Biography (read more)
Alban Berg was an Austrian composer of the 20th century, a member of the Second Viennese School and a student of Arnold Schoenberg, based throughout his career in Vienna. His relatively small output centers on the operas Wozzeck (1914–1922) and the unfinished Lulu (begun 1928), alongside chamber and orchestral works such as the Lyric Suite and the Violin Concerto, in which he combined Schoenberg’s twelve-tone technique with Romantic lyricism. He died in Vienna on Christmas Eve 1935 from sepsis caused by a boil on his back, following an insect sting sustained the previous month.
Berg is regarded as one of the most important composers of the 20th century, notable for bringing greater emotional warmth and dramatic accessibility to the twelve-tone method than his teacher Schoenberg, which helped his music reach wider audiences than much other Second Viennese School repertoire. Wozzeck in particular is considered a landmark of 20th-century opera, and his synthesis of atonal technique with expressive, human-centered drama continues to shape how modernist opera and concert music are understood.
Compare recordings piece by piece — 1 work of Alban Berg with more than one performance on the site →
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Repertoire
Lulu: Act II: Film Music
Berg: Piano sonata in B Minor, Op. 1— Yvonne Loriod
Performed by Yvonne Loriod
Piano Sonata, Op. 1— Yvonne Loriod
Performed by Yvonne Loriod
Berg: Piano Sonata, Op. 1— Mitsuko Uchida
Performed by Mitsuko Uchida
Sonata op. 1 in B minor— Paul Badura-Skoda
Performed by Paul Badura-Skoda
Piano Sonata, Op. 1— Paul Badura-Skoda
Performed by Paul Badura-Skoda
Sonata Op.1— Nelson Goerner
Performed by Nelson Goerner
Piano Sonata, Op. 1— Murray Perahia
Performed by Murray Perahia
Berg: Piano Sonata, Op. 1: Mässig bewegt – Langsames Tempo – Quasi Adagio— Hélène Grimaud
Performed by Hélène Grimaud
Berg: Sieben frühe Lieder: I. Nacht— Bengt Forsberg
Performed by Bengt Forsberg
Berg: Sieben frühe Lieder: II. Schilflied— Bengt Forsberg
Performed by Bengt Forsberg
Berg: Sieben frühe Lieder: III. Die Nachtigall— Bengt Forsberg
Performed by Bengt Forsberg
Berg: Sieben frühe Lieder: IV. Traumgekrönt— Bengt Forsberg
Performed by Bengt Forsberg
Berg: Sieben frühe Lieder: V. Im Zimmer— Bengt Forsberg
Performed by Bengt Forsberg
Berg: Sieben frühe Lieder: VI. Liebesode— Bengt Forsberg
Performed by Bengt Forsberg
Berg: Sieben frühe Lieder: VII. Sommertage— Bengt Forsberg
Performed by Bengt Forsberg
Sieben frühe Lieder: 2. Schilflied— Anja Harteros
Performed by Anja Harteros
Berg: Sieben frühe Lieder: 2. Schilflied— Hermann Prey
Performed by Hermann Prey
Berg: Sieben frühe Lieder: 2. Schilflied— Dorothea Röschmann
Performed by Dorothea Röschmann
Berg: Sieben frühe Lieder: 2. Schilflied— Barbara Bonney
Performed by Barbara Bonney
Violin Concerto: I. Andante – Allegretto— Ivry Gitlis
Performed by Ivry Gitlis
Violin Concerto: II. Allegro – Adagio— Ivry Gitlis
Performed by Ivry Gitlis
Berg: Violin Concerto: I. Andante – Allegro— Antje Weithaas
Performed by Antje Weithaas
Berg: Violin Concerto: II. Allegro, ma sempre rubato – Frei wie eine Kadenz – Adagio— Antje Weithaas
Performed by Antje Weithaas
Violin Concerto “To the Memory of an Angel”: I. Andante – Allegretto— Ivry Gitlis
Performed by Ivry Gitlis
