The 20th Century in Music

Definition: Music composed in the 1900s is classified as 20th century music.
Variety: The 20th century showcases a greater diversity of musical styles than any previous era.

Definition and Concept:
- Impressionism in music draws parallels to Impressionist painting, where artists express the essence of a scene rather than a literal representation.
- Composers create musical impressions using flowing melodies and lush orchestration.
Contrast with Romanticism:
- Unlike Romantic composers like Richard Strauss, who aimed to recreate stories, Impressionist composers focus on mood and feelings.

Biography:
  - Born: 1862 near Paris, France
  - Background: Son of a poor shopkeeper; initially expected to pursue a naval career.
  - Early Talent: Displayed musical talent by age ten and enrolled in the Paris Conservatory at age eleven.
  - Recognition: Won numerous prizes despite unconventional composing methods.
Musical Influences:
- Influenced by Gregorian chant and Renaissance composers (e.g., Palestrina) and by French Baroque keyboard music.
- Admired Wagner and attended his Bayreuth festival but drew inspiration largely from contemporary poets and painters.
Composition Style:
  - Approached music like a painter, focusing on personal taste over strict rules.
  - Notable Work:
    - Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun: Inspired by a poem by Stéphane Mallarmé; features a famous opening flute solo that exemplifies his impressionistic style.
Legacy: Debussy's life was cut short by cancer, but his contributions marked a significant shift in musical expression.

Definition: Refers to new compositions that utilize Classical techniques but with a modern twist.

Biography:
- Born: 1882 in Russia; initially pursued law under parental pressure.
- Education: Studied music under Rimsky-Korsakov.
Career Highlights:
  - Gained fame through commissions from Serge Diaghilev for the Ballet Russe.
  - Notable Works:
    - The Firebird, Petrushka, and The Rite of Spring.
    - The premiere of The Rite of Spring in Paris caused a riot due to its innovative harshness and complex rhythms.
Later Life:
  - Spent six years in Switzerland, composed L'histoire du soldat (A Soldier's Tale), later emigrated to the U.S. and became a citizen in 1945.
  - Continued to compose with unique rhythms and orchestrations even in later years.
  - Made historical recordings of his own works, raising the standard for musical preservation.

Biography:
- Born: 1881 in what was then Hungary; pursued music from an early age.
- Education: Enrolled at the Academy of Music in Budapest; served as professor of piano for three decades.
Folk Influence:
- Became interested in folk music, recording thousands of folk songs which shaped his unique compositional style.
Notable Works:
  - Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta, several distinctive string quartets, and Concerto for Orchestra.
  - Characterized by non-traditional harmonies and rhythms, reflecting folk traditions.
  - Created Mikrokosmos, a series of 153 piano pieces intended for his son.
Later Life and Legacy:
- Emigrated to the U.S. in 1940 to escape Nazis and faced personal struggles until his death from leukemia in New York City.

Definition: A movement focusing on intense personal feelings and perceptions, often highlighting darker themes than Impressionism.

Biography:
- Born: 1874; largely self-taught with minimal formal training.
- Initially influenced by Romantic composers but shifted to Expressionism around the turn of the century.
Composition Techniques:
- Developed Serialism (Twelve-tone technique): Based on tone rows that use all 12 chromatic scale notes ensuring that no single note is emphasized, avoiding major/minor tonalities.
Later Career:
- Left Germany due to anti-Semitism, moving to the U.S. in 1933.
- Noteworthy works include A Survivor from Warsaw, Variations for Orchestra, and Theme and Variations for Band.

Biography:
- Born: 1874 in Danbury, Connecticut; trained in multiple instruments.
- Career: Worked in the insurance industry to fund his music, allowing creative freedom from market pressures.
Innovations:
- Utilized Polytonality and incorporated a mix of musical styles and traditions into his symphonic works.
- Known for complex structures often lacking traditional bar lines and time signatures, creating challenging compositions.
Famous Works:
- Symphony No. 3, recognized for its complexity and won a Pulitzer Prize after its public debut in 1946.

Definition: Also known as Aleatoric music, this style allows performers to make spontaneous decisions about notes and rhythms during a performance.

Notable Work:
- 4'33": A composition requiring the performer to remain silent; the surrounding atmosphere becomes the music.
- Also known for the prepared piano, which altered piano sounds through physical modifications to the instrument.
Philosophy: Cage emphasized the significance of ambient sounds in musical experience.