Quarter I: MUSIC OF THE 20TH CENTURY The start of the 20th century saw the rise of distinct musical styles that reected a move away from the conventions of earlier classical music. These new styles were: impressionism, expressionism, neo- classicism , avant garde music, and modern nationalism. The distin distinct ct musica musicall styles styles of the the 20th century century would would not have developed if not for the musical genius of Debuss ssy y, indi indivi vidu dual al comp compos oser ers s such such as Claude Debu Maurice Maurice Ravel, Ravel, Arnold Arnold Schoen Schoenber berg, g, Bela Barto, Barto, !gor !gor Stra Stravi vins nsy y,, Serge Sergeii "roo#e$, "roo#e$, and %eorge %eorge %ersh&in stand out as the moving forces behi behind nd the the inno innova vativ tive e and and expe experi rime ment ntal al style tyles s mentioned mentioned above. above. Comin Coming g from from di dieren erentt nati nation ons! s! "rance, #ustria, $ungary, %ussia, and the &nited 'tates ! these these compo composer sers s clearl clearly y reec reected ted the grow growing ing globali(ation of musical styles in the 20th century.
!M"R'SS!()!SM ¬
)ne of the earlier but concrete forms declaring the entry of 20th century music was *nown as rench h move moveme ment nt in impressio impressionism nism.. !t is a *renc the late +th and early th centu century ry.. The sentimental melodies and dramatic emotionalism of the preceding %omantic +eriod their themes and melody are easy to recogni(e and en-oy en-oy &ere being replaced in /avor o/ mood moods s and and impr impres essi sion ons s. There is an extensive use o/ colors and e$ects, vague melod lodies ies, and inno innov vativ ative e cho chords and progressions leading to mild dissonances.
¬
Sublime moods and melodic suggestions replaced highly expressive and program music, or music that contained contained visual image imagery ry. /ith ith this this tren trend d came came new new comb combin inat atio ions ns of exten xtende ded d chor chords ds,, harm harmon onie ies, s, whol whole e tone tone,, chro chroma mati tic c scal scales es,, and penta pentato tonic nic scal scales es.. !mpr !mpres essi sion onis ism m &a &as s an atte attemp mpt t not not to depict reality, but merely to suggest it . t was was meant meant to create an emotional mood rath rather er than than a spec speci1 i1c c pictu picture re.. n term terms s of imagery, impressionistic forms were transl ansluc ucen entt and and ha(y, as if try trying ing to see see through a rain drenched window.
¬
n impre impressi ssioni onism, sm, the sounds sounds o/ di$eren di$erent t chords chords overlap overlapped ped lightly lightly with each other to produce new subtle musical colors. Chords did not have a de1nite order and a sense of clear clear resol resoluti ution. on. )ther )ther featur features es include include the lac lac o/ a toni tonicc-do domi mina nant nt rela relati tion onsh ship ip which normally gives the feeling of 1nality to a piece, mood moods s and textur textures es, harmonic structure of certain certain vagu vaguen enes ess s about the structure chords, and use of the &hole&hole- tone scale. 3ost 3ost of the impressionist &ors centered on nature nature and its beau beauty ty,, lightness, lightness, and # number of outstanding brilliance. impressionists impressionists created wor*s on this sub-ect.
¬ The impressi impressionist onistic ic movement movement in music music had its foremost foremost propon proponents ents in the "renc rench h compose composers rs Claude Claude Debuss Debussy y and Maurice Maurice Ravel Ravel.. 4oth 4oth had develope developed d a particular particular style of comp compos osing ing adopted by many 20th century composers. #mon #mong g the the most most famo famou us lum luminar inarie ies s in othe otherr ino Respigh ighi taly, countries were (ttorino Manuel Manuel de *alla alla and !saac !saac Albeni0 Albeni0 'pain, Ralph 1aughan 2illiams and 5ngland.
C3A4D' D'B4SS5 6+789++7:
¬
primar ary y expo expone nent nt o/ the the $e was the prim impressionist movement and the /ocal point /or other impressionist composers. composers. $e changed the course of musical developm developmen entt by dissolving traditional rules and conventions into a new new lang langua uage ge of poss possib ibil iliti ities es in harm harmon ony, y, rhythm, form, texture, and color.
¬
%ermainin-en en-3a -3aye ye in 6ebus 6ebussy sy was born in St. %erma *rance rance on #ugust 22, 7892. $is early musical talents talents were were channel channeled ed into piano lessons. lessons. $e +7;< . $e enter entered ed the "aris Conservatory in +7;<. gained a reputation as an erratic pianist and a rebel rebel in theory theory andh ndharm armony ony. $e adde added d othe otherr syste systems ms of musical musical composit composition ion becaus because e of his musical training.
¬
n +77=, he won the the top pri0e pri0e at the Prix competition with his composition composition L’ de Rome competition Enfa Enfant nt Prodi Prodigu gue e The The +rodi +rodigal gal 'on. 'on. This This enabled him to study for two years in %ome, where he got exposed to the music of %ichard ristan an und /agne agner, r, spec speci1 i1ca cally lly his his oper opera a Trist although he did not share the latters Isolde, Isolde, although grandiose style.
