Choral Music Since 1900 Notes

Choral Music Since 1900

First Three decades,c omposers were profudnly affected by nationalism, tehcnological advances, social instability, ravages of world war 1

  • Influences of religous institutions declinded

  • Socail justifce beomes very important

  • Composers attracte to the new ideals of impressionism/expressionism

    • Study of folk music, jass, pre-19th century music

  • French imporessionismt

  • Incorporation of folk elelmtt - fusing indigenous elelmnts with eurpoean clasical technique

    • France - vilification

Style characteristics

Tonality - Composers experimented with a variety of alrernatives to traditional tonality

  • Serial 12 tone, atonality, polytonality, and quartal harmony

  • Tone color- the infatuation with tone color continued from the 19th c. - exploit the variety of timbers possible for the human voice

Rhythm - asymetrical rhythms, nonmentered chantlike singing

Impressionsitm - suggestion and atmosphere; conveying the moods and emotions arouded by the subject rather than a detailed tone picture

  • Whole tone and pentatonic scales; explotiation of chords and colors’ avoids strong metrialc accentuation

Expressionism; recation agaisnt late 19th cen. romanticism and imporessiosim concered with inner-feelings and the unconsoiu mind; presented distored and fragmented images of insanity and death

Serialism- meoldy and haromyn derived from 12 tone arranged in a particular order

Neoclassicm - inspiration found in earluer music. composers emulate the 18th century emphais on

  • form

  • objectiviyt

  • restraint

    • but emply new harmonic and rhythmic tefchniques

    • Britten, stravinsky. Poulenc, W. Schumann

Avant - Garde - utalizes nonrtadtional techniques and symbols to convey the composers musical ideas

Vicotiran part-songs

  • by early 1800s the entire nation was singing; festivals, community choirs ect.

  • Amatuer choirs became more disicplined and skilled

  • Influence of Elizabethan madrigals

  • Late 19th century part-song became more interesting harmonically and texturally

English Folksong movement

  • Mid 19th c.

  • Fascination with rural life

  • 1898 - Folk Song Society

  • Wanted to collect these songs from the oral tradition

  • Important composers: Vaugh Williams, Hubert Parry, Gustav Holdt, Edward Elgar, Percy Granger

Charles Villiers Standford 1852

  • Born in dublin

  • Organist - appointed professor

  • Conductor of the Bach choir

  • The Blue Bird

  • Three motets - 1905

  • Justorum Animas

  • Coelas ascendit hodie

  • Beati quorum via - Motet

    • In 6 part SSATTB

    • move in parallel thirds

    • 2:30 chord!

Vaughn Williams

Studied with Hubert Parry

Musical influence

  • English folk song

  • Sacred music and madrigals of Tudor COmposers

  • Choral festivals and amateur choral secieties

  • Ravel and the Impressionists

  • Holt, Standford, Parry

Sacred Music: Mass and Motet

O Clap Your Hands

  • Pairs of root-position triads moving in contrary motion

  • Very festive and

Mass in G minor

  • DOuble chorus with solists, unaccompanied

  • Dedicated to Holst and his choir

  • 25 minutes

Part songs

  • Transition of Musical Styles by 1900

    • Last great composers from the previous era: Elgar, Parker, Saint-Saens, Strauss.

    • New composers emerged: Debussy, Ives, Janacek, Mahler, marking the start of a new age.

    • Early 20th century was characterized by:

    • Nationalism

    • Technological advances

    • Social instability due to WWI

    • Decline of religious influence and rise of psychological understanding

    • Shift in moral perspectives; romanticism viewed as delusory.

  • Influences on Composers

    • Young composers attracted to ideals of impressionism and expressionism.

    • Influenced by folk music, jazz, and pre-19th century music.

    • French Impressionism became prominent; students flocked to study in France (e.g., Nadia Boulanger).

    • Diverse national styles developed by integrating indigenous elements with classical techniques.

    • Cultural backlash: Vilification of German styles in France vs. appreciation of Bach and Schutz in Germany.

    • Italy revived interest in Gregorian chant and Renaissance polyphony.

    • Schoenberg's Contribution: Challenged tonality with a revolutionary 12-tone technique.

  • Background of English Choral Music

    • Oxford Movement (1833): Return to Catholic roots, fostering a sense of awe in new Gothic churches.

    • Elgar's influence and the Victorian part-song movement; community singing flourished.

    • Influence of Elizabethan madrigals and contemporary Caecilian movement.

  • English Folksong Movement

    • Emerged mid-19th century; focused on rural life due to industrial society.

    • Folk Song Society (1898) aimed to collect and publish folk songs; key figures: Lucy Broadwood, Cecil Sharp, Vaughan Williams.

  • Edward Elgar (1857-1934)

    • The Dream of Gerontius (1900): Major English oratorio, influenced by Wagner.

    • Poem by John Cardinal Newman embracing deep religious themes.

  • C. Hubert Parry (1848-1918)

    • Influenced by Bach and Brahms; significant impact on English music.

    • Renowned for works like Songs of Farewell and I Was Glad.

  • Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924)

    • Irish composer with a strong influence in British music.

    • Worked with future composers and was known for church music.

  • Gustav Holst (1874-1934)

    • Focused on English folk song and the relationship between music and contextual dance.

    • His writing on music heritage highlights the importance of earlier English composers.

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1954)

    • Influential figure drawing from English folk songs, sacred music, and Tudor composers.

    • Known for Mass in G Minor and choral compositions balancing folk and classical influences.

  • Herbert Howells (1892-1983)

    • Important Anglican composer, blending Celtic influences with modern styles.

  • William Walton (1902-1983)

    • British musician influenced by Jazz, focused on choral drama.

  • Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)

    • Significant vocal and choral composer, known for works like War Requiem and Ceremony of Carols; his music often combined tonal complexities with text sensitivity.

  • Samuel Barber (1910-1981)

    • Neo-Romantic style characterized by lyricism, emotional depth, and personal expression in choral works.

  • Contemporary Developments

    • Trends toward minimalism and avant-garde strategies in the later 20th century led by figures like Arvo Pärt and Krzysztof Penderecki, exploring new textures and structures in choral music.

  • Key Feature of Twentieth-Century Choral Music: A mixture of traditional forms with modern expressions and influences, focusing on both secular and sacred themes, showcasing a rich evolution of style and cultural identity in choral compositions.