Viennese born-American. Pianist. Composer. Teacher. Zemlinksy was born in Vienna, 14 October 1871 and died in Larchmont, New York, 15 March 1942. A unique timeline of the life of Zemlinsky is compiled by Janet Wasserman. A more thorough life and work are available online produced by Alexander Zemlinsky Foundation at the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna. Zemlinsky was greatly encouraged as a composer by Brahms, was friends with Schoenberg, admired Mahler, and was a teacher to Erich Korngold. Though in the thick of new music in Vienna, Zemlinsky wrote in a more traditional style, never going to a twelve-tone row, as Schoenberg did. Despite a complex ethnic background with only one (originally) Jewish grandparent, (his grandmother was Muslim, his other grandparents Catholics, but his father was a convert to Judaism), Zemlinsky had to flee the Nazi’s in 1938. Zemlinsky lacked the marketing skills to have his music performed and florish in his lifetime. Increasingly, there has been posthumous recognition. A biography, Zemlinksy, was written by Anthony Beaumont (2000). Arnold Schoenberg’s famous quote of “Zemlinsky can wait” came to pass. Apparently, however, Zemlinsky time has come. A recent CD set of Songs of Zemlinsky, sung by Hermine Haselbck, /Mezzosoprano with Florian Henschel,/Piano has been produced by PAN CLASSICS (PC 10162). To hear excerpts, visit Hermine Haselböck’s website
http://www.zemlinsky.at/