20th Century Music Concepts

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Questions and Answers

What is Tone Color?

Creates variety, continuity and mood (correct)

A musical scale

A rhythm pattern

A specific type of melody

The rhythm of 20th-century music became regular and predictable.

False

What is Polyrhythm?

A rhythm that makes use of two or more different rhythms simultaneously.

What is an Ostinato?

A musical phrase repeated over and over during a composition. Signup and view all the answers

What defines a Polychord?

A combination of two or more different chords. Signup and view all the answers

Consonant chords sound dissonant and create tension.

False Signup and view all the answers

Dissonant chords add tension and anxiety to music.

True Signup and view all the answers

Who was Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov?

A Russian composer, one of 'The Five'. Signup and view all the answers

What contribution did Gustav Mahler make to music?

One of the last Romantic composers and conducted professionally. Signup and view all the answers

Who was Dimitri Shostakovich?

A Soviet Neo-Classical composer who was an enemy of Stalin. Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes Impressionism in music?

A movement characterized by exotic scales, unresolved dissonances, parallel chords, and free rhythm. Signup and view all the answers

Who were the two most important Impressionistic composers?

Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel. Signup and view all the answers

What is Atonality?

No specific key or tonality. Signup and view all the answers

Who invented the 12-tone system?

Arnold Schoenberg. Signup and view all the answers

What does the 12-tone system allow in music composition?

All pitches of a composition are derived from a special ordering of the 12 chromatic tones. Signup and view all the answers

What is Sprechstimme?

'Speech voice', halfway between speaking and singing. Signup and view all the answers

What does Neo-Classicism seek to achieve?

A return to the musical forms and aesthetics of the Baroque and Classical periods. Signup and view all the answers

What was the slogan of Neo-Classicism?

'Back to Bach'. Signup and view all the answers

Who is Igor Stravinsky?

A Russian Neo-Classical composer known for ballets like The Rite of Spring. Signup and view all the answers

What was the Bay Psalm Book (1640)?

The first book of songs printed in America. Signup and view all the answers

What were the favorite instrumental organizations in America in the 19th century?

Bands. Signup and view all the answers

Which cities in America established symphony orchestras in the 19th century?

New York, Cincinnati, Boston, and Chicago. Signup and view all the answers

Who pioneered Nationalism in American Music?

Gottschalk, helped along by Dvořák. Signup and view all the answers

Who was Amy Beach?

The first notable female American composer. Signup and view all the answers

What was the musical contribution of Charles Ives?

Composed dissonant, atonal works based on hymns, village bands, and barn dances. Signup and view all the answers

Who was William Grant Still?

The first major African American classical composer. Signup and view all the answers

Who is Aaron Copland known for?

Being a leading American composer famous for cowboy ballets like 'Billy the Kid' and 'Rodeo'. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Tone Color

Enhances variety, continuity, and mood in music.

Rhythm of 20th Century Music

Characterized by irregular and unpredictable patterns.

Polyrhythm

Utilizes two or more different rhythms played simultaneously.

Ostinato

A repeated musical phrase throughout a composition.

Polychord

A combination of two or more different chords.

Consonant Chords

Produce a pleasing sound, providing a sense of resolution.

Dissonant Chords

Create tension and anxiety, needing resolution to consonant chords.

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

Russian composer, part of "The Five," known for intricate orchestrations in tone poems.

Gustav Mahler

A late Romantic composer, professional conductor; his works gained recognition in the 1950s through Leonard Bernstein.

Dimitri Shostakovich

Soviet composer known for Neo-Classical work, faced censorship and attempted blacklisting by Stalin.

Impressionism

French artistic movement marked by exotic scales, unresolved dissonances, rich orchestral tone colors, and free rhythms.

Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel

Key composers of Impressionism, pivotal in transitioning music from Romanticism to Atonality through exotic scales and dissonance.

George Gershwin

Notable American composer, known for blending Jazz and Classical music styles.

Expressionism

Artistic movement focused on the artist's inner vision and intense emotions, often exploring themes of madness and death.

Atonality

Characterized by the absence of a specific key or tonal center.

Arnold Schoenberg

A prominent German composer of the 20th century, credited with developing the 12-tone system.

12-Tone System

Compositional method derived from a specific ordering of the 12 chromatic tones, established by Schoenberg in the early 1920s.

Possible Tone Rows

There are 479,001,600 arrangements for a 12-tone row; each can be transformed in 48 different ways within a composition.

Sprechstimme

A vocal technique that merges speaking and singing, often used by Schoenberg.

Neo-Classicism

A movement aiming to revive the musical forms and aesthetics of the Baroque and Classical periods, featuring emotional restraint and balance.

Back to Bach

Slogan representing the Neo-Classical movement, which reacted against Romanticism and Impressionism.

Igor Stravinsky

Russian Neo-Classical composer, celebrated for influential ballets like The Rite of Spring; known for changing, irregular meters.

Bay Psalm Book (1640)

The first book of songs published in America.

19th Century American Instrumental Organizations

Brass and military bands were the preferred instrumental groups.

American Cities with Symphony Orchestras

New York, Cincinnati, Boston, and Chicago were early adopters of symphony orchestras.

Nationalism in American Music

Prominent figures include Gottschalk and Dvořák, who influenced the movement.

Amy Beach

The first notable female composer in American music history.

Charles Ives

American composer known for dissonant, atonal works influenced by hymns and folk music, independent of Schoenberg's impact.

William Grant Still

Recognized as the first major African American classical composer.

Aaron Copland

Leading American composer, renowned for creating cowboy-themed ballets such as "Billy the Kid" and "Rodeo."

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Description

Explore the essential concepts of 20th century music, including late Romanticism, Impressionism, Expressionism, and more. This quiz will help you understand important terms such as tone color, rhythm, polyrhythm, and ostinato. Enhance your knowledge of American music and its distinctive characteristics.