Music History Exam 5

Additive rhythm

A rhythmic technique where patterns are constructed by adding and changing subdivisions rather than repeating fixed units.

Bertolt Brecht

German playwright and poet known for his works advocating for social change and for developing the concept of "epic theatre."

Blues

A genre of music characterized by its use of specific chord progressions, expressive lyrics, and a melancholic, soulful tone.

Broadway Musicals

Musical theatre productions performed on Broadway in New York City, known for their elaborate productions, songs, and dance numbers.

Die Dreigroschenoper

“The Threepenny Opera" by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill, a satirical musical that critiques capitalist society. Contains the Ballad of Mack the Knife, and was considered “Entartete Musik” by the Nazis.

Entartete Kunst

Degenerate Art," a term used by the Nazi regime to describe modernist art and music deemed unacceptable and subversive.

Ethnomusicology

The study of music in its cultural context, focusing on the relationships between music, society, and cultural practices.

Formalism

A philosophical approach in art and music that emphasizes structure, form, and technical aspects rather than content or emotion.

Gebrauchsmusik

"Use music," a concept promoted by Paul Hindemith for practical, accessible music composed for amateurs and everyday use.

Jazz

A genre of music originating in the African-American communities of the early 20th century, characterized by improvisation, syncopation, and swing rhythms.

La Création du Monde

A 1923 ballet by Darius Milhaud, inspired by African myths, blending jazz and classical music.

Les Six

A group of French composers in the 1920s, including Georges Auric, Louis Durey, Arthur Honegger, Darius Milhaud, Francis Poulenc, and Germaine Tailleferre, known for their rejection of German Romanticism.

Twelve Tone Method

A serial technique developed by Arnold Schoenberg, where all twelve notes of the chromatic scale are used in a specific order without repetition until all are played.

Mikrokosmos

A set of 153 piano pieces by Béla Bartók, organized into six volumes, exploring various technical and musical challenges.

Nadia Boulanger

A renowned French composer, conductor, and teacher, who influenced many 20th-century composers.

Nationalism

The incorporation of national or folk elements in music, often to express cultural identity and pride.

Neoclassicism

A 20th-century music movement that sought to return to the clarity, form, and balance of Classical music, rejecting Romantic excess.

Parade

A 1917 ballet by Erik Satie, with a scenario by Jean Cocteau and choreography by Léonide Massine, combining surrealism and avant-garde elements.

Permutations

A compositional technique where elements (such as a tone row) are rearranged or transposed in various ways to create new musical material.

Polytonality

The use of two or more different keys simultaneously in a musical composition.

Prime Form

The original twelve-tone row.

Inversion

The original twelve-tone row with all INTERVALS going in the opposite direction of the original.

Retrograde

The prime form backwards.

Retrograde Inversion

The inversion row backwards.

Quartal Harmony

Harmony based on intervals of fourths rather than the traditional thirds, often used in 20th-century music.

Ragtime

A genre of early 20th-century American music characterized by syncopated rhythms, typically played on the piano.

Rhapsody in Blue

A 1924 composition by George Gershwin, blending classical music with jazz elements, often regarded as an iconic work of American music.

Serialism

A compositional technique where music is organized using a fixed series of elements, often applied to pitch, rhythm, or dynamics.

Socialist Realism

A Soviet artistic style that promoted the glorification of communism and the working class, focusing on optimistic, accessible themes.

Surrealism

An art and literary movement that sought to express the unconscious mind, often through bizarre, dreamlike, and illogical imagery.

The Craft of Musical Composition

A book by Paul Hindemith, outlining his approach to music theory and composition, emphasizing structure and clarity.

Tone Clusters

Chords composed of adjacent notes in a scale, often producing a dissonant sound, commonly used in 20th-century music.

Tone Row

A sequence of the twelve notes of the chromatic scale used in twelve-tone composition, where no note is repeated until all others are used.

Total Serialism

An extension of twelve-tone technique where not only pitch, but also rhythm, dynamics, and other musical elements are serialized.

Twelve-bar Blues

A standard chord progression used in blues music, typically consisting of twelve bars or measures with a specific harmonic structure.

Wozzeck

An opera by Alban Berg, based on a play by Georg Büchner, known for its atonal music and expressionistic style, exploring themes of madness and social alienation.

Bartók

A Hungarian composer and ethnomusicologist known for integrating folk music into classical compositions and pioneering modernist techniques. Key aspects of his music include: Folk Music Influence, Ethnomusicology, Rhythmic Innovation, Modernism, and Nationalism.

Berg

An Austrian composer known for blending serialism with romantic expression. Key aspects of his music include Serialism, Expressionism and Emotional Depth, Use of Opera, and Blending Tradition and Modernity.

Copland

An American composer known for his development of a distinctive American sound, blending classical traditions with folk music and jazz influences. Key aspects of his music include: American Sound, Accessibility and Simplicity, Use of Folk Elements, Neoclassicism and Modernism, and Orchestration and Color.

Elgar

An English composer known for his rich orchestration, romantic style, and nationalistic themes. Key aspects of his music include: Orchestral Mastery, Nationalism, Romanticism, Influence of German Music, and Innovative Forms.

Gershwin

An American composer known for blending classical music with jazz, pop, and musical theater. Key aspects of his music include: Fusion of Classical and Popular Music, Musical Theater, Jazz Influence, Orchestration and Melodic Gift, and his short life, but lasting impact.

