Minimalism
A late 20th century style involving many repetitions of simple musical fragments
Prepared piano pieces
a piano in which some strings have been damped by having objects placed between them or tuned differently from the rest for specific tonal effect. This process was pioneered by US composer John Cage (1912-92)
Phasing
musical style of melody or tune. Rendered or interpreted; For the compositional technique in which a repetitive phrase is played on two musical instruments in steady but not identical tempo
Leitmotif
guiding of leading motive" in Wagners operas
Whole Tone Scale
A scale, used sometimes by Debussy, comprising of only 6 notes to the octave, each a whole tone apart (i.e. 2 semitones).
Sprechstimme
A vocal style developed by schoenberg, in-between speaking and singing
Serialism
The technique of composing with a series, generally a 12 tone series
Chance music
music in which elements traditionally determined by the composer are determined either by a process of random selection chosen by the composer or by the exercise of choice by the performer(s). At the compositional stage, pitches, durations, dynamics, and
Expressionism
An early 20th century movement in art, music, and literature in Germany and Austria. In which the representation of reality is distorted to communicate an inner vision. The expressionist transforms nature rather than imitates it.
Ragtime
(rag was a precursor to Jazz & the Blues) A style of American popular music around 1900, usually for a piano which later lead to Jazz
Polytonality
the simultaneous use of more than two different keys or tonalities
Player piano
A mechanically operated piano, especially a pedal-operated or motor-driven piano using pneumatic suction to move the keys in correspondence to the perforations on a turning piano roll
Neoclassical
A twentieth century movement involving a return to the style and form of other music, particularly eighteenth century music
Neoromantic
: any of various movements or styles in literature, film, architecture, etc., considered as a return to a romantic style
Arnold Schoenberg
1874-1951, Austrian composer, b. Vienna. Before he became a U.S. citizen in 1941 he spelled his name Sch�nberg. He revolutionized modern music by abandoning tonality and developing a twelve-tone, "serial" technique of composition (see serial music). Excep
Philip Glass
1937-, American composer, b. Baltimore. Considered one of the most innovative of contemporary composers, he was a significant figure in the development of minimalism in music. In 1968 he formed the Philip Glass Ensemble, a small group that employs electro
Alban Berg
Born Feb. 9,1885, in Vienna; died there on Dec. 24, 1935. Austrian composer. One of the most prominent representatives of expressionism in music. Berg studied composition under A. Sch�nberg, who was an important influence in the formation of Berg's creati
George Crumb
George Crumb (born October 24, 1929) is an American composer of contemporary classical music. He is noted as an explorer of unusual timbres, alternative forms of notation, and extended instrumental and vocal techniques. Examples include seagull effect for
Steve Reich
Stephen Michael Reich (born October 3, 1936) is an American composer who, along with La Monte Young, Terry Riley, and Philip Glass, pioneered minimal music in the mid to late 1960s. His innovations include using tape loops to create phasing patterns (for
Igor Stravinsky
Stravinsky's compositional career was notable for its stylistic diversity. He first achieved international fame with three ballets commissioned by the impresario Sergei Diaghilev and first performed in Paris by Diaghilev's Ballets Russes: The Firebird (19
John Cage
(September 5, 1912 - August 12, 1992) was an American composer, music theorist, writer, and artist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the leading figures of the post-wa
Aaron Copland
November 14, 1900 - December 2, 1990) was an American composer, composition teacher, writer, and later in his career a conductor of his own and other American music. Instrumental in forging a distinctly American style of composition, in his later years he
Erich Korngold
(May 29, 1897 - November 29, 1957) was an Austrian film and romantic music composer.[1] While his compositional style was considered well out of vogue at the time he died, his music has more recently undergone a reevaluation and a gradual reawakening of i
George Gershwin
From Brooklyn, NY. Fused Jazz and classical music together. Was an American composer and pianist.[1][2] Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known. Among his best known works are the o
John Williams
Jaws was Williams first big achievement for film scores (1975) spealburg thought that the score for Jaws was a joke just being two notes f and e natural but became a work of genius. Star Wars (1977) gorge lucas took this film out of the air and to take aw
Leonard Bernstein
Harvord, New York philharmonic, wrote for symphonic orchestra, opera and Broadway. West Side Story was one of his many composition. was an American composer, conductor, author, music lecturer, and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educat
Sergei Prokofiev
composed peter and the wolf, wrote the war sonata's, grotesque sound. was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor who mastered numerous musical genres and is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century. His best-known works are the five p
Charles Ives
was an American modernist[1] composer. He is one of the first American composers of international renown,[2] though Ives' music was largely ignored during his life, and many of his works went unperformed for many years. Over time, Ives came to be regarded
Bernard Hermann
almost exclusively wrote for film scores, "citizen kane" (1941) "cape fear" (1962)
Scott Joplin
Ragtime composer, (loose left hand and a jumpy up beat right hand on a piano) "maple leaf rag" famous piece which was the first that made the big time. "The Entertainer", founder of Piano Rolls which are pianos that are played by themselves by air and scr
Samuel Barber
was an American composer of orchestral, opera, choral, and piano music. He is one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century; music critic Donal Henahan stated that "Probably no other American composer has ever enjoyed such early, such persisten
Musorgsky. Pictures at an Exhibition. 1.) Promenade 2.) Gnomus 3.) Second Promenade 4.) Great Gate of Kiev. Suite. He is Russian. Late 19th century. This song is his interpretation of Russian art, in song. Nationalism.
