20th Century Modern Music

1900-1950

Overview of Modern Music (1900-1950)● The 20th century brought a number of new musical innovations to the art of

composition and performance.○ Heightened sense of dissonance○ Complex new rhythmic elements○ The use of polytonality○ Early experimentation with electronic instruments○ Random chance elements○ A new system of musical organization

● A time when composers exercised total control over all the parameters of performance, while others left it up to the performers and perhaps even the audience

● Unlike previous genres where music followed the visual and dance arts, 20th century music was often at the cutting edge.

Referred to the Era of “Isms”A few important early 20th Century Artistic Movements include:

● Primitivism● Dadaism● Expressionism● Formalism● New-Classicism● Nationalism (carrying over from the 19th Century)

More Recent DevelopmentsMore recent “Isms” to develop include:

● Abstract Expressionism● Minimalism● Post-Minimalism● New-Romanticism● Eclecticism

Non Isms Include:

● Pop Art● Aleatory Music (also known as Chance Music)● Musique Concrete (early approach to electronic music)

A Quickly Changing World● More than any other time in music history composers were quick to make

dramatic stylistic changes. Making impossible to tie composers down to 1 specific style.

● This is reflected in the world as well: the light bulb, the automobile, and the airplane were all new inventions vs improvements on previous ideas.

● Many composers took hold of this idea and sought to find the most expressive new mode of composition○ As a result, some music, by today’s standards is considered in accessible○ It was as if they were daring the audiences of the time to try to understand their music

● It is difficult, as a result to look back and see what artists had the most comprehensive trends in music, like Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and Debussy had on their respective eras.

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)● HIstorians Frequently mention Igor Stravinsky as the most influential composer

of the 20th Century. Others point to the works of Bela Bartok. ● But there is one piece in particular that marked a dramatic shift in modern

music: Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rite of Spring).● His 3 early Ballets (Ballets Ruse) or Russian Ballet’s which premiered in Paris

had a definitive effect on composers, as well. ● Some were inspired, others were repulsed by his work.

A Concise Biography: https://cvod.infobase.com/p_ViewVideo.aspx?xtid=44010&tScript=0

The Rite of Spring (1913)

Bela Bartok (1881--1945)● Hungarian Pianist and composer,● Raised the concept of Nationalism in music to a new level● Hungarian National pride was surging at the time in his life● Spent a gerat deal of his career collecting and preserving Hungarian music● Studied piano initially with his mother● Later studied at the Budapest Academy of Music● 1905 set out on the Hungarian Countryside with Zoltan Kodaly recording and

cataloging a wealth of folk songs● After hearing the work of Richard Strauss, among others● First major piece was a nationalistic tone poem entitled “Kossuth”● Thereafter he divided his time as a concert pianist, composer, teacher, and

ethnomusicologist.

Bartok (Music)● A number of his compositions were written to feature the piano, whether as a

soloist, chamber ensemble, or member of the percussion section.● Some of his most famous compositions that feature the piano include three

solo concertos, as well as:○ Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta○ Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion;○ Contrasts for Violin, Clarinet, and Piano

● Between 1926 and 1939 he composed a number of smaller educational pieces for piano entitled “Mikrokosmos.”○ Polytonality○ Polyrhythms○ Random Dissonance○ Non traditional scale patterns○ Elementa of Hungarian Folk Music

Bartok (Music)● Written between 1908 and 1939 (essentially his entire writing career) he wrote

a series of six string quartets that are frequently compared to the masterful string quartets of Beethoven.

● Together they emcompass the compositional techniques of modern music.● Among other compositional techniques, Bartok pioneered the use of a new

formal structure called Arch Form.● Arch Form: think of five or 7 part Rondo rearranged into ABCBA, or ABCDCBA.

He not only applied this in the instance of themes but the overall structure of multi movement works.

● Concerto for Orchestra is an excellent example of arch form:○ https://cvod.infobase.com/p_ViewVideo.aspx?xtid=59085&tScript=0

● Most notable: During WWII he spoke out against facism, going so far as protesting when his music was played on German Radio.

● Immigrated to America in 1940

Bartok: Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta

Serge Prokofiev (1891-1953)● Established himself as a successful concert pianist and composer● He experimented with New-Classicism; Nationalism, and a variety of 20th

Century Techniques● His music is frequently referred to as witty and sarcastic● His career produced: 8 operas; 7 ballets; 7 symphonies; 5 piano concertos; 2

violin concertos; 7 choral works; 10 piano sonatas; and a wealth of other smaller compositions.