¬
6ebussys mature creative period was represented represented by the t he following wor*s: Ariettes Ariettes Oubliees Oubliees Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun String Quartet Pelleas et Melisande 78;<!his famous operatic wor* that drew mixed extreme extreme reactions for its innovative harmonies harmonies and textural treatments. La Mer 7;0<!a highly imaginative and atmospheric symphonic symphonic wor* for orchestra orchestra about the sea Images, Suite Bergamasque, and Estampes! his most popular piano compositions= a set of lightly textured pieces containing his signature wor* laire de Lune 3oonlight
¬
$is musical musical composit compositions ions total more or less --; which which include include orch orches estr tral al music, music, chamber chamber music, music, piano piano music, music, operas, operas, ballets, ballets, songs, songs, and other other vocal music.
creative style of 6ebussy 6ebussy was characteri( characteri(ed ed ¬ The creative uni>ue e appr approa oach ch to the vario various us by his uni>u musical musical elements elements. 6ebussy 6ebussys s compositions compositions deviat deviated ed /rom /rom the Romantic Romantic "eriod and is clea clearl rly y seen seen by the the way way he avoi avoide ded d metr metric ic pre/err erred /ree ree /orm /orm and pulses and deve develo lope ped d his his them hemes. 6ebussys wester tern inu inuen ence ces s came came from from comp compos oser ers s *ran0 3is0t and and %ius %iusep eppe pe 1erdi erdi.. "rom the 5ast 5ast,, he was was ?avanese gamelan gamelan that he fascin fascinate ated d by the ?avanese had had hear heard d at the the 788; 788; +aris aris 5xpo 5xposi siti tion on.. The The game gamela lan n is an ense ensemb mble le with with bell bells, s, gong gongs, s, xylophone, and occasional vocal parts which he later used in his wor*s to achieve a new sound.
arts, 6ebussy was inuenced "rom the the visual arts, by 3onet, 3onet, +issarr +issarro, o, 3anet, 3anet, 6egas, 6egas, and %enoir= %enoir= literary y arts, arts, by 3all and from the literar 3allar arme me,, >erlaine, and %imbaud. 3ost of his close friends were ere painters and poets oets who sign igni1c i1cantl antly y in inuenc uenced ed his his comp compos osit itio ions ns.. $is $is role role as the the @*ather o/ the Modern School o/ Composition made its mar* mar* in the styles styles of the the late laterr 20th 20th cent centur ury y comp compos oser ers s li* li*e gor gor 'travi 'travins ns* *y, 5dgar 5dgar >ares arese, e, and )livier )livier 3essiaen. 3essiaen. 6ebussy spent the remaining years of his life as a critic, composer, and performer. performer . e died in "aris on March , ++7 o/ cancer at the height hei ght o/ the *irst *ir st 2orld 2ar.
MA4R!C' RA1'3 RA1'3 6+7;9+<;:
¬ ?oseph Maurice Ravel was born in Ciboure, *rance to a 4as?ue mother and a 'wiss father. $e entered the "aris Conservatory at the age of 7@ where he studied with the eminent "rench composer Aabriel "aure. 6uring his stint with the school where he stayed until his early 20s, he had composed a number of masterpieces. ¬ The compositional style of %avel is mainly characteri(ed by its uni>uely innovative but not atonal style o/ harmonic treatment. t is de#ned &ith intricate and sometimes modal melodies and extended chordal components. t demands considerable technical virtuosity from the performer which is the character, ability, or s*ill of a virtuoso!a person who excels in musical techni?ue or execution. ¬ The harmonic progressions and modulations are not only musically satisfying but also pleasantly dissonant and elegantly sophisticated. is re#ned delicacy and color, contrasts and e$ects add to the diculty in the proper execution o/ the musical passages. These are extensively used in his wor*s of a programmatic nature, wherein visual imagery is either suggested or portrayed. 3any of his wor*s deal with water in its owing or stormy moods as well as with human characteri(ations.
¬
%avels wor*s include the following:
¬
Pa!ane for a "ead Prin#ess 78;;, a slow but lyrical re?uiem $eu% d&Eau or /ater "ountains 7;07 String Quartet 7;0B Sonatine for Piano c.7;0@ Miroirs 3irrors, 7;0<, a wor* for piano *nown for its harmonic evolution and imagination, 'aspard de la (uit 7;08, a set of demonic inspired pieces based on the poems of #loysius 4ertrand which is arguably the most dicult piece in the piano repertoire.
These were followed by a number of his other signi1cant wor*s, including )alses (obles et Sentimentales 7;77 Le *ombeau de ouperin c.7;7D, a commemoration of the musical advocacies of the early 78th century "rench composer "rancois Couperin, +hapsodie Espagnole Bolero "aphnis et hloe 7;72, a ballet commissioned by master choreographer 'ergei 6iaghilev that contained rhythmic diversity, evocation of nature, and choral ensemble La )alse 7;20, a walt( with a frightening undertone that had been composed for ballet and arranged as well as for solo and duo piano. The two piano concerti composed in 7;2; as well as the violin virtuosic piece *igane 7;22 total the relatively meager compositional output of %avel, approximating 90 pieces for piano, chamber music, song cycles, ballet, and opera.
