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MAPEH (Music)
Quarter 1 – Module 4:
20th Century
Avant Garde Music:
Composers
MAPEH (Music) – Grade 10
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 1 – Module 4: 20th Century Avant Garde Music: Composers
First Edition, 2020

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 What I Need To Know

This module was written and designed to make learning easier especially as we are in
the New Normal situation. As an educational tool, this module about, 20th Century
Avant Garde Music: Composers, challenges you as a learner, to become creative,
resourceful and independent. The scope of the module provides a variety of activities
that will stimulate independent and self-guided learning experience. Lessons in this
module are arranged to follow the standard sequence of the course to ensure effective
learning continuity, make the experience more meaningful, effective and relevant to
life situations.

This module is designed and especially written for you. It is meant to give you a clearer
understanding of the musical characteristics and elements of Avant Garde Music. The
life, works of its main composers and how their music brought progress to the music
of the 20th century.

This module includes lessons and activities on:

▪ The life, musical style, and works of Bernstein and Glass
▪ Listen and analyze some of the works of these composers

After going to this module, you are expected to:

➢ Enumerate the different musical styles used by Bernstein and Glass incomparable
to Gershwin
➢ Understand the styles of composing of the composer of the period through their
works
➢ Analyze example of their musical composition

What I Know
Instruction: Fill in the blanks to complete the sentence below. Choose the correct
answer inside the box.
Flute University of Chicago composition
Atonal Einstein On The Beach Ravi Shankar
Candide music with repetitive structures West Side Story
Philip Glass Harvard University pianist
Jeremiah Mass Oscar

1. Philip Glass studied _______________ as a boy.

2. He enrolled at _____________________, where he studied mathematics and
philosophy.
3. He studied __________________________ at the Juilliard School of Music.
4. ____________________ explored the music of ballet, theater, opera and even television
commercial jingles.
5. His interest in _____________ music drew him on to study music.
6. The opera ________________________ was Glass most famous and international
sensation composition.
7. ____________________ was cited by Glass as his major influence in the field of music.
8. Glass described himself as a composer of ___________________________________.
9. Leonard Bernstein attended ________________________, where he took courses in
music theory and counterpoint.
10. The _____________________________ was one of the most popular Broadway music
created by Bernstein.

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11. _____________________ was one of Bernstein’s most controversial works.
12. Bernstein was an accomplished ___________________________ before he became a
famous conductor.
13. Bernstein made compositions on biblical themes such as ________________________,
one of his famous biblical theme compositions.
14. Bernstein’s composition _____________, was performed at the opening of the John
F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.
15. He composed the musical score for the movie On the Waterfront where he received
______________________ nomination.

Lesson 20th Century

1 Avant Garde Music:

Composers
Our world has been growing so fast. The rapid growth of technology and inventions
brought forth the development of new music styles. Avant Garde belongs to this new
music styles that evolve by 20th century. Avant garde became a symbol of progress,
exploration and innovation, of everything and anyone ahead of their time and ways of
doing.

What’s In

Let’s see what you have remembered from our previous lesson. Look for the following
words on the puzzle by encircling them. Describe in one or two sentences the word
that you have found in the puzzle.

1. ______________________________________________________________________________

2. ______________________________________________________________________________

3. ______________________________________________________________________________

4. ______________________________________________________________________________

5. ______________________________________________________________________________

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 What’s New

Cut the pictures below then form the puzzle on a separate sheet.

Reflection:
Are you somehow familiar with what you have formed in the puzzle?

What is It

Avant Garde was used as an adjective to describe the artists who explored new artistic
styles and theme, and introduced something ambiguous to anyone. The Avant Garde
artists can be described as a group of people who develop fresh and often very
surprising ideas in visual art, literature and culture at large. (Widewalls Editorial, July 13,
2016)

Avant Garde Music Composers ➢ Leonard Bernstein - born on August 25,

1918, Lawrence, Massachusetts, U.S. and
died on October 14, 1990, New York, USA.
➢ He took courses on music theory and
counterpoint at Harvard University and
studied conducting at Curtis Institute of
Music and Berkshire Music Center.
➢ He is an accomplished pianist before he
became famous a conductor.
➢ “Lenny” as he was called by a few , was one
of the most influential musicians of the
20th century who bridged the gap between
classical music, Broadway musicals, jazz,
and rock, and he find new platform of
media that could reach diverse listeners
from different walks of life and ages.
➢ He had written music for small ensembles,
ballet, symphony orchestras, Broadway,
film and opera.

