Triskaidekaphobia and paraskevidekatriaphobia. Do these terms sound familiar? Today, they feel especially relevant, as they describe the fear of the number 13 and Friday the 13th. Did you know that Arnold Schönberg suffered from triskaidekaphobia?
Arnold Schönberg, an Austrian composer, painter, and music theorist, best known as the creator of dodecaphony, was born on 13 September 1874. Throughout his life he was deeply afraid of and avoided the number 13 – in the numbering of bars, premiere dates, and even in the titles of his works. In his unfinished opera Moses und Aron, he deliberately shortened the biblical name of Aaron so that the title would contain 12 letters instead of 13.
Schönberg died on 13 July 1951 at the age of 76. On that day, the composer reportedly felt intense anxiety and a premonition of his own death. 7+6=13 – coincidence?
You can find more about Arnold Schönberg in our Encyclopedia. Be sure to visit Ikonoteka as well, where you can explore his paintings and other materials.
