Being somewhat of a novice when it comes to 20th century classical music I was prepared to run crying and screaming from anything by the dreaded Sch***berg. However, I was extremely pleasantly surprised by the Chamber symphony. Very listenable indeed. Hardly any terrors at all.

Can anyone recommend any further works which could act as an introduction to his music ?

Thanks.

I have always had a soft spot for the String Trio, partly because it's the answer to a great quiz question: name a piece completed by the composer after the composer's death which includes a representation of said composer's death...

There, I'm sure I've really encouraged you to run off and look for a copy now

Honestly, despite it being a late (!) piece, it is both attractive and approachable (although admittedly not as much so as Verklaerte Nacht or the gorgeous last ten mins of Gurrelieder. Do you know any Zemlinsky, by the way? Try the Lyric Symphony - WONDERFUL piece!)

Thanks for the response. I'm try and get get copies of Gurrelieder and Verklärte Nacht since both of you have recommended them. I'll see what happens from there 

Roslynmuse,

Did he complete it after recovering from a heart attack where he technically died before being resuscitated 

There you are, WeeCalum, you knew something about Schoenberg I didn't!

WeeCalum, I used to be afraid of Schoenberg and Berg. For some reason I am not afraid of their music as much as before (only few months ago).
I liked Schoenberg chamber symphony. However I seems to be confined to early pieces of his that I like. I don't know his trio.
Berg I don't know much, but after listening to composer of the week I even like his music. I think he was a very passionate man.

There are some very nifty arrangements by Schoenberg of music by others, including Mahler and Johann Strauss. There have been several performances of the Roses from the South waltz on the BBC recently - one by the Arditti Quartet, and another by a Canadian Chamber group. Maybe not quite what you had in mind, but pleasant anyway.

I also recommend the Chamber Symphonies - which you've noted - and Verklärte Nacht.

Interesting - but the very Schoenberg works I wouldn't recommend to a newcomer are Gurrelieder (apart from Song of the Wood-dove) and Verklarte Nacht. For me the former has considerable longueurs + the latter I just can't follow. On the other hand the Serenade op 25 + Suite op 29 are pretty inviting. As is Pierrot Lunaire + Herzgewachse (a favourite) + Pelleas and Melisande. If the newcomer is a piano music fan, steer clear of Schoenberg's.
So there you go. We'll disagree on recommendations - and it could be that I find myself within a small minority.

"As someone said many moons ago, we are all wired so very differently, aren't we?"

Isn't the problem that Schoenberg himself kept rewiring his own brain? He started off as post-Wagnerian (Gurrelieder, coincidentally inventing Sprechstimme in the same piece, but that's really just like something out of Act 1 of Siegfied); moved on the atonal - the unique and thrilling 1st Chamber symphony - there really isn't anything else like it in the output; ended the period with Pierrot Lunaire - where the hell did that come from?; then the serial which we all mostly avoid, except when there's some religion involved - or perhaps I mean simply words, whish would help, wouldn't they - in things like Jacob's Ladder, A Survivor from Warsaw and Moses & Aron.
And I used (30 years ago) to wonder why people loved Schoenberg when Stravinsky was so obviously more approachable. Well, yes, approachable, but AS has rather greater rewards in the long term, does he not.