Grade 10 Music Q1 Ep2: Expressionism

Summary

In this educational video, Teacher Jen guides students through the 20th-century music, contrasting Impressionism and Expressionism. Impressionism is characterized by color, atmosphere, and whole-tone scales, focusing on mood rather than reality. Expressionism, emerging from anxiety before WWI, is marked by intense emotions, dissonance, and atonality. Composers like Arnold Schoenberg, known for the 12-tone system, and Igor Stravinsky, with his rhythmic inventiveness, are highlighted. The lesson encourages students to explore their unique talents and express themselves boldly.

Takeaways

• 🎼 Impressionism in music emphasizes color and mood through orchestration and the use of whole tone scales, focusing on creating an atmosphere rather than depicting reality.
• 🎹 Expressionism in music emerged as a reaction against impressionism, often featuring intense emotional expression, fantasy, violence, anxiety, and a loss of authenticity and spirituality.
• 😐 The feeling of being in quarantine can be related to the emotional depth explored in expressionist music, which reflects the psychological experiences and feelings of the composers.
• 👻 Music in horror and science fiction films is often influenced by expressionism, characterized by its vivid and distorted soundscapes.
• 🎵 Expressionism in music is marked by the use of dissonance, lack of tonality, extreme dynamic contrasts, changing textures, and distorted melodies and harmonies.
• 👂 To identify expressionist music, listen for its unstable sounds, indicative of dissonance, which is a key feature of the movement.
• 🎼 Arnold Schoenberg was a key figure in expressionism, known for his atonal music and the establishment of the 12-tone system, which aimed to give equal importance to all notes in the chromatic scale.
• 🎵 Igor Stravinsky, another important expressionist composer, was known for his innovative rhythmic techniques and contributions to various musical genres, including ballets and orchestral music.
• 🌟 Both Schoenberg and Stravinsky created complex and demanding music that pushed the boundaries of traditional composition, inspiring future musicians to explore new musical avenues.
• 🔍 The contrast between impressionism and expressionism can be identified through their focus on different aspects of music—impressionism on mood and atmosphere, and expressionism on emotional intensity and subconscious exploration.
• 💡 The script encourages young learners to express themselves through their unique talents and abilities, just as expressionist composers did, emphasizing the importance of sharing one's gifts with the world.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the lesson presented by Teacher Jen?

The main theme of the lesson is exploring the history of 20th-century music, specifically focusing on the Impressionist and Expressionist movements.

What is Impressionism in music?

Impressionism in music is characterized by the use of color and orchestration, whole tone scales, and an emphasis on mood and atmosphere rather than depicting physical reality.

How is the whole tone scale used in Impressionist music?

The whole tone scale is used by Claude Debussy in many of his compositions, where each note is separated from the next by the interval of a whole tone or whole step.

What is Expressionism in music, and how does it differ from Impressionism?

Expressionism in music is a reaction against Impressionism, often including themes of fantasy, violence, anxiety, and loss of authenticity and spirituality. It is characterized by intense emotional expression and the exploration of the subconscious mind.

How does Expressionist music reflect the historical context in which it was created?

Expressionism emerged as a response to widespread anxiety before and between the two major European wars, reflecting the turmoil of the times through the expression of psychological experiences and feelings.

What are some characteristics of Expressionist music?

Expressionist music often features dissonance, extreme contrast of dynamics, constantly changing textures, and distorted melodies and harmonies.

Who is Arnold Schoenberg, and what is his contribution to music?

Arnold Schoenberg was an Austrian composer who played a key role in Expressionism. He is known for establishing the 12-tone system, a method of composing music that ensures all 12 notes of the chromatic scale are used equally.

What is the significance of the 12-tone system in music composition?

The 12-tone system is significant as it allows for the equal use of all 12 notes in the chromatic scale, preventing the emphasis on any one note and creating a new approach to tonality.

Who is Igor Stravinsky, and what is his contribution to Expressionist music?

Igor Stravinsky was a Russian composer known for his innovative use of rhythm and orchestration. He contributed to Expressionist music with his unique techniques and exploration of new musical styles.

How can one identify a piece of music as Expressionist?

A piece of music can be identified as Expressionist by its high level of dissonance, extreme dynamic contrasts, changing textures, and the lack of a tonal center or key.

What message does Teacher Jen convey to the students at the end of the lesson?

Teacher Jen encourages students to express themselves, share their unique talents and abilities, and not to be afraid to show and share them with the world, as they could inspire others.

