20 th Century Music
This unit will feature music from the 20th Century(1900’s – present day). There are a number of styles from within this era and composers include, Debussy, Webern and Stockhausen.
20th century music is made distinctive by the musical features used. It does not always have a main melody like other styles you have heard. It uses different combinations of instruments and uses instruments at the extremes of their capabilities. It can also often use unusual harmonies.
Impressionism
This style of music came from the Art form at the time. Like the Art style, Impressionist music creates a story and builds up an image in the listeners mind. This music is very vague and hazy and has a dreamy sound to it. Debussy was one of the main composers of this style. His music was often made using the Whole Tone Scale.
Listen to this piece called ‘L’apres midi d’un faune’. It creates the image of a faun lying under a tree in the hot summer sun.
Name the instrument playing solo at the beginning. ______
Listen to another piece by Debussy called ‘La Mer’
Aleatoric This type of music is chance music. Music that happens by chance and that can be random. The composer does not know how it will sound when they begin composing it. There are different ways of creating aleatoric music, including rolling a dice or using a graphic score. This is an example of atonal music. This means it has no key.
Listen to this example of aleatoric music. It is by Penderecki and is called ‘Threnody to the victims of Hiroshima’. Listen for the Microtones. These are intervals smaller than a semitone.
Here is another example of aleatoric music. This is by Ligeti and is called ‘Requiem’.
Serialism
This style is also atonal. It uses the 12 notes of the chromatic scale which the composer organises into a Note-row. With this note-row the composer will arrange it in different ways, e.g, play it backwards (retrograde) or turn it upside down (inversion).
Listen to this example, it uses sprechgesang. This is when the music is half-spoken, half sung. This was composed by Berg and is called ‘Wozzeck’.
Name the type of voice singing in this excerpt.______
Listen to another example of serialism which uses a violin. This is a modern violin concerto by Berg.
You will now write your own serial music.
1. Arrange the following chromatic scale(a) into your own Note- Row.(b) (a) (b)
2. Now take your note row and do it backwards. (Retrograde).
3. Use your original Note-Row and turn it upside down. (inversion)
4. Decide which sounds best and write your serial music here adding rhythm to it.
Minimalist
This music is based around repetition and uses as little change as possible. It will use many ostinatos which will play at the same time.
Listen to this example of minimalist music called ‘Shaker Loops’ by John Adams. Neo-classical
Neo-classical means ‘new classical’. It uses styles from the classical period, e.g concertos or symphonies and puts a modern twist to them. The orchestras may use different combinations of instruments and the key may be unusual or even atonal. It may also use odd sounding harmonies.
Listen to this example called ‘Symphonie Fantastique’ by Berlioz.
Listen to another example of Neo-classical music by Stravinsky called ‘Rite of Spring’. It uses cross rhythms.
Name the solo instrument at the beginning of the first excerpt of music from Stravinsky. ______
Musique Concrete
This style uses recorded sound as well as live performers. The recorded sounds may be sound effects or simply sounds recorded from everyday life. These will play in the background with live singers or instrumentalists. Listen to this piece by Stockhausen called ‘Invisible Choirs’.
Listen to this final piece of 20th century music. Listen for the Note clusters and for the Inverted pedal. This is ‘Reqiuem for a city’ from the Killing Fields.
Example Questions 1.(a) Listen to this example of 20th century music and tick one box to describe the style.
Aleatoric
Impressionism
Musique concrete
Neo-classical
(b) Listen to this example of 20th century music and tick one box to describe the style.
Aleatoric
Impressionism
Musique concrete
Neo-classical
(c) Listen to this example of 20th century music and tick one box to describe the style.
Aleatoric
Impressionism
Musique concrete
Neo-classical
2. Listen to this excerpt and identify the feature present
Note cluster
Cross rhythms
Glissando
Trill
3. Listen to this piece and tick a box to describe the tonality of the piece.
Major Minor
Atonal
Modal
4. Listen to this excerpt and tick one box to identify a feature.
Inverted Pedal
Note cluster
Ostinato
Sprechgesang
Concepts found in this unit.
Melody/harmony Ostinato Repetition Chromatic scale Whole-tone Scale Atonal Microtone
Rhythm Cross rhythms
Structural Inverted Pedal Note cluster
Timbre Baritone Glissando Flutter-tongueing Tremolando
Style/Form Impressionist musique concrete Minimalist sprechgesang Aleatoric Serialism Neo-Classical 20th Century Music
Impressionism Aleatoric Serialism Minimalist Neo-classical Musique concrete