Transcript Contemporary Music

Contemporary
Music
Once upon a time…
• Middle Ages: Gregorian chant, Perotin, three-part writing
• Renaissance (1400-1600): “Rebirth” (Palestrina, Monteverdi) Chansons,
imitative counterpoint in four or more parts, smooth, homogeneous,
imitative polyphonic, used in sacred and now also in secular madrigals,
lute
• Baroque (1600-1750): (Vivaldi, J.S. Bach, Handel) The term “Baroque”,
first used in French, derives form the Portuguese word meaning a pearl
of irregular shape. It was applied more to art until present century.
“Baroque” refers to a period in music history which began in Italy and
ended in England and Spain )use of basso continuo)
• Classic (1750-1900): (Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert) Applied to music
that is a model of excellence or formal discipline, dynamics, orchestral
colour in a thematic way, use of rhythm, modulation (for spans of
tension and release), sonata allegro form
The Set Up
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The Romantic Epoch
Wagner, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Strauss, Chopin,
Paganini, Liszt
Fantasy and imagination instead of balance, restraint
and good taste
Chief development started in Paris and Germany
Led to looser and more extended musical
forms(symphonic poem, nocturne, art song, opera,
virtuoso performer, search for national identity)
MODERN
(1900-
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Styles and Forms
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Radical changes- Some composers abandoned pitch material of tonal music (major and minor
scales, triads, and other forms of harmonic contributions).
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Departing from Tonality- 19th century was very stable in its tonality. Now regular use of
modulations, going away from V-I cadences, chromatic alterations( not belonging to key)
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Atonality- No note predominates any other, characteristics hard to find, 12-tone technique, Major
and minor triads tend to be avoided
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Microtonal- Finer difference of pitch, found in exotic scales
Exotic Harmonies- Whole-tone scale and all different forms of scales
Aleatory music- “Chance music”, elements traditionally determined by the composer are
determined either by random selection by the composer or by choice of performer(s). All done by
dice throwings, dynamics, etc..
Late 20th Century
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Styles and forms: serialism, electronic music,
minimalism, sound mass, then back to tonality
Composers: 1900-1945> Debussy, Bartok, Stravinsky:
after 1945> Harry Partch, John Cage, Philip Glass,
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Webern
Instruments: timpani, snare drum, cymbals, tam tam,
xylophone, modern guitar, synthesizer, keyboard, “new”
instruments (cloud chamber bowls, etc.)
Technology: LP’s, cd’s, cassettes, microphones, multitracking, music in films, radio, computers, vibrophone