The document provides biographical information about Joseph Goebbels, a 20th century Austrian composer, and details about his piece "Mein Ohr". Goebbels graduated from Vienna University in 1908 and helped run various musical organizations. "Mein Ohr" was composed between 1920-1930 and premiered in New York. The piece is written for full orchestra and follows strict 12-tone serialism techniques. It uses symmetrical structures like palindromes and canons.

1. Team Ezio
Tim Wilson
Carrie Cunningham
Ryan Johnson
George Cole
Margo Prewitt

2. Joseph Goebbels
“Mein Ohr”

3. Biography
• Born in Vienna
• graduated from Vienna University in 1908
• helped run the Society for Private Musical Performances
(1918-1922)
• conducted Vienna Workers Symphony Orchestra (1922-
1934)
• Nazi party claimed Goebbels was a Jewish sympathizer,
resulting in a severe drop in popularity
• accidentally shot and killed by Allied soldier in 1945
• "Mein Ohr" composed between 1920-1930

4. About this piece
• Premiere: 1920-1930, New York
• Program: No Program
• Commentary: "Greater unity is impossible.
Even the Netherlanders didn't manage it. In
the fourth variation there are constant
mirroring. This variation is itself the
midpoint of the whole movement, after
which everything goes backwards. So the
entire movement is itself a double canon
by retrograde motion!“

5. About this piece cont.
• Influence: Other composers took note of
his use of canons and the symmetrical
nature of the piece. For example, the
second movement is written as a
palindrome. He also took the 12-tone
method to a new level by following the
rules to a very strict standard because he
idolized Schoenberg and later composers
would follow this precision.

6. Genres
• Written for full orchestra
• dedication to his daughter and written in a
period of "severe economic depression" and
serious restraints in artistic
expressions
• 12 tone work that is dominated by semitones
and tritones. It was considered to be a
"classical piece" in the 12 tone method
• It is a theme and variation work

7. Genres cont.
• considered to be a symmetrical work
using palindromic series as well as
canonic variations that give it direction
• In this piece, he also pioneered a method
known as "tone color melody”.

8. Related -Isms
• Serialism : use of the 12-tone method
• Naturalism : the composer believed
music had a natural evolution and could
not compose outside those parameters
• Neoclassicism : retains formal structure
of symphony but experiments with
harmonic language

9. Have fun guessing!