Detailed Study Guide for MUSI 432 Class 4 on Early 20th Century Classical Traditions.

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
- Contributed to the revival of English music.
- Influenced by hymns, folk tunes, English Renaissance music, and traditional performance practices (e.g., wind band).
- Studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music.
- Collected and published many English folk songs.
- Edited the New English Hymnal, enhancing his understanding of English sacred music.
- Notable Works:
- Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis (1910): Utilizes a hymn by Thomas Tallis (1505-1585) in the Phrygian mode.
Gustav Holst (1874-1934)
- Participated in the revival of English music with Vaughan Williams.
- Played the trombone and taught music at a girls’ school.
- Had a profound interest in Indian mythology, self-learning Sanskrit.
- Known primarily for The Planets (1914-1916).
- Notable Works:
- Suite No. 1 in E-Flat (1909): Begins with a chaconne featuring 16 variations; the second movement has a modal character, while the finale employs an inverted chaconne theme.

Serge Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)
- Left Russia after the Revolution in 1917; worked mainly as a pianist performing his compositions and works of others.
- Characterized by strong melodies and tonality, with distinctive piano textures and exceptional technique.
- Notable Works:
- Prelude in G Minor (1901): Original in structure, utilizing a simple ternary form with straightforward musical materials.
- His concertos highlight his virtuosic style.
Alexander Scriabin (1872-1915)
- Contrasts sharply with Rachmaninoff despite their similarities.
- Known for his mysticism; believed his music possessed spiritual power.
- Intended his unfinished work, Mysterium, to create a new reality.
- Early compositions follow Chopin’s tradition, such as Prelude, Op. 11, No. 4, often showing little interest in resolving to the tonic.
- Later works disregard the necessity for resolution of dissonance, focusing instead on static pitch and texture.

Octatonicism and the Mystic Chord
- Many late compositions employ the octatonic scale alternating between whole and half steps.
- Characteristic use of a dominant-sounding chord (often referred to as the Prometheus chord) that lacks a resolution, functioning as the dissonant tonic.
- Example in 7th Piano Sonata: Chord represented as $C, F lat, B lat, E, A, D lat$ ; can be viewed as a C dominant 13th chord with a flat 9 and sharp 11.
- In Vers la flamme, the chord is $E, A lat, G lat, D$ featuring two tritones; showcases Scriabin's transpositions and chromatic embellishments.

Leoš Janáček
- Born in Moravia (under Austro-Hungarian rule until 1918).
- Known for music reflecting his national identity, using folk material and language in rhythm and character.
- Began his career collecting Czech folk songs and composing choral music in Czech.
- Best known for operas starting with Jenůfa (1904).
Jean Sibelius (1865-1957)
- Born in Finland, historically ruled by both the Russian and Swedish empires.
- Changed his name from Johan to Jean to embrace Finnish political identity.
- Early works draw from Finnish folklore, notably Kullervo and Finlandia.
- Recognized for symphonies primarily based on diatonic tonal material.
- Distinctive treatment of themes includes:
- Rotational form: Themes cycle or rotate with slight variations.
- Teleological genesis: Themes emerge from fragments throughout the piece toward a cohesive resolution, evident in the 3rd movement of the 4th Symphony.

Eric Satie (1866-1925)
- Distinctive and unconventional French composer of the early 20th century.
- Challenged norms regarding genre, expressing musical meaning, and performance expectations.
- Some works feature absurdist titles (e.g., 3 Pieces in the Form of a Pear), employing humorous performance directions, showcasing whimsicality.
- Critiques classical conventions through mockery of renowned pieces (e.g., Chopin's Funeral March).
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