I spent several years studying and playing the piano works of Schoenberg. I loved it, so much so that I got the barcode from a CD of his piano concerto tattooed

I spent several years studying and playing the piano works of Schoenberg. I loved it, so much so that I got the barcode from a CD of his piano concerto tattooed on myself (Emanual Ax was the pianist). I remember thinking early on, how can anybody possibly memorize this? But the more I listened to it, the more the "melodies" stuck, and this was a break through for me. There is beauty in his music, and the more time spent with it, the more it really shines. Still to this day I can hum along to Op. 25 (the Suite for piano) -- something I never thought possible upon first listening. I believe this is what distinguishes Schoenberg from later "atonal" composers. As a pianist, my recommendations for approachable Schoenberg are the Piano Concerto (the first movement is a waltz!), Op 19, and Op 25, the two latter works being digestible in small pieces. Op. 33 is magical, and Op 11 is just plain difficult.