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 Musical Style:
➢ His music is wrapped with dynamic rhythm of American urban landscape.
➢ In his compositions, he featured spiritual approach to classical and native
styles.
➢ His lyrical expressions show his sensitivity to his Russian and Jewish roots,
with his hope, his loneliness, his humor and his demand for acceptance.
➢ His tunes mixes popular song with operatic style, and that beautifies the
harmonies and melodic intervals.
Works:
Composer of Avant
Jeremiah Garde Music:
(Symphony No. 1-1942) - his first symphony with biblical theme.
Kaddish (Symphony No. 3-1963) – his symphony with Jewish liturgical
❖ George Gershwin is born on September 26,
theme.
1898 in Brooklyn, New York and died on July
Candide (1956) - Bernstein’s most controversial works.
“West Side Story” (1957) - 11, 1937 at the
a Broadway age of 38.
musical of symphonic scope that
mixes jazz and popular❖dance styles with highly sophisticated,
His music was mostly influenced chromatic
by jazz and
language to create something classical and undeniably contemporary.
blues.
- This was Bernstein’s most remarkable composition that stands as a
towering achievement ❖ ofOne
his career.
of the most significant and popular
Mass - composed in 1971 for the opening
American of the John
composers of all F. Kennedy Center for
time.
the Performing Arts in Washington, DC.
He wrote a film score for the movie On the Waterfront where he was nominated
for an Oscar.

Philip Glass - born on January 31, 1937, at

Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
He studied flute when he was young and at 15 he
went to study Mathematics and Philosophy at
University of Chicago.
He explored the music of ballet, theatre, opera and
commercial jingles and his interest in atonal was
one of the reasons why he studied Music.
At Julliard School of Music, he studied
composition.
Ravi Shankar - was cited by Glass as his major
influence in the field of music.

Musical Style:
➢ Use of repetition of small distinctive rhythmic and melodic cell.
➢ His works were consisted of series of syncopated (displacement of beats or
accents) rhythms.
➢ Reliance on traditional diatonic scale and harmonies. Diatonic Scale is
consists of seven notes with the first note repeated one octave above the tonic
note. Tonic also known as the root, which is the first note of the scale.

➢ In the later years of Glass, he put greater emphasis on melody and more
complex harmonies.
➢ Some of his compositions were atonal (no tonal center or central key).
Works:
Einstein on the Beach (1976) - was his first large-scale triumph opera. It was
considered as Glass’ most significant theatrical achievements of the Post
World War II.
Satygraha (1980) - based on Gandhi's struggles in South Africa.
Akhnaten (1983) - based on the 14th century BCE Egyptian pharaoh who
introduced monotheism.

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 What’s More

Look at the picture below. Lists down the characteristics of the painting that you think
is parallel to the musical styles used by Philip Glass and Leonard Bernstein. Write
your answer in the blank provided.

Which style do you prefer most and why? How would you compare their compositions
to the compositions of today?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

What I Have Learned

❖ Philip Glass is a composer who explored the music of ballet,

theater, opera and commercial jingles with styles that
includes the use of syncopated and repetitive rhythms and
melody, the use of diatonic scale, atonal and in later years
with more emphasis on melody and complex rhythm.

❖ Leonard Bernstein was an accomplished pianist before he

became famous a conductor. His musical style includes
lyrical expression that features his Russian and Jewish roots
and spiritual approach, tunes mixes popular song with
operatic style, and has dynamic rhythm.

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 What I Can Do

Activity: Our Little Composers

Compose a commercial jingle with – 2 -3 stanzas having 4 lines per stanza. The theme
focuses on giving hope to the Filipino people amidst of the pandemic crisis. Observe
the characteristics of the musical style of Avant Garde Music. Write your composition
below.

Assessment

Multiple Choice: Write the letter of the correct answer on the blank provided.

_____ 1. Who among the following avant garde composers, went to Juilliard School of
Music to study composition?

a. b. c. d.
_____2. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of Philip Glass’ Music?
a. It uses of syncopated and repetitive rhythms and melody
b. It uses of diatonic scale
c. It uses micro tones
d. More emphasis on melody and complex rhythm

_____ 3. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of Leonard Bernstein’s Music?

a. Lyrical approach with Russian and Jewish origin
b. Has dynamic rhythm
c. It uses diatonic scale
d. Tunes mixes popular song with operatic style

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_____ 4. Which of the following shows syncopated notation?
> > > > > > > >

a. c.