Hindemith

A German composer and music theorist known for his neoclassical style, functional harmony, and contributions to music theory. Key aspects of his music include Neoclassicism, Functional Harmony, Counterpoint and Polyphony, Instrumental Focus, and Expressive Range.

Ives

An American composer known for his innovative techniques and distinctive musical voice, often blending folk music, American traditions, and modernist experimentation. Key aspects of his music include Polyrhythms and Polytonality, Quotation and Americana, Innovative Orchestration, Atonality and Dissonance, and Musical Fragmentation.

Janacek

A Czech composer known for his distinctive style that combines folk influences, innovative orchestration, and psychological intensity. Key aspects of his music include Folk Music Influence, Speech Rhythms and Naturalism, Innovative Orchestration, Operatic Mastery, and Minimalist Approach. 

Joplin

An American composer and pianist, widely regarded as the king of ragtime. Key aspects of his music include: Ragtime, Form and Structure, Melodic Clarity and Harmony, Innovations in Ragtime, and Influence on American Music.

Krenek

An Austrian-American composer known for his diverse musical styles and contributions to 12-tone music, operatic works, and modernist compositions. Key aspects of his music include12-Tone and Serialism, Opera and Theater, Modernism and Innovation, Political and Social Commentary, and American Influence in later works.

Milhaud

A French composer and member of the Les Six group, known for his innovative orchestration, jazz influences, and polytonality. Key aspects of his music include Polytonality, Jazz Influence, Orchestration and Instrumentation, Rhythmic Complexity and Neoclassicism and Modernism.

Orff

A German composer and music educator, best known for his dramatic music and educational approaches. Key aspects of his music include "Carmina Burana", Rhythmic Focus, Influence of Folk Music, and Minimalism and Repetition.

Poulenc

A French composer known for his melodic invention, harmonic richness, and a style that blends neoclassicism, romanticism, and French wit. Key aspects of his music include Eclectic Style, French Chanson Influence, Use of Harmony, Chamber Music and Piano Works, and Sacred Music.

Prokofiev

A Russian composer and pianist known for his bold, dramatic style and contributions to Russian music and classical modernism. Key aspects of his music include Melodic and Rhythmic Innovation, Neoclassical Influence, Dramatic Expression, Modernism and Dissonance, and Connection with Soviet Russia. Left USSR in 1919, returned 18 years later.

Rodgers

An American composer and one of the most influential figures in the development of musical theater. Key aspects of his music include Broadway Success, Melodic Mastery, Harmonization and Orchestration, Integration of Music and Drama, and Versatility.

Satie

A French composer and pianist, known for his avant-garde and minimalist approach to music. Key aspects of his music include Simplicity and Minimalism, Unconventional Compositional Style, Humor and Wit, Influence on Modernism, and Piano Works.

Schoenberg

An Austrian composer and a central figure in the development of 12-tone technique and atonality. Key aspects of his music include Atonality,12-Tone Technique, Expressionism, Influence on 20th-Century Music, and Developing Variation.

Scriabin

A Russian composer and pianist known for his innovative harmonic language, mystical ideas, and experimental approach to music. Key aspects of his music include Chromaticism and Harmony, Mysticism and Philosophy, Innovative Rhythms, Influence of Impressionism, and Transcendental Piano Works.

Shostokovich

A Soviet composer and pianist, widely regarded for his ability to navigate the complex relationship between artistic expression and Soviet political pressures. Key aspects of his music include Political Struggles, Musical Style, Symphonies and Chamber Music, Use of Folk and Nationalist Elements, and Impact of War and Personal Struggles. His teacher, Glazunov, did not think he would succeed, but he wrote his first symphony at age 19. He wrote The Nose and Lady Macbeth of Mtseusk.

Sibelius

A Finnish composer, best known for his symphonic works that shaped the national identity of Finland and his contributions to the late Romantic and early modern music. Key aspects of his music include Nationalism and Finnish Identity, Symphonic Innovations, Nature and Landscape, Orchestration and Texture, and his Late Style.

Stravinsky

A Russian composer, conductor, and pianist, widely regarded as one of the most influential composers of the 20th century. Key aspects of his music include Rhythmic Innovation, Neoclassicism, The Rite of Spring, Use of Orchestration, and Serialism and Later Works.

Thomson

An American composer and critic, known for his contributions to classical music, film scores, and musical theater. Key aspects of his music include American Nationalism, Minimalism and Simplicity, Opera and Theater, Film Scores, and Influence as a Critic.

Vaughan Williams

An English composer, widely regarded for his contributions to British classical music and his exploration of English folk music. Key aspects of his music include Folk Music and Nationalism, Orchestral and Choral Works, Modal Harmony, Influence on British Music, and Spirituality and Poetic Themes.

Webern

An Austrian composer and conductor, best known for his contributions to serialism and his role in the development of 12-tone music. Key aspects of his music include Serialism and 12-Tone Technique, Conciseness and Economy, Pointillism and Texture, Microtonality and Color, and Influence on Modern Music.

Weill

A German composer known for his versatile approach to music, blending classical, jazz, musical theater, and opera influences. Key aspects of his music include Weimar Republic and Political Themes, Blend of Popular and Classical Styles, Jazz and American Influence, Socially Conscious Works, and Influence on Musical Theater.