Harold C. Schonberg
Encyclopedia
Harold Charles Schonberg (November 29, 1915 – July 26, 2003) was an American music critic and journalist
, most notably for The New York Times
. He was the first music critic to win the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism
(1971). He also wrote a number of books on musical subjects, and one on chess
.
, Schonberg grew up there, graduated from Brooklyn College
in 1937, and did graduate studies at New York University
. In 1939 he became a record critic for American Music Lover magazine (later renamed the American Record Guide
). The son of David and Mini Schonberg, he had a brother (Stanley) and sister (Edith).
Schonberg joined The New York Times in 1950. He rose to the post of senior music critic for the Times a decade later. In this capacity he published daily reviews and longer features on opera
s and classical music on Sundays. He also worked effectively behind the scenes to increase music coverage in the Times and develop its first-rate music staff. Upon his retirement as senior music critic in 1980 he became cultural correspondent for the Times.
Schonberg was an extremely influential music writer. Aside from his contributions to music journalism
, he published 13 books, most of them on music, including The Great Pianists: From Mozart to the Present (1963, revised 1987) — pianists were a specialty of Schonberg — and The Lives of the Great Composers (1970; revised 1981, 1997) which traced the lives of major composers from Monteverdi
through to modern times.
during the composer-conductor's eleven-year tenure (1958–1969) as principal conductor of the New York Philharmonic
. He accused Bernstein of showing off by using exaggerated gestures on the podium, and of conducting a piece in a way that made its structure overly obvious to audiences (e.g., slowing down during the transition from one main theme to another).http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0016AYPKY
One of Schonberg's most famous criticisms of Bernstein was written after the famous April 6, 1962 performance
before which Bernstein announced that he disagreed with pianist Glenn Gould
's interpretation of Brahms
' Piano Concerto No. 1
, but was going to conduct it anyway because he found it fascinating. Schonberg chided Bernstein in print, suggesting that he should have either refrained from publicizing his disagreement, backed out of the concert, or imposed his own will on Gould, and called Bernstein "the Peter Pan of music."http://www.amazon.com/dp/0671254065 In the chapter on Bernstein in his 1967 book The Great Conductors, Schonberg quotes the remark, but does not note that he was the critic who had made it. It was commonly said that Schonberg was carrying an ongoing feud with Bernstein.
After Bernstein's regular tenure at the New York Philharmonic ended, however, Schonberg seemed to mellow in his attitude toward him and actually began to praise his conducting, stating in his book The Glorious Ones that "with age, came less of a need to prove something," and that "there were moments of glory in his conceptions."
player, he covered the championship match between Boris Spassky
and Bobby Fischer
in Reykjavík
, Iceland
in 1972. One of Schonberg's books not on music was Grandmasters of Chess. He also reviewed mysteries and thrillers for The New York Times under the pseudonym Newgate Callender.
Schonberg was also an avid golfer, though a poor one by his own estimation. He co-authored the book How To Play Double Bogey Golf (1975) along with Hollis Alpert, founder of the National Society of Film Critics, and fellow author Ira Mothner. Schonberg, Mothner and Alpert played golf frequently together, according to the book.
In 1987, it was announced that Schonberg was assisting Vladimir Horowitz
in the preparation of the pianist's memoirs. Although the project was never completed, Schonberg's biography of Horowitz was published in 1992.
Schonberg died in New York City on July 26, 2003, at the age of 87. In his obituary notice in The New York Times the next day, Allan Kozinn
wrote that "as a music critic Harold Schonberg set the standard for critical evaluation and journalistic thoroughness."
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, most notably for The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
. He was the first music critic to win the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism
Pulitzer Prize for Criticism
The Pulitzer Prize for Criticism has been presented since 1970 to a newspaper writer who has demonstrated 'distinguished criticism'. Recipients of the award are chosen by an independent board and officially administered by Columbia University...
(1971). He also wrote a number of books on musical subjects, and one on chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
.
Life and career as music critic
Born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Schonberg grew up there, graduated from Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.Established in 1930 by the New York City Board of Higher Education, the College had its beginnings as the Downtown Brooklyn branches of Hunter College and the City College of New...
in 1937, and did graduate studies at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
. In 1939 he became a record critic for American Music Lover magazine (later renamed the American Record Guide
American Record Guide
The American Record Guide is a classical music magazine. It has reviewed classical music recordings since 1935.Since 1992, with the incorporation of the Musical America editorial functions into ARG, it started covering concerts, musicians, ensembles and orchestras in the US.The magazine prides...
). The son of David and Mini Schonberg, he had a brother (Stanley) and sister (Edith).
Schonberg joined The New York Times in 1950. He rose to the post of senior music critic for the Times a decade later. In this capacity he published daily reviews and longer features on opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
s and classical music on Sundays. He also worked effectively behind the scenes to increase music coverage in the Times and develop its first-rate music staff. Upon his retirement as senior music critic in 1980 he became cultural correspondent for the Times.