Outlines

00:00

🎵 Introduction to 20th Century Music Styles

In this introductory segment, Teacher Jen welcomes students to a lesson on the history of 20th-century music, focusing on Impressionism and Expressionism. The lesson starts with a brief review of Impressionism, highlighting its emphasis on color, orchestration, and the use of whole tone scales by Claude Debussy. It then contrasts Impressionism with Expressionism, which is characterized by its emotional intensity, use of fantasy, and exploration of the subconscious mind. Expressionism is described as a reaction to the anxiety and turmoil of the pre-World War I era and the interwar period, with examples from horror and science fiction movies to illustrate its influence.

05:02

🎼 Expressionism in Music and Its Features

This paragraph delves into the characteristics of Expressionist music, using Arnold Schoenberg's 'A Survivor from Warsaw' as an example. It discusses the instability and dissonance in Expressionist compositions, which often lack a tonal center, creating a sense of unease. The dynamics of Expressionist music are described as having extreme contrasts, with shifts from pianissimo to fortissimo. The texture is noted for its constant change, and the melodies are distorted, reflecting the composers' feelings rather than pleasing the listener. The paragraph introduces Arnold Schoenberg as a key figure in the movement, known for his development of the 12-tone system and his evolving tonal preferences.

10:03

🎶 Key Composers of Expressionism and Their Contributions

The third paragraph focuses on the significant contributions of Arnold Schoenberg and Igor Stravinsky to Expressionist music. Schoenberg's complex and demanding music is highlighted, along with his establishment of the 12-tone system, which aimed to give equal importance to all notes in the chromatic scale. Stravinsky's innovative approach to rhythm and orchestration is noted, with his 'The Firebird' suite as an example of his work. The paragraph also mentions the importance of these composers in inspiring future musicians to explore new musical territories.

15:06

💃 Recap and Preview of Upcoming Music Styles

In the concluding segment, Teacher Jen recaps the key points of the lesson, summarizing the main features of Expressionist music and its focus on emotional expression over reality depiction. The 12-tone system and the role of dissonance, dynamic contrast, texture variation, and distorted melodies are reiterated. The lesson ends with a motivational message encouraging students to express their unique talents and abilities, just as the Expressionist composers did. Lastly, a preview of the next lesson, which will explore new musical styles from the 20th century, is given, inviting students to stay tuned.

Keywords

💡Impressionism

Impressionism in music is a style characterized by its emphasis on mood and atmosphere rather than direct depiction of reality. It is associated with the use of color and orchestration to create a sense of ambiance. In the script, Impressionism is introduced as the first movement marking the beginning of the 20th-century style of music writing, with Claude Debussy being a notable composer who used the whole-tone scale, contributing to the distinctive sound of this movement.

💡Color

In the context of music, 'color' refers to the timbral quality that composers use to evoke certain moods or images. It is achieved through orchestration, where different instruments and their combinations create a rich tapestry of sound. The script mentions 'color' as the most distinctive feature of Impressionist music, highlighting its importance in shaping the listener's experience.

💡Whole Tone Scale

The whole tone scale is a musical scale where each note is separated from the next by the interval of a whole tone or whole step. It is used in Impressionist music to create a sense of ambiguity and dreaminess, as it lacks a leading tone that typically resolves to the tonic in traditional Western music. The script points out Claude Debussy's use of this scale in many of his compositions.

💡Expressionism

Expressionism in music is a movement that emerged as a reaction against Impressionism, characterized by intense emotional expression and exploration of the subconscious mind. It often includes themes of fantasy, violence, anxiety, and a sense of loss of authenticity and spirituality. The script describes Expressionism as a movement that artists used to convey psychological experiences and strong emotions through distorted and unrealistic images in their works.

💡Dissonance

Dissonance in music refers to the unstable sound produced by certain combinations of notes that are not harmonious or pleasing to the ear. It is a key feature of Expressionist music, where composers intentionally used dissonant harmonies to create tension and express complex emotions. The script uses the example of a cat walking on a piano keyboard to illustrate the sound of dissonance.

💡Atonality

Atonality is the absence of a tonal center or key in music, which means that the music does not revolve around a central pitch or chord. This characteristic of Expressionist music makes it difficult to identify the key and can create a sense of unease or tension. The script mentions that Expressionist composers wrote music with atonality, challenging the traditional tonal structures of Western music.

💡Dynamics

Dynamics in music refer to the variations in loudness or softness of a piece. Expressionist music is noted for its extreme contrast in dynamics, ranging from very soft (pianissimo) to very loud (fortissimo), contributing to the emotional intensity and dramatic effect of the compositions. The script highlights this feature as a way to convey the emotional depth and range of Expressionist music.

