Music in the 20th Century
I.
Cultural Background
A. Age of Diversity
The twentieth century is one of the most complex times of all
the historical periods. Changes have been fast and dramatic
in all areas of culture: social, political, scientific,
technology, economics.
1. Impact of Global Conflict
World War I (1914-1918)
World War II (1939-1945)
Cold War (1945-1990)
Founding of the United Nations (end of WWII)
Korean War (1950-1954)
Vietnam War (1956-1974)
Persian Gulf War (1990-1992)
War on Terror (2001-present)
Afghanistan Conflict (2001-present)
Iraq Conflict (2004-present)
2. Challenges to basic assumptions:
Darwin – natural selection, theory of evolution
Einstein – theory of relativity (things depend on the
standpoint of the observer – there are no certainties)
Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) – the nature of humans
3. Changing Attitudes
Civil Rights movement – beginning around 1954
Women’s movement – 1960s and 1970s
4. Advancements in Technology and Communications
5. Inventions and Discoveries
B. Impact on the arts
1. Three types of artist
a. Sensationalist – The sensationalist tends to break
down convention and overthrow accepted methods
and values. His/her art tends to lack expressive
qualities since its main purpose is to shock the
listener/observer.
b. Experimentalist – The experimentalist seeks new
methods and combinations of materials to express
themselves. His/her art often lacks unity and
coherence. The price that is paid for
experimentalists is that they seldom perfect what
they invent.
c. Synthesist – The synthesist combines what is good
of the sensationalist and the experimentalist with
what is valid from the past. His/her art usually is
less brilliant; yet is more resilient to the test of
time
2. Common principles among 20th-century artists
a. break with tradition (rejection of Romantic)
b. rejection of subjective emotion as the primary
basis for art.
c. rejection of concept that art must be realistic or
literal
d. rejection of unnecessary ornaments and attempts to
“dress up” art. The motto is “form follows
function” (architecture).
e. There is little attempt to please or entertain; only
for a desire to reflect the age directly and
unashamedly.
C. Visual Arts from 1900-1950
1. Impressionism
Claude Monet (1840-1926)
Impression Sunrise, 1872
Rouen Cathedral, 1894
Edouard Manet (1832-1883)
Dejeuner sur l’herbe, 1863 (Luncheon on the
Grass)
Edgar Degas (1834-1917)
The Rehearsal, 1874
Pierre Auguste Renoir (1841-1919)
Le Moulin de la Galette, 1897
Post-Impressionists:
Georges Seurat (1859-1891)
Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande
Jatte, 1886
Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890)
Starry Night, 1889
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Paul Gauguin (1848-1903)
Day of the Gods, 1894
Modernism
Piet Mondrian – Composition with Red, Blue and
Yellow
Georges Braque – Woman with Guitar
Expressionism (1910-1939)
Edvard Munch – The Scream
Cubism (1908-1914)
Pablo Picasso – Three Musicians
Marc Chagall – The Green Violinist
Dadaism (World War I)
Marcel Duchamp – L.H.O.O.Q.
Abstract Art (1920’s in Germany, Russia. Netherlands)
Piet Mondrian – Broadway Boogie-Woogie
Surrealism – grew out of the Dada movement.
Salvador Dali – The Persistence of Memory
Joan Miró – Ballerina Listening to an Organ Play in a
Gothic Cathedral
D. Musical style from 1900-1950
1. Musical Centers – France, Germany, United States
2. Elements of Music
a. Rhythm
b. Melody
c. Harmony
d. Texture
e. Dynamics
f. Tone color
g. Orchestration
h. Form
i. Jazz
3. Variety of styles (eclectic)
a. Impressionism
Claude Debussy (1862-1918)
Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune (1894)
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
Bolero (1928)
b. Nationalism
Charles Ives (1874-1954)
Putnam’s Camp, Redding, Connecticut (1912)
Aaron Copland (1900-1990)
Appalachian Spring, 1943-1944
c. Neoclassicism
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)
Rite of Spring, 1913
d. Serialism
Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951)
“Moondrunk” from Pierrot Lunaire, 1912
e. Expressionism
Alban Berg (1885-1935)
Wozzeck (1917-1922)
f. Avant-garde
II.
Radical Experimentation and Postmodernism: The Arts since 1950
A. Cultural Influences
After WWII in 1945 the world was greatly altered:
1. Politically: establishment of nations, continual struggle
for control, 3rd world vs. major powers
2. Economically: international trade, commercialization
3. Socially: mobility of society, human rights, social
concerns, drugs, HIV/AIDS
4. Technologically: RB, world communication, internet,
electronics, computer, Palm Pilots
B. Other Influences
1. Radical Experimentation
2. Postmodernism
C. Visual Art
1. Assemblage
Robert Rauschenberg – Odalisk
2. Abstract Expressionism
Jackson Pollock – Autumn Rhythm, Number 30
3. Pop Art
Andy Warhol - Green Coca-Cola Bottles
4. Op Art (Optical Art)
Bridget Riley – Current
D.
Music Since 1950: General Characteristics
1. Increased use of 12-tone system during the 1950’s and
1960’s.
Proponent: Aaron Copland
2. Total Serialism: use of the techniques of 12-tone to
organize rhythm, dynamics and tone color during the
1940’s and 1950’s.
Proponents: Milton Babbitt, Karlheinz Stockhausen,
Pierre Boulez
3. Aleatoric Music or Chance music: composer chooses
pitches, tone colors and rhythms by random methods, or
allows the performer to choose much of the music
material.
Proponent: John Cage
4. Minimalism: characterized by a steady pulse, clear
tonality and insistent repetition of short melodic
patterns.
Proponents: Terry Riley, Steve Reich, Philip glass,
John Adams
5. Music Quotation: works containing deliberate
quotations from earlier music.
Proponents: Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, George Crumb,
George Rochberg
6. Tonal Music and a return to tonality: “New
Romantics”
Proponents: David Del Tredici, George Rochberg
7. Electronic Sounds: The development of tape studios,
synthesizers and computers in the 1950’s and 1960’s
resulted in potentially unlimited resources for the
production and control of sound. Composers are no
longer limited by human performers.
Proponent: Milton Babbitt
8. Liberation of sound: greater exploitation of noise-like
sounds. Increased use of microtones.
Proponent: Krzysztof Penderecki
9. Mixed Media: Music (often electronic) is presented
together with visual counterparts (slides, films,
gestures, theatrical action)
E. Music Since 1950: Representational Pieces
1. Semi-Simple Variations (1956) Milton Babbitt
2. Poème électronique (1958) Edgard Varèse
3. Ancient Voices of Children (1970) George Crumb
4. Einstein on the Beach (1976) Philip Glass
5. Concerto Grosso 1985 Ellen Taaffe Zwilich
6. Short Ride in a Fast Machine (1986) John Adams
F. Four important influences on 20th/21st century music
1. Women’s movement (1960’s)
2. Economics of composing
3. Computer/Midi
4. Popular and Classical fusion
G. Summary