Schoenberg Institute

Study room ISO a place -- furniture, original scores, photographs, toys, and other objects stemming from Arnold Schoenberg's bequest are about to leave Los Angeles. For 20 years, the Arnold Schoenberg Institute at the University of Southern California was a Mecca for fans of the composer who in the early 20th century invented the so-called 12-tone-music system. However, there has been a tense mood at the Schoenberg Institute, as the institute has become entangled in an angry argument pitching the host university against Schoenberg's sons Lawrence and Ronald, as well as daughter Nuria who is composer Luigi Nono's widow. Schoenberg's heirs accuse the Institute of improper usage of the Schoenberg collection, and the Institute accuses the heirs of overly-controlling behavior. After a bitterly-fought lawsuit, a verdict was recently (July) reached. It says that the University has to let go of the collection. Where? That's the next question. Cities rumored to be the future home to the collection include New York, Vienna, and Berlin. Georg Hirsch reports.

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