Music of the
z 20th
Century
z REVIEW TIME
Directions: Listen to each sentence. Raise your LEFT hand if the
answer is Debussy, or your RIGHT hand if the answer is Ravel.
1. This composer wrote Clair de Lune.
2. This composer wrote Bolero, a famous
piece with a repeating rhythm.
3. This composer was known for dreamy,
soft sounds and flowing melodies.
4. This composer had a Basque mother and a
Swiss father.
5. This composer was inspired by Liszt,
Chopin, Bach, and Verdi.
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EXPRESSIONISM MUSIC
Expressionism is an artistic style focused on expressing individual,
subjective emotions instead of objective reality.
Expressionist artists prioritize feelings and inner experiences over
physical appearances.
These emotions can come from nature, society, or aesthetics.
In music, Expressionism uses atonality and the twelve-tone scale to
reflect the composer’s inner thoughts and emotions.
It communicates intense emotions like anxiety, rage, and alienation.
Arnold Schoenberg is a major figure in Expressionist music.
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EXPRESSIONISM MUSIC
Features of Expressionist music include:
High degree of dissonance (unstable or clashing sounds)
Extreme contrasts in dynamics (very soft to very loud)
Constantly changing musical textures
Distorted melodies and harmonies
Angular melodies with wide leaps
ARNOLD SCHOENBERG
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(1874–1951)
Born on Arnold Schoenberg was an Austrian composer born on
September 13, 1874, in Vienna, Austria.
He became well-known for developing the twelve-tone system, also
called serial technique.
His musical ideas were influenced by German composer Richard
Wagner.
He introduced atonality, meaning music without a key or tonal center.
He used all twelve notes of the chromatic scale equally, avoiding
traditional harmony.
Schoenberg also developed serialism and Sprechstimme (a style that is
half-sung and half-spoken).
In 1908, he began writing over 213 compositions, including concertos,
operas, choral works, and piano music.
He moved to Los Angeles, USA, in 1934 and died there on July 13,
1951.
ARNOLD SCHOENBERG
z
(1874–1951)
Some of his notable works include:
Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night, 1899)
Three Pieces for Piano, Op. 1
Pierrot Lunaire
Gurre-Lieder
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IGOR STRAVINSKY
(1882–1971)
Igor Stravinsky was born on June 17, 1882, in
Oranienbaum (now Lomonosov), Russia.
He later became both a French and an American citizen.
Stravinsky is known for his neoclassical style, which
uses traditional music forms in a modern way.
His music features:
Changes in meter (time signature)
Offbeat syncopation
Shifting or displaced accents
He combined 18th-century music structure with modern,
theatrical expression.
In 1939, he moved to the United States to try new
musical styles.
Later, he returned to his Russian nationalistic roots
while continuing with neoclassicism.
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IGOR STRAVINSKY
(1882–1971)
Famous Works include: Symphony in Three
Movements (1945)
Ballets:
Ebony Concerto (1945)
Firebird (1910)
Choral Music:
Petrushka (1911)
Symphony of Psalms (1930)
The Rite of Spring (1913)
Canticum Sacrum (1955)
The Wedding (1923)
Threni (1958)
Agon (1957)
Requiem Canticles (1966)
Orchestral Music:
Operas:
Symphonies of Wind
Instruments (1920) The Rake’s Progress (1951)
Concerto for Piano and Winds Opera oratorio Oedipus Rex
(1924) (1927)
Dumbarton Oaks Concerto Other dramatic works like the
(1938) Soldier’s Hale (1918).
Symphony in C (1940)
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NEO CLASSICISM
Neo-classicism is different from earlier movements like Romanticism and Expressionism.
It is described as light, entertaining, and emotionally cool or detached.
Composers often used the seven-note diatonic scale (the traditional major/minor scale).
The music combines tonal harmonies with slight dissonance (clashing sounds).
It often follows a three-movement structure (fast–slow–fast).
Features include changing time signatures, complex rhythms, and harsh chords.
Famous Neo-classical composers include:
Francis Poulenc
Igor Stravinsky
Paul Hindemith
Sergei Prokofiev
SERGEI PROKOFIEFF
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(1891-1953)
Born in 1891 in Ukraine.
Combined different styles: Neoclassicism, Nationalism, and
Avant-Garde.