%avel was a per/ectionist and every bit a musical cra/tsman. $e strongly adhered to the classical form, speci1cally its ternary structure. # strong advocate of %ussian music, he also admired the music of Chopin, Eis(t,
'chubert, and 3endelssohn. e died in "aris in +<;.
Comparative Styles o/ Debussy and Ravel ¬
#s the two ma-or exponents of "rench mpressionism in music, 6ebussy and %avel had crossed paths during their lifetime although 6ebussy was thirteen years older than %avel. 2hile their musical &ors sound >uite similar in terms o/ their harmonic and textural characteristics, the two diered greatly in their personalities and approach to music. /hereas Debussy &as more spontaneous and liberal in /orm , Ravel &as very attentive to the classical norms o/ musical structure and the compositional cra/tsmanship. /hereas Debussy &as more casual in his portrayal o/ visual imagery, Ravel &as more /ormal and exacting in the development o/ his motive ideas .
¬
#lthough full of melodic and lyrical interest, his music is also extremely complex, creating heavy demands on the listener. $is wor*s were met with extreme reactions, either strong hostility from the general public or enthusiastic acclaim from his supporters.
¬
'choenberg is credited with the establishment of the twelvetone system. $is wor*s include the following: )er-larte (a#ht, *hree Pie#es for Piano, op. // Pierrot Lunaire, 'urreleider )er-larte (a#ht Trans1gured Fight, 78;;, one of his earliest successful pieces, blends the lyricism, instrumentation, and melodic beauty of 4rahms with the chromaticism and construction of /agner.
¬
$is musical compositions total more or less +< which include #on#erti, orchestral music, piano music, operas, choral music, songs, and other instrumental music. Schoenberg died on ?uly +<, ++ in 3os Angeles, Cali/ornia, 4SA where he had settled since 7;B@.
AR)(3D SC(')B'R% 6+7;=9++: ¬
¬
Arnold Schoenberg was born in a wor*ingclass suburb of 1ienna, Austria on September +<, +7;=. $e taught himself music theory, but too* lessons in counterpoint. Aerman composer %ichard /agner inuenced his wor* as evidenced by his symphonic poem Pelleas et Melisande, Op 5 6+<: , a counterpoint of 6ebussys opera of the same title.
¬
¬
!gor Stravinsy stands alongside fellow composer 'choenberg, painter +ablo +icasso, and literary 1gure Games Goyce as one of the great trendsetters of the 20th century.
¬
$e was born in )ranienbaum now 3omonosov , Russia on ?une +;, +77. 'travins*ys early music reected the inuence of his teacher, the %ussian composer Fi*olai %ims*yHorsa*ov. 4ut in his 1rst successful masterpiece, The Firebird Suite 7;70, composed for 6iaghilevs %ussian 4allet, his s*illful handling of material and rhythmic
'choenbergs style was constantly undergoing development. "rom the early inuences of /agner, his tonal pre/erence gradually turned to the dissonant and atonal, as he explored the use of chromatic harmonies.
inventiveness went beyond anything composed by his %ussian predecessors. e added a ne& ingredient to his nationalistic musical style . The Rite of another outstanding pring 7;7B was wor*. An e& level o/ dissonance &as reached and the sense of tonality was practically abandoned. Asymmetrical rhythms success/ully portrayed the character o/ a solemn pagan rite . /hen he left the country for the &nited 'tates in 7;B;, Stravinsy slo&ly turned his bac on Russian nationalism and cultivated his neo-classical style.
¬
!%(R SERA1!)SF5 6+779+;+:
'travins*y adapted the forms of the 78th century with his contemporary style of writing. 6espite its Ishoc*ingJ modernity, his music is also very structured, precise, controlled, /ull o/ arti#ce, and theatricality. )ther outstanding wor*s include the ballet Petrou!h"a 7;77, featuring shifting rhythms and polytonality, a signature device of the composer. The Ra"e’s Progress 7;<7, a fulllength opera, alludes heavily to the 4aro?ue and Classical styles of 4ach and 3o(art through the use of the harpsichord, small orchestra, solo and ensemble numbers with recitatives stringing together the dierent songs. +; 'travins*ys musical output approximates wor*s, including #on#erti, orchestral music, instrumental music, operas, and ballets, solo vocal and choral music. e died in )e& 5or City on April 8, +;+.
(ther musical stylesG "R!M!E!1!SM ¬
is tonal "rimitivistic music through the asserting o/ one note as more important than the others. Few sounds are synthesi(ed from old ones by -uxtaposing two simple events to create a more complex new event.
¬
"rimitivism has lins to 'xoticism through the use of materials from other cultures, )ationalism through the use of materials indigenous to speci1c countries, and 'thnicism through the use of materials from 5uropean ethnic groups. E&o &ell- no&n proponents o/ this style &ere Stravinsy and Bela Barto . t eventually evolved into Feo classicism.
