The composer Arnold Schoenberg teaches us about what prompted him to renew the laws of musical composition of his time, despite taunts and criticism. From the writings he left us, we have been able to identify an essential void felt by the composer that his music allows him to treat, but not fill. The path that leads him to the invention of his atonal system follows a path similar to that of the drive: a deaf inner force pushes him in that direction, but never results in full satisfaction. The tension comes up again very quickly and leads him to keep composing. If his courage allows him to follow his own inclinations relentlessly, Arnold Schoenberg’s position on what drives him to compose also contains a mystical, messianic side. His music is inspired by God and becomes a struggle. It seems necessary that his compositions keep an enigma for the public and critics, allowing Arnold Schoenberg to avoid a feeling of persecution and to continue to create.
Key words:
Arnold Schoenberg; creation; real; drive; ethics