Known for his progressive techniques, pulsating rhythms,
clear melodies, and resolved dissonance.
Composed many forms: symphonies, chamber music,
concertos, and solo pieces.
Blended the styles of Haydn and Mozart (Classical) and
Stravinsky (Neo-classical).
Influenced by Beethoven and composed two famous violin
concertos and two string quartets.
SERGEI PROKOFIEFF
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(1891-1953)
Collaborated with Diaghilev and Stravinsky and worked on:
Romeo and Juliet (ballet)
War and Peace (opera)
Composed Peter and the Wolf, a light orchestral story for
children, to respond to government censorship during his
time.
Died in Moscow on March 15, 1953.
BELA BARTOK
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(1881-1945)
Born on March 25, 1881, in Nagyszentmiklós, Hungary (now
Romania).
Started music lessons with his mother and transcribed folk songs.
Created a unique musical style by using folk music with modern
harmony and irregular meter.
Excelled in instrumental music, writing:
Solo piano pieces
Six string quartets
Chamber music
Three piano concertos, one violin concerto, and other orchestral
works
Reinterpreted traditional forms like the rondo, fugue, and sonata.
Known for changing meters and strong syncopation in his style.
BELA BARTOK
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(1881-1945)
His Six String Quartets are considered his greatest
achievement, written over 30 years.
Combined difficult, dissonant music with mysterious sounds.
Wrote Mikrokosmos, a collection of 6 books for piano
students, teaching modern rhythm and harmony.
Moved to the United States in 1940.
Died of leukemia on September 26, 1945, in New York City
Hospital.
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AVANT - GARDE
Experimental music is part of the vanguard of innovation in music.
It criticizes and rejects traditional rules and existing musical styles.
Focuses on creating new and original elements in music.
Uses extreme or unusual techniques while still being linked to musical
tradition.
Known as "Experimental Music", it pushes boundaries of composition.
Changes how musical movements are structured.
The grouping of notes and rhythms is altered and often unpredictable.
GEORGE
z GERSHWIN
George Gershwin was a phenomenal composer,
crossover artist, and known as the Father of American
Jazz.
He created music that mixed primitive (raw) and
sophisticated (refined) styles.
His works remain highly popular in both jazz and
classical music today.
Composed 369 musical works, including:
Orchestral and chamber music
Musical theater and film scores
Operas and songs
GEORGE
z GERSHWIN
Most famous works include:
Rhapsody in Blue (1924)
An American in Paris (1928)
Porgy and Bess (1934)
He was influenced by classical composers like Ravel,
Stravinsky, Berg, and Schoenberg, and a group called
“Les Six”.
His music blends classical structure with jazz elements.
He died on July 11, 1937, in Hollywood, California,
USA.
LEONARD BERNSTEIN
z
(1918-1990)
Leonard Bernstein was born in Massachusetts, USA, and
became known as a charismatic conductor, pianist, composer,
and lecturer.
Gained national fame when he substituted for conductor
Bruno Walter with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra on
November 14, 1943.
He is best known for his stage compositions, especially
musicals.
Famous works include:
West Side Story (1957) – an American version of Romeo
and Juliet, with tuneful yet atonal music.
Candide (1956) – a successful Broadway musical.
Mass (1971) – a celebrated large-scale composition.
LEONARD BERNSTEIN
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(1918-1990)
Composed music for the film On the Waterfront (1954).
Created about 90 musical compositions in total.
Hosted the famous TV series "Young People’s Concerts"
(1958–1973) to teach children about music and instruments.
Also delivered the Harvard Lectures, which showcased his
deep understanding of music.
Died on October 14, 1990, in New York City, USA.
PHILLIP
z GLASS (1937)
Philip Glass is an Avant-Garde composer known for
working in ballet, opera, theater, film, and TV jingles.
His music style was often criticized as “uneventful and
shallow,” but it was also considered effective and
compelling.
Born in New York, USA to Jewish parents.
Learned to play the violin and flute at age 15.
He was inspired by Indian musician Ravi Shankar, and
helped with the soundtrack of the film Chappaqua.
Composed ensemble works such as:
Music in Similar Motion (1969)
Music in Changing Parts (1970)
Created several operas that added to his success and
popularity.