B'3A BARE(F 6+77+9+=: Bela Barto was born in )agys0entmilos, ungary now %omania on March , +77+, to musical parents. $e started piano lessons with his mother and later entered Budapest Royal Academy o/ Music in +7. $e was inspired by the performance of %ichard 'trausss Also Spra#h 0arathustra to write his 1rst nationalistic poem, 1ossuth in 7;0B. e &as a concert pianist as he travelled exploring the music o/ ungarian peasants. ¬ n 7;09, with his fellow composer Hodaly, Barto published his #rst collection o/ ungarian /ol songs. "or the next decade, although his music was being badly received in his country, he continued to explore 3agyar fol* songs. Eater, he resumed his career as a concert
pianist, while composing several wor*s for his own use. As a neo-classicist, primitivist, and nationalist composer, Barto used ungarian /ol themes and rhythms. $e utili0ed changing meters and strong also syncopations. $is compositions were successful because of their
rich melodies and lively rhythms. $e admired the musical styles of Eis(t, 'trauss, 6ebussy, and 'travins*y.
¬
$e eventually shed their inuences in favor of $ungarian fol* and peasant themes. These later became a ma-or source of the themes of his wor*s. Barto is most /amous /or his ix tring #uartets 7;08K7;B8. t represents the greatest achievement of his creative life, spanning a full B0 years for their completion. The six wor*s combine dicult and dissonant music with mysterious sounds.
¬ The $on!erto for Or!hestra 7;@B, a 1ve movement wor* composed late in 4arto*:s life, features the exceptional talents of its various soloists in an intricately constructed piece. The short and popular %llegro &arbaro 7;77 2 for solo piano is punctuated with swirling rhythms and percussive chords, while Mi"ro"osmos 7;29K 7;B;, a set of six boo*s containing progressive technical piano pieces, introduced and familiari(ed the piano student with contemporary harmony and rhythm. $is musical compositions total more or less 8 which include #on#erti, orchestral music, piano music, instrumental music, dramatic music, choral music, and songs. n 7;@0, the political developments in $ungary led 4arto* to migrate to the &nited 'tates, where he died on September 8, += in )e& 5or City, 4SA.
)'(-C3ASS!C!SM ¬
)eo-classicism was a moderating factor between the emotional excesses of the %omantic period and the violent impulses of the soul in expressionism. !t &as, in essence, a partial return to an earlier style o/ &riting, particularly the tightlynit /orm o/ the Classical period, &hile combining tonal harmonies &ith slight dissonances. t also adopted a modern, /reer use o/ the sevennote diatonic scale.
¬
5xamples of neoclassicism are 4ela 4arto*s ong of the &agpipe and Piano onata. n this latter piece, the classical threemovement format is combined with evershifting time signatures, complex but exciting rhythmic patterns, as well as harmonic dissonances that produce harsh chords. The neoclassicist style was also used by composers such as "rancis +oulenc, 4ela 4arto*,gor 'travins*y, +aul $indemith, and 'ergei +ro*o1e.
S'R%'! "R(F(*!'** 6+7+9+<: ¬
Sergei "roo#e$ is regarded today as a combination o/ neo-classicist, nationalist, and avant garde composer . $is style is uni?uely recogni(able for its progressive techni?ue, pulsating rhythms, melodic directness, and a resolving dissonance.
¬
4orn in the 4raine in +7+, +ro*o1e set out St. "etersburg Conservatory for the e?uipped with his great talent as a composer and pianist. $is early compositions were branded as avant garde and were not approved of by his elders= he continued to follow his stylistic path as he ed to other places for hopefully better acceptance of his creativity.
¬
$is contacts with 6iaghilev and 'travins*y gave him the chance to write music for the ballet and
opera, notably the ballet Romeo and 'uliet and the opera (ar and Pea!e. 3uch of +ro*o1es opera was left un1nished, due in part to resistance by the performers themselves to the seemingly oensive musical content. $e became proli1c in writing symphonies, chamber music, #on#erti, and solo instrumental music. $e also wrote Peter and the 3olf , a lighthearted orchestral wor* intended for children, to appease the continuing on avant garde government crac*down composers at the time. ¬
$e was highly successful in his piano music, as evidenced by the wide acceptance of his piano #on#erti and sonatas, featuring to##atali*e rhythms and biting harmonic dissonance within a classical form and structure. )ther signi1cant compositions include the )mphon) no* + also called lassi#al S4mphon4 , his most accessible orchestral wor* lin*ed to the combined styles of classicists $aydn and 3o(art and neoclassicist 'travins*y. $e also composed violin sonatas, some of which are also performed on the ute, two highly regarded violin #on#erti , and two string ?uartets inspired by 4eethoven. +ro*o1es musical compositions include #on#erti, chamber music, 1lm scores, operas, ballets, and ocial pieces for state occasions . e died in Mosco& on March +, +<.
*RA)C!S "(43')C 6+79+8<: ¬
)ne of the relatively few composers born into wealth and a privileged social position, the neo classicist *rancis ?ean Marcel "oulenc was a member o/ the group o/ young *rench composers no&n as @3es SixJ. $e re-ected the heavy romanticism of /agner and the so called imprecision of 6ebussy and %avel. is compositions had a coolly elegant modernity, tempered by a classical sense o/ proportion. +oulenc was also fond of the witty approach of 'atie, as well as the early neo classical wor*s of 'travins*y.
