September 13, 2024, 2:09 PM

Today, on Friday the 13th, we remember that this dreaded date would mean a cruel twist of fate for a classical composer…

Today is Friday the 13th, and for many around the world, that means it’s the unluckiest day of the year. While some might scoff at the idea of ​​a doomed date, others might decide to spend the day indoors, away from black cats and wobbly ladders.

The superstition surrounding Friday the 13th has existed since the first half of the 19th century. There are all sorts of theories about why this day is so special.

The number “13” has been considered unlucky for centuries. In Christianity, Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed Jesus, was the thirteenth guest at the Last Supper. And throughout history, works of literature, entertainment, and pop culture have reinforced myths surrounding the number.

But it seems that American-Austrian composer Arnold Schoenberg found this day more stressful than most, as he has suffered from a phobia of the number 13 his entire life.

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The fear of the number 13, also called triskaidekaphobia, is related to the fact that 12 is the number of perfection, that a year has 12 months, that the clock has 12 hours, and that there are 12 zodiac signs.

Schoenberg, a music theorist, teacher, writer and painter, is widely regarded as one of the most influential and respected classical composers of the 21st century. But he would do anything to avoid the number 13.

It is alleged that he even deliberately misspelled his opera, Moses and Aaron, because the correct spelling would make the title exactly 13 letters long.

But before you laugh at Schoenberg’s idiosyncrasies, read on. Because on Friday, July 13, 1951, Schoenberg’s fears finally came true.

The then 76-year-old composer had been in bed all day, feeling unbearably anxious and believing the worst would happen… and it did.

Israeli Chamber Project | Schoenberg: Pierrot Lunaire. Complete

His wife Gertrud recalls: “Around a quarter to twelve I looked at the clock and said to myself: just another fifteen minutes and the worst will be over.

“Then the doctor called me. Arnold’s throat rattled twice, his heart gave a powerful beat and that was the end.”

Coincidence? As if that wasn’t enough to send shivers down your spine, the digits in Schoenberg’s age also add up to 13.

Of course, Schoenberg was not alone in his superstition. Many hotels today are designed without room number 13, and some restaurants refuse to have a “table 13.” That’s why you don’t see a 13th row on Ryanair and Lufthansa flights.