Violin Concerto “To the Memory of an Angel”: II. Allegro ma sempre rubato – Adagio— Ivry Gitlis
Performed by Ivry Gitlis
Berg: Violin Concerto “To the Memory of an Angel”: I. Andante – Allegro— Anne-Sophie Mutter
Performed by Anne-Sophie Mutter
Berg: Violin Concerto “To the Memory of an Angel”: II. Allegro – Adagio— Anne-Sophie Mutter
Performed by Anne-Sophie Mutter
Four Pieces for Clarinet and Piano : I. Maßig— Michel Dalberto
Performed by Michel Dalberto
Four Pieces for Clarinet and Piano : II. Sehr langsam— Michel Dalberto
Performed by Michel Dalberto
Four Pieces for Clarinet and Piano : III. Sehr rasch— Michel Dalberto
Performed by Michel Dalberto
Four Pieces for Clarinet and Piano : IV. Langsam— Michel Dalberto
Performed by Michel Dalberto
Berg: 4 Gesänge, Op. 2: I. Schlafen, schlafen— Daniil Trifonov
Performed by Daniil Trifonov
Berg: 4 Gesänge, Op. 2: II. Schlafend trägt man mich— Daniil Trifonov
Performed by Daniil Trifonov
Berg: 4 Gesänge, Op. 2: III. Nun ich der Riesen Stärksten überwand— Daniil Trifonov
Performed by Daniil Trifonov
Berg: 4 Gesänge, Op. 2: IV. Warm die Lüfte— Daniil Trifonov
Performed by Daniil Trifonov
Sieben frühe Lieder: 3. Die Nachtigall— Anja Harteros
Performed by Anja Harteros
Berg: Sieben frühe Lieder: 3. Die Nachtigall— Dorothea Röschmann
Performed by Dorothea Röschmann
Berg: Sieben frühe Lieder: 3. Die Nachtigall— Barbara Bonney
Performed by Barbara Bonney
Sieben frühe Lieder: 4. Traumgekrönt— Anja Harteros
Performed by Anja Harteros
Berg: Sieben frühe Lieder: 4. Traumgekrönt— Dorothea Röschmann
Performed by Dorothea Röschmann
Berg: Sieben frühe Lieder: 4. Traumgekrönt— Barbara Bonney
Performed by Barbara Bonney
Sieben frühe Lieder: 5. Im Zimmer— Anja Harteros
Performed by Anja Harteros
Berg: Sieben frühe Lieder: 5. Im Zimmer— Dorothea Röschmann
Performed by Dorothea Röschmann
Berg: Sieben frühe Lieder: 5. Im Zimmer— Barbara Bonney
Performed by Barbara Bonney
Sieben frühe Lieder: 6. Liebesode— Anja Harteros
Performed by Anja Harteros
Berg: Sieben frühe Lieder: 6. Liebesode— Dorothea Röschmann
Performed by Dorothea Röschmann
Berg: Sieben frühe Lieder: 6. Liebesode— Barbara Bonney
Performed by Barbara Bonney
Sieben frühe Lieder: 7. Sommertage— Anja Harteros
Performed by Anja Harteros
Berg: Sieben frühe Lieder: 7. Sommertage— Dorothea Röschmann
Performed by Dorothea Röschmann
Berg: Sieben frühe Lieder: 7. Sommertage— Barbara Bonney
Performed by Barbara Bonney
Three Pieces for Orchestra, Op. 6: I. Präludium. Langsam— Pinchas Zukerman
Performed by Pinchas Zukerman
Three Pieces for Orchestra, Op. 6: II. Reigen. Anfangs etwas zögernd – Leicht beschwingt— Pinchas Zukerman
Performed by Pinchas Zukerman
Three Pieces for Orchestra, Op. 6: III. Marsch. Mäßiges Marschtempo— Pinchas Zukerman
Performed by Pinchas Zukerman
Kammerkonzert: I. Thema scherzoso con variazioni— Ivry Gitlis
Performed by Ivry Gitlis
Kammerkonzert: II. Adagio— Ivry Gitlis
Performed by Ivry Gitlis
Kammerkonzert: III. Rondo rythmico con introduzione— Ivry Gitlis
Performed by Ivry Gitlis
7 Frühe Lieder: I. Nacht— Christa Ludwig
Performed by Christa Ludwig
7 Frühe Lieder: II. Schilflied— Christa Ludwig
Performed by Christa Ludwig
7 Frühe Lieder: III. Die Nachtigall— Christa Ludwig
Performed by Christa Ludwig
Chamber Concerto for Violin and Piano with Thirteen Wind Instruments: I. Thema scherzoso con…— Martha Argerich
