Music History Chapter 32: Modernism and Tradition

Questions and Answers

What challenge did composers in the early twentieth century face?

Creating works worthy of performance alongside the classics of the past.

Which of the following were general goals of 20th century composers? (Select all that apply)

The criteria were broad enough to apply to a large number of composers. (correct)

The music had to have lasting value that rewarded performers and listeners through multiple hearings and study. (correct)

The music should appeal to casual listeners.

The music had to be of high quality in the tradition of serious art music. (correct)

What did younger composers seek?

A more radical break from the past.

What were composers of the 20th century who challenged convention known as?

Modernists. Signup and view all the answers

Modernists aimed to please listeners on first hearing.

False Signup and view all the answers

What did modernists challenge?

Perceptions and capacities. Signup and view all the answers

What did modernists criticize?

Easily digested art. Signup and view all the answers

What did Arnold Schoenberg move the German classical tradition toward?

Atonality. Signup and view all the answers

What is atonality?

Music that avoids tonal centers. Signup and view all the answers

What method did Schoenberg develop for the systematic ordering of notes?

The twelve-tone method. Signup and view all the answers

Where was Schoenberg born?

Vienna. Signup and view all the answers

What significant relationship did Schoenberg have early in his career?

He got a teaching job in Berlin through Richard Strauss. Signup and view all the answers

What was significant about Schoenberg's return to Vienna in 1904?

He began teaching and had influential students like Berg and Webern. Signup and view all the answers

Which famous composer supported Schoenberg?

Mahler. Signup and view all the answers

What did Schoenberg focus on in his later years?

Teaching at UCLA. Signup and view all the answers

What are Schoenberg's earliest works categorized as?

Tonal in the late Romantic style. Signup and view all the answers

Name one of Schoenberg's early tonal works.

Verklärte Nacht. Signup and view all the answers

Which compositional principle did Schoenberg apply to his own works?

Developing variation. Signup and view all the answers

What does Schoenberg's String Quartet No. 1 exemplify?

Continuing tradition but with a new voice. Signup and view all the answers

What was Schoenberg's guiding principle?

Nonrepetition between and within pieces. Signup and view all the answers

When did Schoenberg begin composing atonal music?

<ol start="1908"> <li></li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

How did Schoenberg feel about prolonged dissonances in recent music?

They weakened the pull of the tonic and exhausted tonality. Signup and view all the answers

What is 'the emancipation of the dissonance'?

Schoenberg's concept of freeing dissonance from its need to resolve to a consonance. Signup and view all the answers

What methods did Schoenberg use to create unity without tonality?

Developing variation, integration of harmony and melody, chromatic saturation. Signup and view all the answers

How did Schoenberg keep his music connected to tradition?

By using gestures from tonal music. Signup and view all the answers

What is 'Saget mir, auf welchem Pfade'?

One of Schoenberg's first completely atonal works. Signup and view all the answers

Which features link 'Saget mir, auf welchem Pfade' to the Germanic tradition? (Select all that apply)

Scoring for piano and voice Signup and view all the answers

What is a pitch-class?

Any note of a chromatic scale and its enharmonic equivalent. Signup and view all the answers

What is a set in musical terms?

A collection of pitches that can be transposed, inverted, and arranged in any order to generate melodies and harmonies. Signup and view all the answers

Define chromatic saturation.

Music that uses all twelve pitch classes. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Early 20th Century Composition

Composers aimed to create works that stood alongside classical masterpieces.
Music was expected to maintain high quality and have lasting artistic value.

Younger Composers and Modernism

Younger composers sought radical departures from past traditions, identifying as modernists.
Modernists did not cater to immediate audience preferences and aimed to challenge perceptions.

Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951)

A pivotal figure in moving German classical music towards atonality; developed the twelve-tone technique.
Born in Vienna to a Jewish family, Schoenberg was largely self-taught and later accepted by notable figures like Richard Strauss.

Schoenberg's Career Progression

Upon returning to Vienna in 1904, he taught influential students including Berg and Webern and created significant relationships with expressionist artists.
Resided in France after reverting to Judaism; moved to the U.S. in 1934 and taught at UCLA until retirement in 1944.

Early Compositions

Early tonal works in a late Romantic style included:
- Verklärte Nacht (1899)
- Pelleas und Melisande (1902-03)
- Gurrelieder (1900-01, orchestrated 1911)

Innovation in Composition

Schoenberg employed the principle of developing variation in works like the String Quartet No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 7, blending traditional themes with modern techniques.
His principal of nonrepetition across works was central to his style.

Transition to Atonality

Began composing atonal music in 1908, expressing a belief that prolonged dissonances had weakened tonality's foundation.
Advocated for "the emancipation of the dissonance," allowing dissonant chords to exist without resolution.

Methods of Unity in Atonality

Employed three main strategies to create unity in music void of tonality:
- Developing variation
- Integrating harmony with melody
- Implementing chromatic saturation

Retaining Tradition

Despite embracing modernism, Schoenberg incorporated gestures from tonal music to maintain a connection to prior traditions.

Notable Works

Saget mir, auf welchem Pfade (1908-09) displays Schoenberg's first entirely atonal composition based on Stefan George's symbolist poetry.
In this piece, elements of the Germanic tradition remain, such as structured scoring for piano and voice, melodic phrasing, and dynamic manipulations.

Key Terminology

Pitch-class: The note's position in the chromatic scale and its enharmonic variations.
Set: A collection of pitches that can be manipulated through transposition and inversion.
Chromatic saturation: Utilization of all twelve pitch classes in composition.

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Explore the challenges and goals faced by composers in the early twentieth century through this quiz on Music History Chapter 32. Delve into how modernism strives to create works alongside classical music and the aspirations of 20th-century composers. Test your knowledge of this transformative period in music.