The Movement of a Musical Work. Ernst Krenek's Opus 20 in the Interwar Years

Abstract

The idealistic musical work concept is the idea that pieces of music exist beyond space and time. Having emerged in Western art music, this concept has not had an easy time co-existing with musical practices around the world. To show the discrepancies and consistencies of the musical work concept vis-à-vis everyday practice, the book The Movement of a Musical Work. Ernst Krenek’s Opus 20 in the Interwar Years sets out to explore the making of one single musical work and its movement in and with people, objects, time, and space. Set amid 1920s social circles of European­ modern music or New Music, the book focuses entirely on the Third String Quartet, op. 20 by Austrian composer Ernst Krenek.