Notes on 20th Century Music and Developments

20th Century Developments

  • Violence & Progress
    • Introduction of two World Wars and prolonged Cold War.
    • Rapid economic growth, technology, and science advancements.
  • Major Events
    • Wright brothers achieved first powered flight in 1903.
    • American astronauts landed on the moon in 1969.
  • Social Changes
    • Movements towards equal rights for various demographics.

Musical Styles: 1900-1945

  • Revolt & Revolution
    • Seen as a time of upheaval in music, where composers moved away from traditional structures and rules.
    • Abandonment of key, pitch center, and harmonic progression practices.
  • Global Influences
    • Incorporation of musical influences from Asia and Africa.
    • Rediscovery and recording of Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque music.

Characteristics of 20th Century Music

  • Tone Color
    • Use of unusual playing techniques (e.g., glissando, flutter tongue).
    • Expanded use of percussion instruments.
    • Unique instrument groupings for small ensembles.
  • Chord Structures
    • Introduction of new chord structures: polychord, quartal/quintal harmony, and clusters, creating more dissonant sounds.
  • Atonality
    • Emergence of atonality; absence of a tonal center, with the establishment of the 12-tone system.

Impressionism and Symbolism

  • Influences from Art
    • Musical movements aligned with French Impressionist painting and Symbolist poetry.
    • Aimed to evoke feeling through suggestive rather than definitive statements.

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

  • Life & Work
    • Influenced by both Parisian and Roman culture; lifestyle characterized by luxury yet financial struggles.
    • Captured effects of Impressionist paintings through music.
  • Musical Techniques
    • Expanded harmonic vocabulary, using pentatonic and whole-tone scales; obscured rhythms and tempos.

Listening: Prelude a l’Apres-midi d’un faune

  • By Claude Debussy (1894)
  • Evokes dreams and fantasies of a faun (pagan creature), characterized by solo instruments and a disguised meter.

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

  • Background
    • Russian composer with diverse styles, studied under Rimsky-Korsakov.
    • Gained fame with ballet music; particularly "The Rite of Spring" which sparked a riot at its Paris premiere.
  • Musical Characteristics
    • Employed shifting and irregular meters, use of ostinato.

Listening: Le Sacre du printemps (1913)

  • Ballet depicting a prehistoric tribe's rituals to the god of spring, characterized by the use of polychords and rhythmically accentuated passages.

Neoclassicism

  • Era
    • Flourished from 1920-1950, based on Classical & Baroque forms.
    • Emphasis on organization of modern harmonies & rhythms while retaining modern sounds.

Expressionism

  • Concept
    • Focused on internal feelings over external appearances, often utilizing deliberate distortions.
    • Addressed themes of madness, anguish, and societal protests through music.

Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951)

  • Key Contributions
    • Abandoned traditional tonal systems; developed the 12-tone system after facing persecution as a Jew.
    • Music characterized by atonality and lack of a key center.

Listening: Mondestrunken (1912)

  • From "Pierrot Lunaire, Op. 21"
  • Programmatic piece, utilizing Sprechstimme, and reflecting complex emotional states.

Alban Berg (1885-1935)

  • Student of Schoenberg
    • Known for atonal compositions, including the opera "Wozzeck," which portrays a soldier's descent into madness.

Listening: Wozzeck (1917-1922)

  • Operatic scene portraying a tragic story driven by societal pressures with Expressionist themes.

Aaron Copland (1900-1990)

  • American Contributions
    • Known for accessible music that resonated with the public, while incorporating American folklore.
    • Works include popular ballets like "Appalachian Spring."

Listening: Appalachian Spring (1943-44)

  • Features variations on the folk melody "Simple Gifts."

Musical Styles Since 1945

  • Chance Music
    • Composers use random methods to determine pitches and rhythms; associated with John Cage.
  • Minimalism
    • Characterized by steady pulse, repetition, and a focus on simple forms.

Notable Modern Composers

  • John Cage (1912-1992)
    • Known for "Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano."
  • Edgard Varese (1883-1965)
    • Innovator in early electronic music with works like "Poème électronique."
  • Philip Glass (b. 1937)
    • Known for minimalist operas such as "Einstein on the Beach."

Fibonacci Series & Golden Ratio

  • Mathematical Background
    • Introduced by Leonardo Fibonacci; sequence influences musical structure.
  • Golden Ratio
    • Represents aesthetically pleasing proportions used by composers like Debussy and Bartok.