¬
+oulenc was a successful composer for piano, voice, and choral music. $is output included the harpsichord #on#erto, *nown as $on!ert $hampetre 7;28= the $on!erto for T,o Pianos 7;B2, which combined the classical touches of 3o(art with a refreshing mixture of wit and exoticism in the style of %avel= and a $on!erto for olo Piano 7;@; written for the 4oston 'ymphony )rchestra.
¬
+oulenc:s vocal output, meanwhile, revealed his strength as a lyrical melodist. $is opera wor*s included Les Mamelles de Tiresias 7;@@, which revealed his lighthearted character= -ialogues des $armelites 7;<9, which highlighted his conservative writing style= and La .oix /umane 7;<8, which reected his own turbulent emotional life.
+oulencs choral wor*s tended to be more somber and solemn, as portrayed by Litanies a la 0ierge noire Eitanies of the 4lac* 3adonna, 7;B9, with its monophony, simple harmony, and startling dissonance= and tabat Mater 7;<0, which carried a 4aro?ue solemnity with a prevailing style of unison singing and repetition. +oulencs musical compositions total around 78< which include solo piano wor*s, as well as vocal solos, *nown as melodies, which highlighted many aspects of
his temperament in his avant garde style. e died in "aris on ?anuary <, +8<.
)ther members of @3es Six
%eorges Auric 78;;K7;8B wrote music for the movies and rhythmic music with lots of energy. 3ouis Durey 7888K7;D; used traditional ways of composing and wrote in his own, personal way, not wanting to follow form. Arthur onegger 7882K7;<< li*ed chamber music and the symphony. $is popular piece Pa#i5# 67/ describes a train -ourney on the Canadian +aci1c %ailway. Darius Milhaud 78;2K7;D@ was a very talented composer who wrote in several dierent styles. 'ome of his music uses bitonality and polytonality writing in two or more *eys at the same time. $is love of -a(( can be heard in popular pieces li*e Le Boeuf sur le *oit which he called a cinemasymphony. %ermaine Eaille/erre 78;2K7;8B was the only female in the group. 'he li*ed to use dance rhythms. 'he loved children and animals and wrote many wor*s about them. 'he also wrote operas, #on#erti, and many wor*s for the piano.
A1A)E %ARD' M4S!C ¬
Closely associated with electronic music, the avant garde movement dealt with the parameters or the dimensions of sound in space. Ehe avant garde style exhibited a ne& attitude to&ard musical mobility, &hereby the order o/ note groups could be varied so that musical continuity could be altered. mprovisation was a necessity in this style, for the musical scores were not necessarily followed as written. "or example, one could expect a piece to be read by a performer from left to right or vice versa. )r the performer might turn the score over, and go on fascinated with classical music. $e was inuenced by %avel, 'travins*y, 4erg, and 'choenberg, as well as the group of contemporary "rench composers *nown as IEes 'ixJ that would shape the character of his ma-or wor*s! half -a(( and half classical. %ersh&inHs melodic gi/t &as considered phenomenal, as evidenced by his numerous songs o/ &ide appeal. $e is a true Icrossover artist,J in the sense that his serious compositions remain highly popular in the classical repertoire, as his stage and 1lm songs continue to be -a(( and vocal standards. Considered the I*ather o/ American ?a00,J his primitive and the Imixture o/ the sophisticatedJ gave his music an appeal that has lasted long after his death. $is musical compositions total around B9; which include orchestral music, chamber music, musical theatre, 1lm musicals, operas, and songs . e died in olly&ood, Cali/ornia,4.S.A. on ?uly ++, +<;.
3'()ARD B'R)SE'!) 6++79+: ¬
4SA, 3eonard 4orn in Massachussetts, Bernstein endeared himself to his many followers as a charismatic conductor, pianist, composer, and lecturer. $is big brea* came when he was as*ed to substitute for the ailing 4runo /alter in conducting the Few Lor* +hilharmonic )rchestra in a concert on Fovember 7@, 7;@B. The overnight success of this event started his reputation as a great interpreter of the classics as well as of the more complex wor*s of Austav 3ahler.
dabbling inde1nitely in whatever order before returning to the starting point.
¬
"rom the &nited 'tates, there were avant garde composers such as %eorge %ersh&in and ?ohn Cage with their truly unconventional composition techni?ues= 3eonard Bernstein with his famed stage musicals and his music lectures for young people= and "hilip %lass with his minimalist compositions. Through their wor*s, these composers truly extended the boundaries of what music was thought to be in earlier periods.
¬ The unconventional methods of sound and form, as well as the absence of traditional rules governing harmony, melody, and rhythm, ma*e the whole concept of avant garde music still so strange to ears accustomed to traditional compositions. Composers who used this style include (livier Messiaen, ?ohn Cage, "hillip %lass, 3eonard Bernstein, %eorge %ersh&in, and "ierre Boule0.
