Together with a few close friends, Arnold Schoenberg (1874 – 1951) founded the Association for Private Musical Performances in November 1918. It offered a focused, forward-looking opportunity for this select Viennese musical circle to get to know the latest contemporary works by international composers. This was at a time when the cultural spirit of optimism and innovation in the immediate aftermath of the First World War was at a low point. Schoenberg enjoyed ties with many of the composers who performed at the Association concerts; some were close friends, as in the case of Zemlinsky. Working within the parameters of the instrumentation demanded in the scores, the Association became an incubator for the entire modern music movement, from Richard Strauss and Debussy to Webern.