Arnold Schönberg’s Record Collection at the Arnold Schönberg Center, Wien

This paper examines Arnold Schönberg’s record collection, held at the archives of the Arnold Schönberg Center. Transferred by the Austrian Media Library, it is now successively made available through the audio database of the Arnold Schönberg Center. Several examples from the collection are discussed, among them a personal message from the Schönberg Family. Music examples included Schönberg’s own recording of Transfigured Night op. 4 and the Kolisch Quartet performances of his String Quartets. These acoustic documents illuminate Schönberg’s performance aesthetics and compositional intentions. The paper emphasizes the archival approach to digitizing these records and preserving their authentic sonic qualities. Ultimately, it highlights the importance of meticulous archival work in uncovering Schönberg’s multifaceted legacy.