How did a 12-tone row organize Anton Webern's later compositions?

Anton Webern adopted the 12-tone method formulated by his teacher, Arnold Schoenberg, beginning with his Kinderstück for piano in 1924. In this system, a "row" or "series" is constructed from the 12 independent tones of the chromatic scale.1

Webern organized his later compositions by employing this row both melodically and harmonically through specific structural devices:1

• Inversion: The row is played upside down (intervals are inverted).1
• Retrograde progression: The row is played backward.1
• Transposition: The row is shifted to different pitch levels.1

By utilizing these techniques, Webern could generate up to 48 variations of the chosen row for a single composition. He applied this serial technique with severe consistency, developing it to its most extreme potential in works such as his Symphony (1928), Concerto for 9 Instruments (1934), and Piano Variations (1935–36). These later works are characterized by rigorous formal discipline, reflecting his commitment to this new musical syntax.1