Ernst Krenek
1900 Born on 23 August in Vienna
1906 First music lessons; first compositions
1916 Begins his studies with Franz Schreker at the Vienna Music Academy
1918 Military service
1919 Study of philosophy at the University of Vienna (two semesters)
1920-22 Krenek follows Franz Schreker to the State School for Music in Berlin; meets Ferruccio Busoni, Hermann Scherchen, Eduard Erdmann, Artur Schnabel and others
1921 First compositions using free atonality; participation in the Donaueschinger Music Days
1923-25 Residence in Switzerland; encounters Rainer Maria Rilke and Werner Reinhart
1924 First encounter with Theodor W. Adorno; marries Anna Mahler, the daughter of Gustav Mahler; First Violin Concert op. 29
1925-27 Assumes post as Paul Bekker's assistant at the Kassel State Opera; study of Schubert's music; "romantic" compositional phase
1926 Orpheus and Eurydike, an opera based on the play of the same name by Oskar Kokoschka, premieres in Kassel
1927 Follows Paul Bekker as his assistant to Wiesbaden State Opera; Premiere of Jonny spielt auf in Leipzig; and international recognition
1928 Marries actress Berta Haas (Hermann); returns to Vienna; meets Karl Kraus
1929 Reisebuch aus den österreichischen Alpen op. 62
1932-33 Founds music journal Dreiundzwanzig together with Alban Berg et al.; active in the International Society for New Music; first compositions using the twelve-tone technique
1933 Commissioned by the Vienna State Opera for Karl V.; Krenek's name put on the Nazis' blacklist in Germany
1934 The première of Karl V is cancelled for political reasons; trip to Spain
1935-37 Intense literary activity; concerts and lectures in Vienna and other cities; writes articles for the Wiener Zeitung
1937 First trip to the USA
1938 Second trip to the USA; leaves Vienna directly after Austria’s Anschluss to the German Reich; concerts and lectures in American exile
1939-42 Professor of music at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
1939-42 Guest lecturer at the Universities of Michigan and Wisconsin
1942-47 Professor of Music, Head of the Department of Music, and Dean of the School of Fine Arts at Hamline University, St. Paul, Minnesota
1942-43 Klaviersonate Nr. 3, op. 92/4
1945 Receives American citizenship
1947-49 Guest lecturer at universities and colleges in New Mexico and Los Angeles and at the Chicago Musical College
1947-66 Permanent residence in Los Angeles
1948 First publication of his autobiography Selbstdarstellung in German
1950 Marries composer Gladys Nordenstrom; resumes concert and lecture tours in Europe; lecturer at the International Darmstadt Summer Courses
1956 Serial compositions; study of electronic music and medieval counterpoint
1957 Guest professor at Princeton University
1961 Ausgerechnet und verspielt for an orchestra, op. 179
1967 Guest professor at Peabody Institute in Baltimore, Maryland and at the University of Hawaii
1968 European tour with rigorous conducting and teaching activities
1972-73 Flaschenpost vom Paradies oder der englische Ausflug
1982 "Our Thanks to Ernst Krenek," exhibition by the Vienna City and State Library; Zweites Konzert für Violoncello op. 236
1984 Première of Karl V. at the Vienna State Opera
1991 Dies on 22 December in Palm Springs
1992 Transferral of remains and burial in an honorary grave contributed by the City of Vienna
1906 First music lessons; first compositions
1916 Begins his studies with Franz Schreker at the Vienna Music Academy
1918 Military service
1919 Study of philosophy at the University of Vienna (two semesters)
1920-22 Krenek follows Franz Schreker to the State School for Music in Berlin; meets Ferruccio Busoni, Hermann Scherchen, Eduard Erdmann, Artur Schnabel and others
1921 First compositions using free atonality; participation in the Donaueschinger Music Days
1923-25 Residence in Switzerland; encounters Rainer Maria Rilke and Werner Reinhart
1924 First encounter with Theodor W. Adorno; marries Anna Mahler, the daughter of Gustav Mahler; First Violin Concert op. 29
1925-27 Assumes post as Paul Bekker's assistant at the Kassel State Opera; study of Schubert's music; "romantic" compositional phase
1926 Orpheus and Eurydike, an opera based on the play of the same name by Oskar Kokoschka, premieres in Kassel
1927 Follows Paul Bekker as his assistant to Wiesbaden State Opera; Premiere of Jonny spielt auf in Leipzig; and international recognition
1928 Marries actress Berta Haas (Hermann); returns to Vienna; meets Karl Kraus
1929 Reisebuch aus den österreichischen Alpen op. 62
1932-33 Founds music journal Dreiundzwanzig together with Alban Berg et al.; active in the International Society for New Music; first compositions using the twelve-tone technique
1933 Commissioned by the Vienna State Opera for Karl V.; Krenek's name put on the Nazis' blacklist in Germany
1934 The première of Karl V is cancelled for political reasons; trip to Spain
1935-37 Intense literary activity; concerts and lectures in Vienna and other cities; writes articles for the Wiener Zeitung
1937 First trip to the USA
1938 Second trip to the USA; leaves Vienna directly after Austria’s Anschluss to the German Reich; concerts and lectures in American exile
1939-42 Professor of music at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
1939-42 Guest lecturer at the Universities of Michigan and Wisconsin
1942-47 Professor of Music, Head of the Department of Music, and Dean of the School of Fine Arts at Hamline University, St. Paul, Minnesota
1942-43 Klaviersonate Nr. 3, op. 92/4
1945 Receives American citizenship
1947-49 Guest lecturer at universities and colleges in New Mexico and Los Angeles and at the Chicago Musical College
1947-66 Permanent residence in Los Angeles
1948 First publication of his autobiography Selbstdarstellung in German
1950 Marries composer Gladys Nordenstrom; resumes concert and lecture tours in Europe; lecturer at the International Darmstadt Summer Courses
1956 Serial compositions; study of electronic music and medieval counterpoint
1957 Guest professor at Princeton University
1961 Ausgerechnet und verspielt for an orchestra, op. 179
1967 Guest professor at Peabody Institute in Baltimore, Maryland and at the University of Hawaii
1968 European tour with rigorous conducting and teaching activities
1972-73 Flaschenpost vom Paradies oder der englische Ausflug
1982 "Our Thanks to Ernst Krenek," exhibition by the Vienna City and State Library; Zweites Konzert für Violoncello op. 236
1984 Première of Karl V. at the Vienna State Opera
1991 Dies on 22 December in Palm Springs
1992 Transferral of remains and burial in an honorary grave contributed by the City of Vienna