%'(R%' %'RS2!) 6+779+<;: ¬
%eorge %ersh&in was born in )e& 5or to Russian ?e&ish immigrants. $is older brother ra was his artistic collaborator who wrote the lyrics of his songs. $is 1rst song was written in 7;79 and his 1rst 4roadway musical La La Lu!ille in 7;7;.
¬
"rom that time on, Aershwin:s name became a 1xture on 4roadway. $e also composed in &lue Rhapsod) 7;2@ and %n in Paris %meri!an 7;28, which incorporated -a(( rhythms with classical forms. $is opera Porg) and &ess 7;B@ remains to this day the only #merican opera to be included in the established repertory of this genre. n spite of his commercial success, Aershwin was more
¬
BernsteinHs philosophy &as that the universal language o/ music is basically rooted in tonality. This came under 1re from the radical young musicians who espoused the serialist principles of that time. #lthough he never relin?uished his musical values as a composer, he later turned to conducting and lecturing in order to safeguard his principles as to what he believed was best in music. $e achieved preeminence in two 1elds: conducting and composing for 4roadway musicals, dance shows, and concert music.
¬
Bernstein is best no&n /or his compositions /or the stage . "oremost among these is the musical (est ide tor) 7;
$e composed the music for the 1lm On the (aterfront 7;<@. #s a lecturer, 4ernstein is fondly remembered for his television series I 5oung "eopleHs Concerts J 7;<8K7;DB that demonstrated the sounds of the various orchestral instruments and explained basic music principles to young audiences, as well as his Iarvardian 3ectures ,J a sixvolume set of his papers on syntax, musical theories, and philosophical insights delivered to his students at $arvard &niversity. $is musical compositions
total around ;0. e died in )e& 5or City, 4SA on (ctober +=, +.
bright electronic sounds /rom the eyboard that progressed very slo&ly /rom one pattern to the next in a very repetitious /ashion. #ided by soothing vocal eects and horn sounds, his music is often critici(ed as uneventful and shallow, yet startlingly eective for its hypnotic charm.
"!3!" %3ASS 6+<;9 : )ne of the most commercially successful minimalist composer is "hilip %lass who is also an avant garde composer. e explored the territories o/ ballet, opera, theater, #lm, and even television Iingles. is distinctive style involves cell-lie phrases emanating /rom
¬
Born in )e& 5or, 4SA o/ ?e&ish parentage, Alass became an accomplished violinist and Jutist at the age of 7<. n +aris, he became inspired by the music of the renowned ndian sitarist %avi 'han*ar. $e assisted 'han*ar in the soundtrac* recording for Conrad %oo*s 1lm $happa1ua. $e formed the +hilip Alass 5nsemble and produced wor*s such as Musi!in imilar Motion 7;9; and Musi! in $hanging Parts 7;D0, which combined roc* type grooves with perpetual patterns played at extreme volumes. Alass collaborated with theater conceptualist %obert /ilson to produce the fourhour opera Einstein on the &ea!h 7;D9, an instant sellout at the Few Lor* 3etropolitan )pera $ouse. t put minimalism in the mainstream of 20th century music. $e completed the trilogy with the operas at)agraha 7;80 and %"hnaten 7;8@, based on the lives of 3ahatma Aandhi, Eeo Tolstoy, 3artin Euther Hing, and an 5gyptian pharaoh. $ere, he combined his signature repetitive and overlapping style with theatrical grandeur on stage. $is musical compositions total around 7D0. Eoday, %lass lives alternately in )ova Scotia, Canada and )e& 5or, 4SA.
M(D'R) )AE!()A3!SM ¬
# looser form of 20th century music development focused on nationalist composers and musical innovators who sought to combine modern techni?ues with fol* materials. $owever, this common ground stopped there, for the dierent breeds of nationalists formed their own styles of writing.
¬
n 5astern 5urope, prominent 1gures included the $ungarian 4ela 4arto* and the %ussian 'ergei +ro*o1e, who were neoclassicists to a certain extent. 4arto* infused Classical techni?ues into his own brand of cross rhythms and shifting meters to demonstrate many barbaric and primitive themes that were $ungarian! particularly gypsy!in ori gi n. +ro*o1e used stri*ing dissonances and %ussian themes, and his music was generally witty, bold, and at times colored with humor. Together with 4arto*, +ro*o1e made extensive use of pol4tonalit4, a *ind of atonality that uses two or more tonal centers simultaneously. #n example of this style is +ro*o1es )isions Fugiti!e
¬
n %ussia, a highly gifted generation of creative individuals *nown as the IRussian *iveJ! 3odest 3ussorgs*y, 3ili 4ala*irev, #lexander 4orodin, Cesar Cui, and Fi*olai %ims*y Horsa*ov! infused chromatic harmony and incorporated %ussian fol* music and liturgical chant in their thematic materials.
¬
3usic scholars predict that the innovative and experimental developments of 20th century classical music will continue to inuence the music of the 27st century. /ith so many technical and stylistic choices open to todays composers, it seems there is no obstacle to their creativity and to the limits of their imagination. #nd yet, this same freedom that has allowed such varied musical experimentation in recent years has also caused contemporary classical music!or music utili(ing the classical
techni?ues of composition!to lose touch with its audience and to lose its clear role in todays society. +resently, modern technology and gadgets put a great impact on all types of music. $owever, what still remains to be seen is when this trend will shift, and what the distinct ?ualities of emerging classical wor*s will be.