Schonberg was an extremely influential music writer. Aside from his contributions to music journalism
Music journalism
Music journalism is criticism and reportage about music. It began in the eighteenth century as comment on what is now thought of as 'classical music'. This aspect of music journalism, today often referred to as music criticism , comprises the study, discussion, evaluation, and interpretation of...
, he published 13 books, most of them on music, including The Great Pianists: From Mozart to the Present (1963, revised 1987) — pianists were a specialty of Schonberg — and The Lives of the Great Composers (1970; revised 1981, 1997) which traced the lives of major composers from Monteverdi
Claudio Monteverdi
Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi – 29 November 1643) was an Italian composer, gambist, and singer.Monteverdi's work, often regarded as revolutionary, marked the transition from the Renaissance style of music to that of the Baroque period. He developed two individual styles of composition – the...
through to modern times.
Criticisms of Bernstein
Schonberg was highly critical of Leonard BernsteinLeonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
during the composer-conductor's eleven-year tenure (1958–1969) as principal conductor of the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
. He accused Bernstein of showing off by using exaggerated gestures on the podium, and of conducting a piece in a way that made its structure overly obvious to audiences (e.g., slowing down during the transition from one main theme to another).http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0016AYPKY
One of Schonberg's most famous criticisms of Bernstein was written after the famous April 6, 1962 performance
New York Philharmonic concert of April 6, 1962
The New York Philharmonic concert of April 6, 1962, is widely regarded as one of the most controversial in the orchestra's history. It featured a performance by Glenn Gould of the First Piano Concerto of Johannes Brahms, with the orchestra led by its music director, Leonard Bernstein...
before which Bernstein announced that he disagreed with pianist Glenn Gould
Glenn Gould
Glenn Herbert Gould was a Canadian pianist who became one of the best-known and most celebrated classical pianists of the 20th century. He was particularly renowned as an interpreter of the keyboard music of Johann Sebastian Bach...
's interpretation of Brahms
Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms was a German composer and pianist, and one of the leading musicians of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna, Austria, where he was a leader of the musical scene...
' Piano Concerto No. 1
Piano Concerto No. 1 (Brahms)
The Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Op. 15, is a work for piano and orchestra composed by Johannes Brahms in 1858. The composer gave the work's public debut in Hanover, Germany, the following year.-Form:...
, but was going to conduct it anyway because he found it fascinating. Schonberg chided Bernstein in print, suggesting that he should have either refrained from publicizing his disagreement, backed out of the concert, or imposed his own will on Gould, and called Bernstein "the Peter Pan of music."http://www.amazon.com/dp/0671254065 In the chapter on Bernstein in his 1967 book The Great Conductors, Schonberg quotes the remark, but does not note that he was the critic who had made it. It was commonly said that Schonberg was carrying an ongoing feud with Bernstein.
After Bernstein's regular tenure at the New York Philharmonic ended, however, Schonberg seemed to mellow in his attitude toward him and actually began to praise his conducting, stating in his book The Glorious Ones that "with age, came less of a need to prove something," and that "there were moments of glory in his conceptions."
Other interests
A devoted and skilled chessChess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
player, he covered the championship match between Boris Spassky
Boris Spassky
Boris Vasilievich Spassky is a Soviet-French chess grandmaster. He was the tenth World Chess Champion, holding the title from late 1969 to 1972...
and Bobby Fischer
Bobby Fischer
Robert James "Bobby" Fischer was an American chess Grandmaster and the 11th World Chess Champion. He is widely considered one of the greatest chess players of all time. Fischer was also a best-selling chess author...
in Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
in 1972. One of Schonberg's books not on music was Grandmasters of Chess. He also reviewed mysteries and thrillers for The New York Times under the pseudonym Newgate Callender.
Schonberg was also an avid golfer, though a poor one by his own estimation. He co-authored the book How To Play Double Bogey Golf (1975) along with Hollis Alpert, founder of the National Society of Film Critics, and fellow author Ira Mothner. Schonberg, Mothner and Alpert played golf frequently together, according to the book.
Late life and death
In 1984, Schonberg taught music criticism at McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada.In 1987, it was announced that Schonberg was assisting Vladimir Horowitz
Vladimir Horowitz
Vladimir Samoylovich Horowitz was a Russian-American classical virtuoso pianist and minor composer. His technique and use of tone color and the excitement of his playing were legendary. He is widely considered one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century.-Life and early...
in the preparation of the pianist's memoirs. Although the project was never completed, Schonberg's biography of Horowitz was published in 1992.
Schonberg died in New York City on July 26, 2003, at the age of 87. In his obituary notice in The New York Times the next day, Allan Kozinn
Allan Kozinn
-Biography:He received bachelor's degrees in music and journalism from Syracuse University in 1976. He began freelancing as a critic and music feature writer for the New York Times in 1977, and joined the paper's staff in 1991...
wrote that "as a music critic Harold Schonberg set the standard for critical evaluation and journalistic thoroughness."