> > > > > > > >

b. d.

_____ 5. Who among the following was influenced by Ravi Shankar in the field of
Music?
a. Glass b. Debussy c. Gershwin d. Bernstein

_____ 6. Which of the following is true to avant garde composers/artist?

a. Clinging to traditional style
b. They are people who develop fresh and surprising ideas in art, literature
and culture.
c. Uses vocal music alone
d. Uses classical style and mostly instrumental.

_____ 7. Which of the following is NOT a composition of Bernstein?

a. West Side Story c. Einstein on the Beach
b. Candide d. Jeremiah

_____ 8. What kind of scale does Philip Glass use in most of his compositions?
a. 12 Tone Scale c. Chromatic Scale
b. Whole Tone Scale d. Diatonic Scale

_____ 9. Which of the following best describes Bernstein?

a. He is also a famous conductor
b. He is also a famous flutist
c. He is very good in singing and one of the greatest Tenor
d. He is a famous director for films

_____ 10. Which of the following best describes the rhythm of Bernstein’s musical
compositions?
a. It has repetitive and dynamic rhythm with American native touch.
b. It has steady beat.
c. It has polyrhythm
d. It has steady beat with native touch

_____ 11. Which of the following composition of Bernstein is marked as his most
successful and triumphal composition?
a. Candide b. Jeremiah c. Kaddish d. West Side Story

_____ 12. Who among the following composers created Candide?

a. b. c. d.

_____ 13. Which of the following award giving body gave Bernstein a nomination for
his composition for a movie entitled “On the Waterfront”?
a. Emmy Awards c. Tony Awards
b. Oscar Awards d. Grammy Awards

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_____ 14. Which of the following was Bernstein’s symphony which is a composition
with Jewish liturgical theme?
a. Candide b. Jeremiah c. Kaddish d. West Side Story

_____ 15. Which of the following was the most controversial composition of Bernstein?
a. Candide b. Jeremiah c. Kaddish d. West Side Story

Additional Activities

Activity: Click the link below. Listen and learn about the composers works and
describe the composition that you have learned by answering the questions below.

Musical works Listening #1 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e2igZexpMs)

Composer: _______________________ Title: _____________________________

Mood and tempo _________________________________________________________________
Rhythm _________________________________________________________________________
Melodic movement _______________________________________________________________
Major Instrument/s Heard: ________________________________

Musical works Listening #2: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afW7RGY-CQw)

Composer: _______________________ Title: _____________________________
Mood and tempo _________________________________________________________________
Rhythm _________________________________________________________________________
Melodic movement _______________________________________________________________
Major Instrument/s Heard: ________________________________

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 Answer Key

14.Mass 15. Oscar

15. A
13. Jeremiah
14. C
2. Philip Glass 12.Pianist
13. B
1. Leonard Bernstein 11. Candide
12. C
10.West Side Story
11. D
9.Harvard University
10. A
What's New structure
9. A
8.Music with repetitive
8. D
7.Ravi Shankar
7. C
Schoenberg 5. 6.Einstein on the Beach
6. B
Atonality 4. 5.Atonal
5. A
4.Philip Glass
4. D Dissonance 3. 3.Composition
3. C Sprechstimme 2. 2.University of Chicago
2. C 12 tone Scale 1. 1.Flute
1. B
Assessment What's In What I Know

References
Baber, Katherine.,( February 22, 2018)., Leonard Bernstein

Cummings, Robert., Philip Glass Biography.,

https://www.allmusic.com/artist/philip-glass-mn0000849672/biography

https://www.biography.com/musician/philip-glass

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Philip-Glass

https://canvas.instructure.com/courses/1191369/pages/what-are-scales-and-why-
are-they-important

https://www.classicfm.com/composers/glass/guides/story-philip-glass/

http://www.math.brown.edu/~banchoff/Yale/project04/glass.html

https://philipglass.com/biography/

https://study.com/academy/lesson/leonard-bernstein-biography-compositions-
musicals.html

Mauceri, John., Bernstein as Composer.,

https://www.leonardbernstein.com/about/composer

Oja, Carol J., (December 15, 2017)., Bernstein—or “Lenny,” as he was often
affectionately called—was an extravagantly gifted musician with a common touch.

Sunico, Raul M., Ph.D. etal., Horizons Grade 10