Performed by Martha Argerich
Chamber Concerto for Violin and Piano with Thirteen Wind Instruments: II. Adagio— Martha Argerich
Performed by Martha Argerich
Chamber Concerto for Violin and Piano with Thirteen Wind Instruments: III. Rondo ritmico con…— Martha Argerich
Performed by Martha Argerich
Sieben frühe Lieder: 1. Nacht— Anja Harteros
Performed by Anja Harteros
Berg: Sieben frühe Lieder: 1. Nacht— Barbara Bonney
Performed by Barbara Bonney
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra – To the Memory of an Angel: I. Andante – Allegretto— Pinchas Zukerman
Performed by Pinchas Zukerman
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra – To the Memory of an Angel: II. Allegro (ma sempre rubato,…— Pinchas Zukerman
Performed by Pinchas Zukerman
Berg: 4 Lieder, Op. 2: No. 2, Schlafend trägt Man mich— Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Performed by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Wo der Goldregen steht ‘Eh’ wir weitergehen’ (1902) , aus: Lieder op.2 No.2— Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Performed by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Berg: 4 Lieder, Op. 2: No. 4, Warm die Lüfte— Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Performed by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Abschied ‘Ein Spielmann, der muß reisen’ (1902) , aus: Lieder op.2 No.4— Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Performed by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Concerto pour violon “À la mémoire d’un ange”: I. Andante – Allegretto— Ivry Gitlis
Performed by Ivry Gitlis
Concerto pour violon “À la mémoire d’un ange”: II. Allegro ma sempre rubato – Adagio— Ivry Gitlis
Performed by Ivry Gitlis
Concerto pour violon et orchestre “À la mémoire d’un ange”: I. Andante – Allegretto— Ivry Gitlis
Performed by Ivry Gitlis
Concerto pour violon et orchestre “À la mémoire d’un ange”: II. Allegro ma sempre rubato – Adagio— Ivry Gitlis
Performed by Ivry Gitlis
Wozzeck, Op. 7: Act III Scene 1: Und ist kein Betrug in seinem Munde erfunden worden— Christa Ludwig
Performed by Christa Ludwig
Wozzeck, Op. 7: Act III Scene 2: Dort links geht’s in die Stadt— Christa Ludwig
Performed by Christa Ludwig
Så jag målar, donna Bianca— Bengt Forsberg
Performed by Bengt Forsberg
I. Andante (Live)— Pierre Barbizet
Performed by Pierre Barbizet
II. Allegro (Live)— Pierre Barbizet
Performed by Pierre Barbizet
Berg: 4 Lieder, Op. 2: No. 1, Schlafen, schlafen— Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Performed by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Berg: 4 Lieder, Op. 2: No. 3, Nun ich der Riesen Stärksten überwand— Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Performed by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Grenzen der Menschheit ‘Wenn der uralte, Heilige Vater’ (1902)— Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Performed by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Wozzeck: Act I— Tito Gobbi
Performed by Tito Gobbi
Wozzeck: Act II— Tito Gobbi
Performed by Tito Gobbi
Wozzeck: Act III— Tito Gobbi
Performed by Tito Gobbi
Berg: Heiliger Himmel— Hermann Prey
Performed by Hermann Prey
Berg: Schliesse mir die Augen beide (1907)— Hermann Prey
Performed by Hermann Prey
Lyrische Suite: VI. Largo desolato. Zu dir, du einzig teure— Andreas Scholl
Performed by Andreas Scholl