of those sound or tones. 44 main types became the fundaments of Hauer's compositions: "About the colors of sounds" (1919), "Melodies interpretations" (1923, one of my favourite pieces of Hauer), or "From the melody to kettle-drum" (1925).

Hauer's opinion has remained till today as "embodiment and portrayal of an impartial melody" such as in the "Transubstantions Oratorio" from 1928 or "Salambo", an opera from 1930.

Hauer passed away in Vienna on September 22, 1959.

Alban Berg - His Music and Life

Born on February 9, 1885 in Vienna, the Austrian Alban Berg passed away on December 24, 1935 - also in Vienna.

Berg became a civil servant, but gave up this unique career while becoming a student of Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951, Los Angeles).

He was a down to earth person and thought himself to be part of the restored classical composers. His first compositions had been in rapture over disarming sounds and tones. The highlight became the "Four Clarinet Pieces" from 1913.

"Wozzeck", Berg's only opera reflected his experiences as a soldier during World War I. His supposed last opera "Lulu", composed in a 12-sound-technique, remained unfinished up to its premiere 1937 in Zurich/Switzerland.

Oscar Straus - His Music and Life

Born on March 6, 1870 in Vienna, The Austrian Oscar Straus passed away in Ischl on January 11, 1954.

Straus studied in Vienna, later with Max Bruch, the composer of the most performed violin concertos from 1868 uo to now. Straus' Opus 1 has been the overture "The dream - a life!"

Straus is known as a chamber music careerist and theater bandmaster as well as conductor in the former CSSR, Teplitz, mainz and Berlin/Germany. In 1900, Straus became Musical Director of E.V. Wolzogen's cabaret "Ueberbrettl". During that time Straus found out his talent for the so-called "light music". As an operetta composer he walked off with such great successes as "A waltz dream" (1920), "Teresina" (1925) or "Her first waltz" (1950).

The category "Viennese Waltzes" got many highlights because of him, who, by the way has not nothing to do with the Johann Strauss dynasty,

In 1940, Oscar STraus migrated to the USA and composed many movie themes, i.e. Max Ophuels "Der Reigen" (The Rondale/La Ronda).

The sound of music - Edelweiss