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Ernst KrenekAustro-American composer and teacher.
Date of Birth: 23.08.1900
Country:  Austria |
Content:
Biography of Ernst Krenek
Ernst Krenek was an Austrian-American composer and educator. He was born on August 23, 1900, in Vienna. His early significant compositions, which emerged shortly after the end of World War I, established Krenek as a leading figure among the young generation of German composers who were seeking new expressive means. A characteristic feature of Krenek's style was his richly dissonant counterpoint.
During his youth, Krenek wrote music for the theater. By 1927, he had composed two operas and a scenic cantata. That same year, his most successful work, the opera "Jonny spielt auf" (Jonny Strikes Up), premiered in Leipzig. This piece, which combined serious music with cabaret-style dance motifs, resembled more of a revue than an opera and brought international recognition to the composer.
In his later works, Krenek embraced the twelve-tone technique and also demonstrated an active interest in electronic music. In 1937, he moved to the United States and taught at Vassar College from 1939 to 1942, followed by the University of St. Paul in Minnesota from 1942 to 1947. He later relocated to California.
Krenek's musical legacy includes operas, symphonies, string quartets, piano sonatas and concertos, as well as choral compositions. He also wrote several books, including "Music Here and Now" (1939), "Studies in Counterpoint" (1940), "Tonal Counterpoint" (1958), "Modal Counterpoint" (1959), and "Exploring Music" (1966).