● His most important historical works include: Romeo and Juliet; Lieutenant Kije; Peter and the Wolf, Concerto No. 3, and Alexander Nevsky, Op. 78

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xmbg64

Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975)● Spent the bulk of his life battling between being an artist who served the

Soviet state, and being true to his own vision● His early works were modernistic in nature, reflecting compositional trends of

the 20th-Century○ Early Operas included:

■ The Nose, and ■ Lady Macbeth of the Mtsenk District

● During the 1930’s his music drew harsh criticism from the State, causing him to withdraw his Symphony No. 4 in C Major (from it’s premier)○ Referred to his music as “Leftist Distortion” and “petty bourgeois sensationalism

● He responded through Symphony No. 5, which he subtitled “A Soviet artist’s practical creative reply to just criticism.○ Back in the good graces of the State○ Later admitted he included veiled jabs at the State

Shostakovich● During WWII he composed Symphony No. 7 (Leningrad), a direct reaction to

Hitler’s invasion of Russia.● The work was popular not just in Russia, but in Great Britain and America, as

well.● After the war he again found himself in trouble with the State and was even

removed from his position at the Moscow Conservatory of Music.● After Stalin’s Death, some of the strict State rules were relaxed and he was

reinstated and found favor with both the State and the people of Russia again.● His most important works include:

○ His 15 Symphonies○ Festival Overture○ Piano Quintet in g minor○ 24 Preludes and Fugues for solo piano

Music of Shostaovich

Paul Hindemith (1895-1963)● Enjoyed a diverse life in the world of music● A successful performer on violin and viola● A noted teacher and music theorist; author and conductor● Also considered a brilliant composer in every classical genre● His output includes:

○ Operas; Symphonies; Choral works ; Instrumental chamber works; and Educational pieces

● His compositional style has been described as: “began as an enfant terrible and ended by the avant-garde as an ultra-conservative.○ His early compositions were considered dissonant○ His operas were considered too overtly sexual for the German public

● In later years though his music was growing in public acceptance, he drew the ire of the Nazi regime. Eventually all of his music was banned from performance. He fled Germany and settled in America.

Hindemith Biography, Pg. 2● In American, he took on a teaching position at Yale University.● Several Years after WWII Ended, he returned to Europe where he focussed his

attention on conducting (though he continued to compose until the end of his life)

● His mature compositional style is marked by freely dissonant sense of tonality; a gift for intricate contrapuntal writing; and a veiled lyrical senseibility.

● His most popular compositions include: ○ Mathis der Maler (Mathis the Painter); and a opera of the same name○ Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber

● Considered generous in writing for instruments that had since been overlooked in the 20th-Century: Harp; English Horn; Trumpet and Tuba

● He also composed an important Symphony for Wind Band: Symphony in Bb for Concert Band

Symphony in Bb for Concert Band

Charles Ives (1874-1954)● His music does not fit into any chronological discussion on the historic

timeline. It is so different than anything else around him. In many cases he was far ahead of his time.

● Grew up in Danbury Connecticut showing an early gift for music. ● His father was the towns bandman, and talented musician and composer.● Young Charlie grew up hearing his father’s bands and experiments● He attended Yale University where he studied composition with Horatio Parker● After completing his degree he realized the type of music he wanted to create

wouldn’t earn him a living.● Turned to the insurance business.

Ives - Bio● Grew to be a successful businessman. By today’s standards wold be

considered a multi millionaire.● Continued to write music as a hobby.● Also took an interest in transcendentalism, since he was essentially at the

epicenter of the movement (Concord, Mass) (e,g, Throreau)● Most popular works

○ Concord Sonata○ 3 volume collection of songs entitled 114 songs○ Won a pultizer prize in 1947 for his Third Symphony (The Camp Meeting)

Ives - Music

Aaron Copland

Aaron Copland - Bio● 1900-1990● During my early life, he was considered America’s greatest living composer● To the audience, he certainly didn’t begin or end his career in that manner.● His first compositions are dissonant, modernistic works.

○ Won him the approval of his contemporary composers○ But, not popular with the general public

● Conductor Walter Damrosch once said: “if he can write like that at (age) 23, in five years he will be ready to commit murder.”

● He experimented with elements of Jazz, and passed through a neo-classical phase, before his transformation into a stylistic change that would make him more accessible to wider audiences:○ Considerably more tonal○ Use of American folk music

Aaron Copland - Bio● Studied under the famous composition teacher: Nadia Boulanger● Worked with Agnes de Mille, he composed two scores for ballet: “Billy the Kid,”

and “Rodeo.”● Soon thereafter, he collaborated with Martha Graham and wrote a third ballet

entitled “Appalachian Spring,” built around the Shaker hymn, “Simple Gifts.”● All 3 Ballets were later converted to Suites● Some of his other most popular works:

○ Fanfare for the Common Man○ The Tender Land (full length opera)○ Film Scores: Of Mice and Men, Our Town, The Red Pony and The Heiress.○ El Salon Mexico and Danzon Cubana

Copland - His Musichttps://cvod.infobase.com/p_ViewVideo.aspx?xtid=989&tScript=0