Alexander Zemlinsky Music Manuscripts and Other Papers
Scope and Content Note
The Alexander Zemlinsky Music Manuscripts and Other Papers spans the years 1887 to 1939 and contains music, personal papers, correspondence, and writings. The majority of these materials are concentrated between 1887 to 1899. Holograph and printed music for Zemlinsky’s operas, ballets, dramatic works, songs, chamber music, and orchestral works comprise the Music by Zemlinsky series. Music by Other Composers includes manuscript and printed music for the works of Rudolf Beck, Digby La Touche, Franz Schubert, and Hugo Wolf, among others. Zemlinsky's Personal Papers include a diploma, awards, a program, and additional papers related to his life. Correspondence in the collection consists of letters to both Alexander and Louise Zemlinsky from Arnold Schoenberg’s sister Ottilie Blumauer-Felix, August Förster, Oskar Kokoschka, and Bernhard Schuster, as well as other prominent artists and musicians. A small series of Writings by Others contains typescript works by Hanns Heinz Ewers and Arnold Schoenberg, as well as annotated cast lists for various opera productions.
Dates
- Creation: 1887-1939
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1887-1899
Language of Materials
Collection material in German and English.
Access and Restrictions
The Alexander Zemlinsky Music Manuscripts and Other Papers are open to research. Researchers are advised to contact the Music Division prior to visiting in order to determine whether the desired materials will be available at that time.
Certain restrictions on using or copying materials may apply.
Copyright Status
Materials from the Alexander Zemlinsky Music Manuscripts and Other Papers are governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.) and other applicable international copyright laws.
Biographical Note
Biographical Note
- 1871 October 14
- Born in Vienna, Austria, and raised in a Jewish family
- circa 1875
- Began playing piano
- 1884 - 1892
- Studied piano with Anton Door, harmony and counterpoint with Franz Krenn and Robert Fuchs, and composition with Johann Nepomuk Fuchs and Anton Bruckner at the Vienna Conservatory
- 1893
- Performed his Symphony in D minor at a concert in Vienna, attended by Johannes Brahms
- 1895 - 1896
- Conducted the orchestra Polyhymnia, in which Schoenberg played cello
- 1895 - 1897
- Taught Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951)
- 1896
- Clarinet Trio, op. 3, published by Nikolaus Simrock at Brahm's recommendation
- 1900
- Opera Es war einmal... premiered by Gustav Mahler at the Vienna Hofoper
- 1900
- Entered into a brief romantic relationship with his student Alma Schindler, who married Gustav Mahler in 1902
- 1900 - 1904
- Served as Kapellmeister at both the Carltheater and the Theater and der Wien in Vienna
- 1901 October
- His sister Mathilde Zemlinsky (1877-1973) married Arnold Schoenberg
- 1903
- Taught Alban Berg and Anton Webern at the Schwarzwald School
- 1904 - 1905
- Co-founded the Vereinigung schaffender Tonkünstler (Society for Creative Musicians) with Schoenberg for the promotion and performance of new music
- 1906 - 1907
- Conducted the Volksoper in Vienna
- 1905 January 25
- World premiere of his orchestral fantasy Die Seejungfrau ( The Mermaid ) in Vienna, during a concert at which Schoenberg's Pelleas und Melisande was also first performed
- 1907 - 1908
- Conducted the Vienna Hopofer with Mahler
- 1907
- Married Ida Guttmann (died 1929)
- 1908
- Reappointed conductor at the Volksoper in Vienna
- 1910 - 1913
- Composed Sechs Gesänge (Six Songs), op. 13, with texts by Maurice Maeterlinck
- 1911 - 1927
- Appointed Music Director at the Neues Deutsches Theater in Prague, Czechoslovakia (present-day Czech Republic)
- 1920
- Appointed head of the Deutsche Akademie für Musik und Bildende Kunst in Prague
- 1923
- Guest conducted the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
- 1924 June 6
- Conducted the world premiere of Schoenberg's Erwartung at the International Society for Contemporary Music Festival in Prague
- 1922 - 1923
- Composed Lyrische Symphonie ( Lyric Symphony ), op. 18
- 1927 - 1931
- Served as Kapellmeister at the Kroll Oper in Berlin
- 1930
- Married his student, Louise Sachsel
- Converted to Protestantism
- 1931 December
- Conducted the Berlin premiere of Kurt Weill's The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny
- 1933
- Moved to Vienna due to the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany and worked as a composer and guest conductor
- Severed ties with Schoenberg due to differring views towards the twelve-tone composition technique and Schoenberg's conversion back to Judaism
- 1938 September
- Moved to New York via Prague after the Anschluss of Austria
- 1945 March 15
- Died in Larchmont, New York, having had little professional success the United States
Extent
350 items (approximately)
28 containers
8 linear feet
13 microfilm reels
Abstract
Alexander Zemlinsky was an Austrian composer, conductor, pianist, and educator whose students included Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Alma Mahler, and Anton Webern. The collection consists of holograph music manuscripts for nearly all of Zemlinsky’s repertoire, as well as some printed music. Other materials include manuscript and printed music by other composers, personal papers, correspondence, and writings by others.
Organization of the Alexander Zemlinsky Music Manuscripts and Other Papers
The collection is arranged in five series:
Acquisition Information
Gift, Robert O. Lehman, 1966-1967
Accruals
No further accruals are expected.
Microfilm
A microfilm edition of the Alexander Zemlinsky Music Manuscripts and Other Papers is available on 13 reels that are shelved as Music-3260. These materials are described in the finding aid and may be requested using the call number and reel number listed with the item. To promote preservation of the originals, researchers are required to consult the microfilm edition.
Processing History
Linda B. Fairtile and Robert Saladini processed the Alexander Zemlinsky Music Manuscripts and Other Papers in 1992. Rachel McNellis coded the finding aid in 2021.
- Title
- Alexander Zemlinsky Music Manuscripts and Other Papers
- Author
- Prepared by the Music Division of the Library of Congress
- Date
- 2021
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Part of the Music Division Repository
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