Transcript History of Music 1700s to the 20th century

History of Music
1700s to the 20th century
Beethoven
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Transition between the Classical and
Romantic periods
Created and mastered a new musical
language
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enlarged the orchestra
Changed musical structure
Began the tradition of program music
Beethoven (cont’d)
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Wrote to please himself
Wrote much less than Haydn or Mozart
Best known pianist in Vienna
Temperamental
Unsettled life with family difficulties,
poor health, and money problems
Romantic Period (1800-1900)
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Ideals of the Enlightenment inspired the
French Revolution left Europe with
shattered economies and disrupted life
Industrial Revolution created a new
class system based on wealth; standard
of living rose for the middle class, but
the lower classes were exploited
Art of the Romantic Period
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Painting was the ideal medium for the
romantic artist; landscapes were
prominent
Literature flourished poetry and prose
were important; fantasy tales were
popular subjects
Architecture did not advance much;
builders were imitative
Music
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Most important developments:
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Stretching and eventual breakdown of the
tonal system
Use of instrumental color/orchestration
Art Song 1st example of “free
standing” vocal solo literature;
importance of the individual; reflects
the romantic importance of words
Music (Cont’d)
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Schubert well known for his art
songs; wrote over 900 compositions;
died of syphilis at age 31
Schubert & Mendelssohn represent the
transition between the Classical &
Romantic philosophies
Mendelssohn presented Bach’s music to
the world
More Music
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Solo piano music flourished with Chopin
& Liszt
Wagner & Verdi were the primary opera
composers of the romantic period
Tchaikovsky was one of the nationalist
composers & had a gift for emotional
melody
Still More Music
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Brahms used classic and baroque forms
with romantic techniques
Mahler is best known for his huge
symphonies & beautiful orchestration;
1st composer with an American
connection conductor of the NY
Philharmonic
Impressionism
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Movement began in France in the late
1800s
Works are atmospheric & vague open
to interpretation
Debussy was the most important
impressionist composer
Debussy
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1st to abandon the restrictions of
tonality; looked at the possibilities of
harmonies
Led the introduction of new scales into
the musical language
Innovative orchestrator; carried on
traditions of Berlioz & Liszt
Arts of the 20th Century
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Simultaneous development of diverse
artistic styles
A trend toward intellectualization; often
alienated audiences
Movements back to the “classical”
approach as reactions to the extreme
emotional expression of the Romantic
period
20th Century Music
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Harmony was freed from tonality
Melody became secondary;
Rhythm was underdeveloped in
Western music before 1900; became
more complex in the 20th century
Timbre was explored in depth
Recording technology increased
accessibility
Expressionism (1910-40)
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Centered in Vienna
Focused on the subconscious & extreme
inner emotions
Not intended to be “real” or pretty
Van Gogh was the initiator of this style
in art, though he died before the period
began
Schoenberg
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An Austrian Jew who spent most of his
career writing & teaching in the U.S.
Early work revolved around atonality
Developed the “12 tone system”
Primitivism
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Developed in art & music in the early 1900s
Fascinated with the unstructured life,
directness, & exoticism of uncivilized cultures
Music & paintings are “raw”
Gauguin & early Picasso represent the artists
Stravinsky is the primary composer of this
period
Neo-Classical
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Borrowed forms, textures, and concepts
from the Baroque & Classical period
Used 20th century techniques to express
their ideas
Stravinsky
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May be the most important composer of
the 20th century
Born in Russia, but spent his career in
the U.S.
Made contributions to several musical
styles
Wrote of all combinations of voices &
instruments & in all genres