MU111 - Modern Era

Modern and Post Modern Art Music Time

20th century and beyond.

Modern Art Music Purpose

There was a variety of purpose in the music. Usually for expression and sending a message.

The Sources Available to Modern Composers

Folk music, non-European music (Indonesian gamelan—some didn’t even know this existed before technology allowed people to share their music), Jazz (unique, combined many different ideas), John Cage - 4’33 (Prominent American composer)

John Cage - 4’33 Explained

Prominent American composer who made a piece where he didn’t play anything for four minutes and thirty-three seconds. He instructed the pianist or ensemble to stay silent for that long. The audience felt confused, and the piece is meant to express that music happens in the moment. He became famous for this idea, where he challenged "what is music?”

More Influences for Modern Compsers

Cultural exchange/ world fare in Paris (1889) introduced new music and otherwise unknown cultures; recording and broadcasting, music from other parts of the world can now be heard; universities and colleges became the “new patrons” of music, allowed for open concerts and presentation of new music.

Music Characteristics of Modern Music

Key factor: there were no more “rules!” Tone color was extremely important, and composers used percussive sounds from a variety of instruments, glissandos, and sometimes, a musician would be instructed to shout, scream, or murmur. Composers began to explore the ranges of orchestral instruments.

More Musical Characteristics of Modern Era:

Rhythm (irregular, unpredictable), harmony (highly dissonant), melody (large leaps). Before the 20th century, harmony was divided into “stable” and “unstable,” but now, the balance has changed.

Impressionism in Music

Developed in France and held an emphasis on “sound color",” like how paintings have color to suggest feelings. Often very soft, emotionally cool to suggest a feeling or a description. Used woodwinds and muted strings. It’s up to the audience to interpret.

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

French composer who experimented with tone colors for orchestra and piano, and developed new and rich harmonies that were heavily inspired by Eastern art.

Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun (1894)

An orchestra piece that was composed to precede a staged reading of the poem by the same name by Stephane Mallarme. Faun is the god of fields and woods

Typical Impressionistic Approach

Focused more on the feeling of words rather than their literal meaning. This same idea could be projected into music during the time. For example, a flute solo mimicking the ethereal sound of a pan pipe.

Expressionism in Music

Developed in Austria and Germany, this was opposite of France and developed harsh, dissonant harmonies, asymmetrical rhythms, angular melodies with wide leaps, and the use of extreme registers. Think “The Scream,” composers wanted to make a statement piece.

Arnold Schoenberg

Leading expressionist composer born in Vienna, Austria. He developed the twelve-tone system of composing, which is a mathematic-systems approach to the art of composing. Used the black and white keys together, created a 12-tone scale. Instead of the typical scale, he decided to divide it into smaller segments, or half-steps.

More about Arnold Schoenberg

The 12 tones of the chromatic scale were given equal importance. He emigrated to the US in 1933 and died in LA in 1951. Leaves an unfulfilling feeling in the air.

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

Russian composer who emigrated to France in 1917 and later to the US in 1944. Rose to international fame as a composer of ballet music (The Firebird, Petrushka, The Rite of Spring).

The Rite of Spring

Based on prehistoric Slavic rituals and was transformed into an independent orchestra piece by the composer. The most famous ballet in 193 and its premiere caused a riot. The plot was provocative, as well as the choreography.

Elements of Rite of Spring

Combines supernatural with natural—the fantastical with the human world. 12 princesses are given a melody based on the western 7-note scale. The fantastical creatures are based on the octatonic (8-note) scale. Introduced a polyrhythm to clash the ideas between the past and the present.

Primitivism

Musical style based on percussive, harsh, pounding rhythms. Had a polyrhythm, fragmented and dissonant melodies, repetitive gestures, and a percussive orchestra.

Plot of the Rite of Spring

Part I: The Kiss of the Earth, Part II: The Sacrifice. They were welcoming Spring by abducting a young virgin (selecting the virgin is the first part) and making her dance to death (second part). Challenges what it means to be pretty.