MUSIC OF THE

20TH CENTURY
1st Quarter Music 10
Music of the 20th Century
 The start of the 20th century saw the
rise of distinct musical styles that
reflected a move away from the
conventions of earlier Western
classical music
Music of the 20th Century
The new styles were:
 Impressionism
 Expressionism
 Neo-Classicism
 Avant-Grade Music
 Modern Nationalism
 Primitivism
 Electronic Music
 Chance Music
 IMPRESSIONISM
 Based on the art movement started
by 19th century Paris-based visual
artist, specifically Claude Monet
through his painting “Impression
Sunrise”
“Impression Sunrise” by Claude Monet
Claude Debussy (1862-1918)
Claude Debussy (1862-1918)
 One of the most important and
influential 20th century composer.
 He was the primary exponent of the

impressionist movement
Claude Debussy (1862-1918)
 He was born in St. Germain-en-laye, France
 On August 22, 1862

 His early musical talents were channelled into

piano lessons
 He entered Paris conservatory in 1873

 In 1884, he won the top prize at the Prix de

Rome with his composition L’Enfant Prodigue

(The Prodigal Son)
 Claude Debussy (1862-1918)
 His musical composition total more or less 227
which include orchestral music, chamber music,
piano music, operas, ballets, songs and other
vocal music
 He was fascinated by the Javanese Gamelan that

he heard at the 1889 Paris Exposition which later

used in his works to achieve new sound.
Claude Debussy (1862-1918)
 He was named “The Father of the Modern
School of Composition”
 One of his famous composition are: Claire de

Lune, and La Mer

 He spent the remaining years of his life as a

critic, composer, and performer.

 He died of cancer in Paris on March 25, 1918
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
 Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
 He was born in Ciboure, France
 Entered the Paris Conservatory at the age of 14

 Ravel was a perfectionist and every bit a musical

craftsman.
 A strong advocate of Russian music, he also

admired the music of Chopin, Liszt and Schubert

 One of his pieces is the “Bolero”
 EXPRESSIONISM
 The term “Expressionism was probably first
applied to music in 1918.
 The emotions of the music are taken to the

extreme, leading to disturbing, unsettling and

sometimes violent.
 It served as a medium for expressing strong

emotions such as anxiety and rage.

Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951)
Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951)
 He was born in Vienna, Austria
 He taught himself music theory, he was

influenced by Richard Wagner.

 His works include: Three Pieces of Piano,
 PRIMITIVISM
(Impressionism and Romanticism

 It is a word that describes the condition or

quality that belongs to something crude and
unrefined.
 In its purest form, primitivism combines two

familiar or simple ideas together creating new

sounds.
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)
 Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)
 One of the greatest trendsetter of the 20 th century
 He was born in Oranienbaum (Lomonosov),

Russia
 His first successful masterpiece, The Firebird

Suite (1910)
Bela Bartok(1881-1945)
 Bela Bartok(1881-1945)
 Born in Hungary (now Romania) on March 25,
1881 to musical parents.
 He started music lessons with his mother and

later entered Budapest Royal Academy of Music

in 1899.
 His first nationalistic poem was Kossuth in 1903

 In 1906, he published his first collection of 20

Hungarian folk songs.

 He is famous for his Six String Quartets.
 NEO-CLASSICISM
 It was a partial return to a Classical form of
writing music with carefully modulated
dissonances.
Sergie Prokofieff (1891-1953)
 Sergie Prokofieff (1891-1953)
 Born in Ukraine in 1891, he set out for the St.
Petersburg Conservatory. Equipped with his
great talent as a composer and pianist.
 Notably the ballet “Romeo and Juliet” and “War

and Peace”
 Prokofieff was highly successful in his piano

music.
Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc (1899 – 1963)
Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc (1899 – 1963)

 One of few composers born into wealth and

privileged social position.
 Member of the group of young French

composers known as “Les Six”

 His musical composition total around 185

which include solo piano works as well as

vocal solo.
 He died in Paris on January 30, 1963
 AVANT-GRADE MUSIC
 Closely associated with electronic music.
 The absence of traditional rules on harmony,

melody and rhythm.

George Gershwin (1898 – 1937)
George Gershwin (1898 – 1937)
 His first song was written in 1916 and his first
Broadway musical “La La Lucille” in 1919
 He also composed “Rhapsody in Blue” and

“An American in Paris”

 Considered the “Father of American Jazz”
Leonard Bernstein (1918 – 1990)
 Leonard Bernstein (1918 – 1990)
 Born in Massachusetts, USA
 Known as charismatic conductor, pianist and

composer
 His big break came when he was asked to

substitute for the ailing Bruno Walter in

conducting the New York Philharmonic Orchestra
in a concert in 1943.
 conducting and composing for Broadway

musicals,
Leonard Bernstein (1918 – 1990)
 He was best known for his composition for
“West Side Story” an American adaptation of
“Romeo and Juliet”
Philip Glass (1937 -
 Philip Glass (1937 -
 Born in New York, USA
 Became accomplished violinist and flutist at the

age of 15
 He formed the Philip Glass Ensemble and

produced works such as “Music in Similar

Motion” and “Music in Changing Parts” with
rock-type grooves at extreme volumes
 MODERN NATIONALISM
 Focused on nationalist composers and musical
innovators who sought to combine modern
techniques with folk materials.
 In Europe , prominent figures of this style were
Bela Bartok and Sergei Prokofieff who were neo
classicist to a certain extent.
 20TH CENTURY MUSIC
STYLES
Electronic Music
 it is the capacity of electronic machines such as
synthesizers, amplifiers, tape recorders and
loudspeakers to create different sounds
 Music that uses the tape recorder is called “

“musique concrete” or concrete music. These

sounds are arranged by the composer in different
ways, for example, by playing the tape recorder in
its fastest mode or in reverse.
 In “musique concrete”, the composer is able
to experiment with different sound that cannot
be produced by regular musical instruments
such as the piano or the violin
Edgard Varese (1883 – 1965)
Edgard Varese (1883 – 1965)
 Born in December 22 , 1883
 He was considered an “innovative French-born
composer”
 He invented the term “organized sound” which
means that certain timbers and rhythms can be
grouped together in order to capture a whole new
definition of sound.
 He earned the title “ Father of Electronic Music”
Karlheinz StockHausen (1928 - )
Karlheinz StockHausen (1928 - )
 Born in Cologne, Germany
 He continued to experiment with Musique concrete
20TH CENTURY MUSIC STYLES

Chance Music
 refers to a style in which the piece sound different
at very performance because of the random
techniques of production.
John Cage (1912 – 1992)
John Cage (1912 – 1992)
 Born in Los Angeles, California, USA.
 One of the most original composers in the

history of Western music.

 He challenged the very idea of music by

manipulating musical instruments in order to

achieved new sounds.
 He experimented with what came to be known

as Chance music
John Cage (1912 – 1992)
 Cage created a “prepared” piano where screws and
pieces of wood or paper were inserted between the
piano strings to produce different percussion
possibilities.
THE
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