Suite. He is Russian. Late 19th century. This song is his interpretation of Russian art, in song. Nationalism.
1.) "Promenade" is about the people excited to see the art, and are moving around the exhibit.
2.) "Gnomus" a painting of a giant mythical creat
Brahms. Violin Concerto in D, Op. 77. III
Concerto featuring violin. Classical. 1878. Non-programmatic title. 3 movements (fast slow fast). Sounds like a conversation between the violin and orchestra. Romantic sounding but very controlled and predictable.
Mahler. Symphony No. 1. III.
Symphony. Funeral March. Big Orchestra. Post-Romantic. End of the 19th century. Has a dance during the funeral march which twists the romantic ideas, almost to the point of parody. He is German Jewish decent and mixes some of that culture into this. Non-p
Debussy. Clouds, from Three Nocturnes. 1.) Fetes 2.) Nuages 3.) Siren
Suite. Impressionism. Inspired by French impressionist paintings. He is French. Modal, motivic, exotic scale, loose fluid rhythm.
Fetes - Festivals
Nuages - Clouds at night
Siren - Weird noises/voice heard off in the distance
Stravinsky. The Rite of Spring Part 1. The Adoration of Earth.
Ballet. Primitivism. 1913. Russian. Inspired by Debussy, and Musorgsky. Crude, primitive, chaotic sounding. He is most famous for his 3 ballets. This is about 2 rival groups fighting to choose a human sacrifice.
Schoenburg. Pierrot Lunaire Op. 21, 8. "Night" and "Moonfleck".
Song Cycle or Melodrama. Expressionism. Poem by Albert Giraud. 1912. Five piece orchestra, some have to play 2 instruments.
"Night" represents the nightmarish aspect of expressionism.
"Moonfleck" shifts from horror to nagging bother of obsession.
Ravel. Piano Concerto in G Minor, Movement 1. Allegramente.
Concerto. Small Orchestra with Piano. Jazzy but not Jazz. Starts folk like then shifts to a Jazzy Blues piano. Although he was French he was inspired by American Jazz.
Ives. Second Orchestra Set, II. "The Rockstrewn Hills join in the Peoples Outdoor Meeting.
Orchestral Set. 1909. American Patriotism. Lots of instruments interacting with each other. Circus, military, marches, religious spirit, frontier, civil war songs. American Transcendentalism Philosophy, America is the melting pot.
Copland. Appalachian Spring. 1.) Opening 2.) Hoedown 5.) "Simple Gift" 6.) "Like a Prayer
Ballet Suite. American born to Russian Jewish immigrants. Best known for his 3 ballets. Used American cultural icons, folk songs, folk dances, and church hymns for inspiration. Studied in France.
Bernstein. West Side Story. 1.) Meeting 2.) Cool
Musical Theater. Romeo and Juliet of the 50s in New York between 2 rival gangs and their families. Jets are the whites, and Sharks are the Latinos. Mixes Latin and Jazz and Dance. Cha-Cha-Cha.
Sippie Wallace. Louie Armstrong. Artie Starks. Thomas, "If You Ever Been Down". Blues, Jazz. Folk music. Poetry. Early 20th century.
Blues, Jazz. Folk music. Poetry. Early 20th century.
Ellington. "Conga Brava".
Big Band Jazz. Afro-Cuban influence. Swing. Latin. Dance. Popular music of the 1930s.
Gershwin. Piano Prelude No. 1
Syncopated swing, and blues into piano music. Known for his Broadway musicals. 1920s.
Charlie Parker and Miles Davis. "Out of Nowhere".
Bebop Jazz. Anti-Commercial. No longer dance Jazz, but listen Jazz. Focus on improvisation. Technical. Modern Jazz. End of Jazz as the popular music. 1940s-50s.
Miles Davis "Bitches Brew".
Fusion/Crossover. Used Digital Manipulation. Takes Jazz, Blues, Swing, Big Band, Bebop, rock, and fuses it with world music. 1960s-70s.
Jazz
Steady Beat. Beat creates a triple feel. Accent on weak or up beats. Improvisation. Communication between artist and audience.