20 th Century Music

1. 20th Century Music Music that You may know! And some you won’t

2. Musical Characteristics • Diatonic Harmony gave way to Atonal Music. • Electronic Music developed with the technology. • Composers experimented with different ideas about how to create music. • Composers were influenced by music from other styles and cultures.

3. Atonal Music • Atonal music has no key and therefore no hierarchy of pitches. • This means that many of the key aspects of western music no longer function (e.g. cadences, chords, etc.) • Atonal music frequently sounds very dissonant. • Serialismis a type of atonal music developed by a composer called Schoenberg.

4. Serialism • Schoenberg tried to reintroduce an element • of structure into his atonal music. • • In Serialism you write a tone row containing • each of the 12 chromatic pitches just once. • • You then manipulate the tone row using • specified techniques: inversion, transposition • and retrograde. • • Some composers went on to develop • Serialism by adapting these techniques to • note values, instrumentation, etc.

5. Electronic • • Electronic music uses sounds generated • electronically rather than by acoustic instruments. • • Composers who wrote electronic music often used • the technology to create new sounds unlike anything • that could be played on an acoustic instrument. • • Electronic music often sounds crude compared to the • sophisticated electronic sounds we are used to with • modern music. • • Some composers used electronics to manipulate • acoustic sounds rather than generate electronic • sounds.

6. Experimental • • Aleatoric Music – music created using • chance. • • Graphic Score – music written down as a • picture without using conventional notation. • The performer has to interpret the picture. • • Microtonal – music that uses intervals smaller • than a semitone. • • Extended Techniques – music that requires • the instrument to be adapted or played in an • unconventional manner

7. Neoclassicism • • A reaction against the unpleasant • sounding modern music. • • Composers revisited older techniques • and harmonies but still keeps some of • the characteristics of modern music. • • Dissonance (in parts) and unusual • rhythms are characteristic of • Neoclassical music.

8. Minimalism • • Minimalist music consists of looped • layers. • • Each layer is gradually altered during • the course of the piece. • • It is very repetitive and often very long.

9. Other Styles of Music • • Many composers were influenced by • other styles of music. In particular: • – World Music • – Jazz • – Popular Music

10. Multimedia • • Other composers are noted for mixing • their music with other art forms such as: • – Film • – Graphic Art • – Video

11. Instrumental Music • • Just about any combination of instruments is • written for using any of the musical • techniques described before. • • The orchestra stays mostly the same but with • the addition of some unusual percussion • instruments for particular pieces. • • Chamber ensembles become more popular • after being almost

12. Vocal Music • • Vocal ensembles are still the same as they • have been since the Classical Era, soloists • and choruses with an occasional chamber • ensemble. • • Voices and instruments are used together on • a more regular basis. • • Vocal music (both sacred and secular) is • written using any of the techniques described • before.

13. Arnold Schoenberg (1874 – 1951) • 20th century expressionist composer who developed a systematic method of organizing atonal music called the 12 tone system

14. Aaron Copland • American composer who incorporated American folk songs, cowboy songs, revival hymns and jazz in his orchestral compositions • Works include Billy the Kid,Rodeo and Appalachian Spring

15. Igor Stravinsky (1882 – 1971) • Russian expressionist composer • Famous for three ballets: The Firebird, • Petrushka, and the Rite of Spring

16. Claude Debussy • French pianist/composer who linked the Romantic era to the 20th century • Greatest hits: Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun

17. Summary • • Dissonance and unusual rhythms make • music unpleasant to listen to. • • Electronic sounds, unusual instruments, • extended techniques all expand the • sounds available to the composer. • • Repetition and gradual change – • minimalist music.