The music of the 20th century

Impressionism

The Music of the 20th century

Characteristics: Fragmented melodic lines; pentatonic, ancient and whole tone scales; instruments like oboe, English horn, bassoon, harp, brass instruments with mute and strings section played with very soft dynamics.

Musician: DebussyComposition: Prelude a l'apres midi d'un faune

Painter: MonetPainting: Rising Sun

Nationalism

Characteristics: Composers investigate their country's folkloreMusician: GershwinComposition: Rhapsody In Blue

ExpressionismCharacteristics: Atonality, Sprechgesang, few repetitions, use of dissonances and big interval jumps in melodies

Musician: SchönbergComposition: Pierrot Lunaire

In the United States is used the jazz music.

Musician: StravinskyComposition: Pulcinella

Avant-Garde Music of the 20th century- Concrete Music: natural sounds- Electronic Music: new sounds are created- Aleatoric Music: randomness

Musician: John Cage

Neoclassicism:Characteristics: It's a reaction to impressionismand expressionism subjectivity. It takes classical period music as a model. Musicians search for a new simplicity. Genres from previous periods are recovered.

Painter: Edvard MunchPainting: The Scream

Prepared Piano