Josef Rufer (1893–1985) was an Austrian-born

musicologist Musicology (from Greek μουσική ''mousikē'' 'music' and -λογια ''-logia'', 'domain of study') is the scholarly analysis and research-based study of music. Musicology departments traditionally belong to the humanities, although some mu ...

. He is regarded as a significant figure mainly on account of his association with and writings on

Arnold Schoenberg Arnold Schoenberg or Schönberg (, ; ; 13 September 187413 July 1951) was an Austrian-American composer, music theorist, teacher, writer, and painter. He is widely considered one of the most influential composers of the 20th century. He was as ...

. Rufer was a pupil of

Alexander von Zemlinsky Alexander Zemlinsky or Alexander von Zemlinsky (14 October 1871 – 15 March 1942) was an Austrian composer, conductor, and teacher. Biography Early life Zemlinsky was born in Vienna to a highly diverse family. Zemlinsky's grandfather, Anton S ...

and Schoenberg in

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

; when the latter composer moved to Berlin to direct the Masterclass in Composition at the

Prussian Academy of Arts The Prussian Academy of Arts (German: ''Preußische Akademie der Künste'') was a state arts academy first established in Berlin, Brandenburg, in 1694/1696 by prince-elector Frederick III, in personal union Duke Frederick I of Prussia, and late ...

, Rufer went with him and operated as his Chief Assistant between 1925 and 1933. Rufer was thus closely involved with Schoenberg during the period of development of

serialism In music, serialism is a method of Musical composition, composition using series of pitches, rhythms, dynamics, timbres or other elements of music, musical elements. Serialism began primarily with Arnold Schoenberg's twelve-tone technique, thou ...

and the 12-note method, and it was during a walk with Rufer that Schoenberg uttered the famous statement, regarding these: "I have made a discovery which will ensure the supremacy of German music for the next hundred years".Stuckenschmidt, Hans Heinz. 1977. ''Schoenberg: His Life, World and Work''. Translated from the German by Humphrey Searle. New York: Schirmer Books, p.277 Josef Rufer - Friedhof Nikolassee - Mutter Erde fec

Josef Rufer - Friedhof Nikolassee - Mutter Erde fec

Rufer's writings on Schoenberg include the introduction to the serial method ''Die Komposition mit Zwölf Tönen'' (Berlin, 1952; translated as ''Composition With Twelve Notes'', London, 1954; reprinted 1969, ), and the catalogue ''Das Werk Arnold Schönberg's'' (Kassel, 1959; translated as ''The Works of Arnold Schoenberg'', London, 1962). Both were seminal in the study of the composer and his music.

References

1893 births Second Viennese School 1985 deaths Pupils of Alexander Zemlinsky Pupils of Arnold Schoenberg 20th-century classical composers Male classical composers 20th-century Austrian musicologists 20th-century male musicians {{Austria-music-bio-stub

See also

References