Lecture/Reviewer 1 in Music 10 Week 1 and 2 Quarter 1

early music reflected the influence of his teacher.

Hisfirst successful masterpiece, The Firebird Suite
MUSIC OF THE 20TH CENTURY
The Rite of Spring / Petrouchka
The 20th century began on January 01, 1901, and
ended on December 31, 2000 PRIMITIVISM
is tonal through the asserting of one note as
IMPRESSIONISM. Impressionism was an attempt
more important than the others.
not to depict reality, but merely to suggest it.
New sounds are synthesized
It was meant to create an emotional mood
from old ones by juxtaposing two simple
rather than a specific picture. Chords did not
events to create a more complex new event.
have a definite order and a sense of clear
Primitivism has links to Exoticism through the
resolution. Atonality and dissonance.
use of materials from other cultures,
CLAUDE DEBUSSY (1862–1918) He was the
Nationalism through the use of materials
primary exponent of the impressionist
indigenous to specific countries, and
movement. He changed the course of
Ethnicism through the use of materials
musical development by evolving traditional
from European ethnic groups.
rules and convention into a new language of
possibilities in harmony, rhythm, form, texture, BELA BARTOK (1881–1945)
and color. More or less 227 musical He started piano lessons with his mother. his first
compositions. nationalistic poem, Kossuth. His compositions were
successful because of their rich melodies and lively
Composition: Claire De Lune rhythm. Composition: Six String Quartets / The
Concerto for Orchestra
(Moonlight) NEO-CLASSICISM
MAURICE RAVEL (1875–1937) Neo-classicism was a moderating factor
His compositional style is characterized by between the emotional excesses of the
its uniquely innovative. The harmonic Romantic period and the violent impulses of
progression in Ravel’s works are musically the soul in expressionism SERGEI
satisfying, pleasantly dissonant and elegantly PROKOFIEFF (1891–1953)
sophisticated. Ravel was a perfectionist. progressive technique, pulsating rhythms,
Approximately 60 compositions. melodic directness, and a resolving
Composition: Jeux d’Eau or (Water Fountains) dissonance
EXPRESSIONISM revealed the composer’s
mind, instead of presenting an Composition: Romeo & Juliet
impression of the
environment. It used atonality and the twelve- No. 13 Dance of the Knight
tone scale, lacking stable and conventional AVANT GARDE. Improvisation was a necessity
harmonies. It served as a medium for in this style, for the musical scores were not
expressing strong emotions, such as anxiety, necessarily followed as written.
rage, and alienation.
GEORGE GERSHWIN (1898–1937)
ARNOLD SCHOENBERG (1874–1951)
His older brother Ira was his artistic
He taught himself music theory. Schoenberg is collaborator who wrote the lyrics of his
credited with the establishment of the twelve- songs. Considered the “Father of American
tone system. Composition: Verklarte Nacht Jazz” Composition: Rhapsody in Blue
20TH CENTURY MUSICAL STYLES:
ELECTRONICMUSIC
uses synthesizers, amplifiers, tape recorders,
and loudspeakers. experiments with
IGOR STRAVINSKY (1882–1971) different sounds that cannot be
He was born in Oranienbaum, Russia. produced by regular musical
Stravinsky’s instruments such as the piano or the violin.
Lecture/Reviewer 1 in Music 10 Week 1 and 2 Quarter 1
composer records different sounds that are
heard in the environment
EDGARD VARESE (1883–1965)
He was considered an “innovative French-
born composer. He invented the term
“organized sound,” Varise’s use of new
instruments and electronic resources made
him the “Father of Electronic Music” and he
was described as the “Stratospheric
Colossus of Sound.”
CHANCE MUSIC
Chance music refers to a style wherein the
piece always sounds different at every
performance As such, the combination of
external sounds cannot be duplicated as each
happens by chance.
JOHN CAGE (1912–1992)
He became famous for his composition Four
Minutes and 33 Seconds (4’33"), a chance
musical work that instructed the pianist to
merely open the piano lid and remain silent
for the length of time indicated by the title.
The work was intended to convey the
impossibility of achieving total silence,
since surrounding sounds can still be heard
amidst the silence of the piano performance.