2MM%R3 ¬ The early half of the 20th century also gave rise to new musical styles, which were not ?uite as extreme as the electronic, chance, and minimalist styles that arose later. These new styles were impressionism, expressionism, neo classicism, avant garde music,and modern nationalism. ¬
!mpressionism made use of the wholetone scale. t also applied suggested, rather than depicted, reality. t created a mood rather than a de1nite picture. t had a translucent and ha(y texture= lac*ing a dominant tonic relationship. t made use of overlapping chords, with @th,
¬
'xpressionism revealed the composers mind, instead of presenting an impression of the environment. t used atonality and the twelvetone scale, lac*ing stable and conventional harmonies. t served as a medium for expressing strong emotions, such as anxiety, rage, and alienation.
¬
)eoclassicism was a partial return to a classical form of writing music with carefully modulated dissonances. t made use of a freer sevennote diatonic scale.
¬
The avant garde style was associated with electronic music and dealt with the parameters or dimensions of sound in space. t made use of variations of selfcontained note groups to change musical continuity, and improvisation, with an absence of traditional rules on harmony, melody, and rhythm.
¬
Modern nationalism is a looser form of 20th century music development focused on nationalist composers and musical innovators who sought to combine modern techni?ues with fol* materials.
E C')E4R5 M4S!CA3 SE53'SK '3'CER()!C and CA)C' M4S!C ¬ The musical styles that evolved in the modern era were varied. 'ome of these were shortlived, being experimental and too radical in nature, while others found an active blend between the old and the new. ¬
Few inventions and discoveries of science and technology lead to continuing developments in the 1eld of music. Technology has produced electronic music devices such as cassette tape recorders, compact discs and their variants, the video compact disc >C6 and the digital video disc 6>6, 3+B, 3+@, ipod, iphone, *arao*e players, mobile phones and synthesi(ers. These devices are used for creating and recording music to add to or to replace acoustical sounds.
)'2 M4S!CA3 SE53'S '3'CER()!C M4S!C ¬ The capacity of electronic machines such as synthesi(ers, ampli1ers, tape recorders, and
MusicJ and he was described as the IStratospheric Colossus o/ Sound.J $is musical compositions total around , with his advances in tapebased sound proving revolutionary during his time* e died on )ovember 8, +8.
loudspea*ers to create dierent sounds was given importance by 20th century composers li*e 5dgar >arese, Harlhein( 'toc*hausen, and 3ario 6avidovs*y.
¬
Music that uses the tape recorder is called musi1ue !on!rete , or concrete music. The composer records dierent sounds that are heard in the environment such as the bustle of trac, the sound of the wind, the bar*ing of dogs, the strumming of a guitar, or the cry of an infant. These sounds are arranged by the composer in dierent ways li*e by playing the tape recorder in its fastest mode or in reverse. n musique #on#rete, the composer is able to experiment with dierent sounds that cannot be produced by regular musical instruments such as the piano or the violin.
FAR3'!) SE(CFA4S') 6+79 : ¬
'D%ARD 1AR'S' 6+77<9+8: ¬
'dgard also spelled 5dgar 1arLse was born on December , +77<. $e was considered an Iinnovative *rench-born composer.J $owever, he spent the greater part of his life and career in the &nited 'tates, where he pioneered and created new sounds that bordered between music and noise.
¬ The musical compositions of >arese are characteri(ed by an emphasis on timbre and rhythm. $e invented the term Iorgani0ed sound,J which means that certain timbres and rhythms can be grouped together in order to capture a whole new de1nition of sound. #lthough his complete surviving wor*s are scarce, he has been recogni(ed to have inuenced several ma-or composers of the late 20th century. ¬
>arMses use of new instruments and electronic resources made him the I*ather o/ 'lectronic total around <+. e presently resides in %ermany.
CA)C' M4S!C ¬
¬
Chance music re/ers to a style &herein the piece al&ays sounds di$erent at every per/ormance because o/ the random techni>ues o/ production, including the use of ring modulators or natural elements that become a part of the music. 3ost of the sounds emanate from the surroundings, both natural and manmade, such as hon*ing cars, rustling leaves, blowing wind, dripping water, or a ringing phone. #s such, the combination of external sounds cannot be duplicated as each happens by chance. #n example is Gohn Cage:s Four Minutes and Thirt)6Three e!onds 9&77: where the pianist merely opens the piano lid and *eeps silent for the duration of the piece. The audience hears a variety of noises inside and outside the concert hall amidst the seeming silence.
¬ The climax of his compositional ambition came in +;; when he announced the creation of Li!ht Eight, a sevenpart opera one for each day of the wee* for a gigantic ensemble of solo voices, solo instruments, solo dancers, choirs, orchestras, mimes, and electronics. $is recent 8eli#opter String Quartet, in which a string ?uartet performs whilst airborne in four dierent helicopters, develops his longstanding fascination with music which moves in space. t has led him to dream of concert halls in which the sound attac*s the listener from every direction. 'toc*hausens wor*s achieve new sounds. e experimented &ith &hat came to be no&n as @chance music.
