Ernst Krenek was an Austrian-American composer whose prolific output and long lifespan allowed him to traverse various musical styles, including atonality, neo-classicism, and serialism. Born on August 23, 1900, in Vienna, Austria, Krenek's career was a microcosm of 20th-century music, and his journey as a composer saw him exploratively embracing the possibilities of modernism while affecting a sharp, intellectual edge to his compositions.

Krenek's early works followed the post-Romantic traditions of his time, but his style evolved rapidly as he interacted with key figures of the new music scene in the 1920s. Perhaps the most notable triumph of his earlier period was the opera "Jonny spielt auf," which became a sensational success and is emblematic of the zeitgeist of the Weimar Republic. However, his subsequent endeavors showed a willingness to engage with the dodecaphonic system of Arnold Schoenberg, and Krenek himself played a significant role in the development of serial music. As evidenced by a diverse catalogue that includes the "Early Piano Works of Ernst Krenek" and "Krenek: Orchestral Works," his contribution to the piano repertoire and orchestral music is also significant, displaying both the breadth and depth of his musical intellect. After fleeing the political turmoil of Europe, Krenek continued his compositional work in America, where he integrated various elements of jazz, electronic music, and philosophy into his works until his death on December 22, 1991. His legacy lives on through a massive discography and influence on subsequent generations of composers.

Genres

Austro-german Modernism

Early Modern Classical

Neoclassicism

Serialism

Latest Release

Serenade - Works for Clarinet and Strings by Krenek, Gál and Penderecki

Kilian Herold•

Ernst Krenek•

Florian Donderer•

Hans Gál•

Barbara Buntrock•

Krzysztof Penderecki•

Tanja Tetzlaff

Album - 14 Tracks - Released April 26, 2024