¬
0n one instance, Cage created a @preparedA piano, where screws and pieces of wood or paper were inserted between the piano strings to produce dierent percussive possibilities.
¬ The prepared piano style found its way into Cages onatas and Interludes 7;@9K7;@8, a cycle of pieces containing a wide range of sounds, rhythmic themes, and a hypnotic ?uality. $is involvement with Nen 4uddhism inspired him to compose Musi! of $hanges 7;<7, written for conventional piano, that employed chance compositional processes. ¬
$e became famous for his composition Four Minutes and 77 e!onds @BBO, a chance musical wor* that instructed the pianist to merely open the piano lid and remain silent for the length of time indicated by the title. The wor* was intended to convey the impossibility of achieving total silence, since surrounding sounds can still be heard amidst the silence of the piano performance.
¬
Cage also advocated bringing real-li/e experiences into the concert hall. This reached its extreme when he composed a wor* that re?uired him to fry mushrooms on stage in order to derive the sounds from the coo*ing process. #s a result of his often irrational ideas li*e this, he developed a following in the 7;90s. $owever, he gradually returned to the more organi(ed methods of composition in the last 20 years of his life.
?() CA%' 6++9+: ?ohn Cage was *nown as one of the 20th century composers with the widest array of sounds in his wor*s. e &as born in 3os Angeles, Cali/ornia, 4SA on September , ++ and became one of the most original composers in the history of western music. $e challenged the very idea of music by manipulating musical instruments in order to
Farlhein0 Stochausen is a central 1gure in the realm of electronic music. Born in Cologne, %ermany, he had the opportunity to meet 3essiaen, 'choenberg, and /ebern, the principal innovators at the time. Together with +ierre 4oule(, 'toc*hausen drew inspiration from these composers as he developed his style of total serialism. 'toc*hausens music was initially met with resistance due to its heavily atonal content with practically no clear melodic or rhythmic sense. 'till, he continued to experiment with musi1ue !on!rete. 'ome of his wor*s include 4ruppen 7;
¬
musical philosopher than a composer. $is conception of what music can and should be has had a profound impact upon his contemporaries. $e was active as a writer presenting his musical views with both wit and intelligence. Cage was an important force in other artistic areas especially dance and musical theater. $is musical compositions total around 22;. Cage died in )e& 5or City on August +, +.
3ore than any other modern composer, Cage inJuenced the development o/ modern music since the +s. $e was considered more of a
S4MMAR5 ¬ The new musical styles created by 20th century classical composers were truly uni?ue and innovative. They experimented with the elements of rhythm, melody, harmony, tempo, and timbre in daring ways never attempted before. 'ome even made use of electronic devices such as synthesi(ers, tape recorders, ampli1ers, and the li*e to introduce and enhance sounds beyond those available with traditional instruments. #mong the resulting new styles were electronic music and chance music. These expanded the concept of music far beyond the conventions of earlier periods, and challenged both the new composers and the listening public. ¬
#s the 20th century progressed, so did the innovations in musical styles as seen in the wor*s of these composers. "rom "rance, 'dgard 1areseHs use of new instruments and electronic resources led to his being *nown as the I"ather of 5lectronic 3usicJ and a description of him as IThe 'tratospheric Colossus of 'ound.J Farlhein0 "rom Aermany, there was Stochausen, who further experimented with electronic music and musique #on#rete. 'toc*hausens electronic sounds revealed the rich musical potential of modern technology. "rom the &nited 'tates, there was ?ohn Cage with his truly unconventional composition techni?ues. Cages wor*s feature the widest array of sounds from the most inventive sources.
C(M"(S'RS A)D E'!R 2(RFS 6ebussy K Claire de Eune, Ea 3er, Childrens Corner 'uite %avel K 3iroirs, 'onatine, 6aphnis et Chloe, Geux d5au, 4olero 'choenbergK >er*larte Facht, >iolin Concerto, +iano Concerto, Aurrelieder 4arto* K 'tring Puartet no. @, #llegro, 3i*ro*osmos, 4arbaro, 3usic for 'trings 'travins*yK The %ite of 'pring, +etrouch*a, The "irebird 'uite +ro*o1eK %omeo and Guliet ballet, +iano 'onatas AershwinK #n #merican in +aris, +orgy and 4ess, %hapsody in 4lue, 'omeone to /atch )ver 3e 4ernsteinK Tonight from /est 'ide 'tory, Clarinet 'onata Alass K 5instein on the 4each, 'atyagraha, #*hnaten +oulenc K Concerto for Two +ianos, 6ialogues des Carmelites Cage K @BBO= 3etamorphosis, for piano= "ive 'ongs, for contralto soloist and piano= 3usic for /ind nstruments, for wind ?uintet 'toc*hausen K 5tude, 5lectronic 'T&65' and , Aesang der Gunglinge, Honta*te, 3omente, yperprism for wind and $ymnen >arese K percussion, (ctandre for seven wind instruments and double bass, !ntNgrales for wind and
percussion, !onisation for 7B percussion players