💡Texture

Texture in music describes the overall quality of the sound in a piece, determined by how the melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic components are combined. Expressionist music is characterized by constantly changing textures, which adds to the complexity and emotional impact of the compositions. The script points out that the texture in Expressionist music frequently changes, contributing to the overall unsettling and experimental nature of the movement.

💡Arnold Schoenberg

Arnold Schoenberg was a key figure in the Expressionist movement, known for his development of the 12-tone system, a method of composing music that ensures all 12 notes of the chromatic scale are used equally. His music often featured dissonance and atonality, pushing the boundaries of traditional harmony. The script mentions Schoenberg's 'A Survivor from Warsaw' as an example of his work, which is characterized by its unstable sound and emotional intensity.

💡Igor Stravinsky

Igor Stravinsky, though not strictly an Expressionist composer, is mentioned in the script for his innovative techniques and contributions to 20th-century music. Born in Russia, Stravinsky is known for his rhythmic inventiveness and the incorporation of new elements into his nationalistic musical style. His works, such as 'The Firebird Suite,' showcase his skillful handling of musical material and his ability to push the boundaries of composition.

Highlights

Introduction to the history of 20th century music with a focus on Impressionism and Expressionism.

Impressionism in music characterized by the use of color and orchestration, and the whole tone scale.

Impressionist music's emphasis on mood and atmosphere rather than literal description.

Expressionism as a reaction against Impressionism, featuring themes of fantasy, violence, and anxiety.

The connection between quarantine experiences and Expressionist themes of emotional turmoil.

Expressionism's origin in visual and literary arts before its application to music in 1918.

Expressionist music's exploration of subconscious mind and intense emotional expression.

Historical context of Expressionism emerging before and between the two World Wars.

Identification of Expressionist music through features like dissonance and lack of tonal center.

Arnold Schoenberg's 'A Survivor from Warsaw' as an example of Expressionist music.

Dissonance in music exemplified by the sound of a cat walking on a piano.

The 12-tone system established by Schoenberg for equal emphasis on all chromatic scale notes.

Igor Stravinsky's contributions to Expressionism and his diverse musical compositions.

Expressionist music's characteristics of extreme dynamic contrasts and changing textures.

The distorted melodies and harmonies in Expressionist music as a reflection of composers' feelings.

Encouragement for youth to express themselves and share their unique talents, inspired by Expressionist composers.

Anticipation for the next lesson exploring new 20th-century music styles.

Transcripts

[Music]

hello dear students

it's a fun filled day of learning here

in music

at inspiration

this is a place where you are welcome to

join me in exploring the interesting

history of music

and be inspired as we learn and listen

to the melodies of the past

this is teacher jen your guide in

discovering the wonderful world

of 20th century music

in our previous lesson we were

introduced to the first

movement which marked the beginning of

the 20th century style of writing music

can you remember what it is

[Music]

correct we talked about impressionism

as a short recall let's see if you can

choose the right words that describe

the features of impressionist music

you have 10 seconds to choose the

correct words

these are the choices

[Music]

have you picked the right words if you

pick the word color

correct the use of color or tumbler

is the most distinctive feature of

impressionist music

it is achieved by giving emphasis on

orchestration

what other words have you picked

if you pick the word whole tone scale

correct

the whole tone scale was used by claude

wc

in most of his compositions where each

note is separated

from the next by the interval of a whole

tone or whole step

another correct word is atmosphere

impressionist music focused on mood and

atmosphere

the composer's style in creating music

merely suggests

or evokes something without actually

describing

it while impressionism focused on the

real world

another movement which is expressionism

emerged

in reaction against the impressionism

subjects in expressionism often include

fantasy violence anxiety

and loss of authenticity and

spirituality

how would you describe the feeling of

being in quarantine

for more than half a year now

what have you been doing what keeps you

entertained

movies maybe did you know that the music

we usually hear in some of the horror or

science fiction movies

were greatly influenced by the movement

expressionism

the term expressionism was originally

used

in visual and literary arts and was

first applied to music

in 1918. it is considered

as a reaction to impressionism

in this movement artists created vivid

pictures

distorting colors and shapes to make

unrealistic images that suggested strong

emotions at the same time expressionist

composers

poured intense emotional expression

into their music and explored the

subconscious mind what do we mean by

exploring the subconscious mind through

music

for you to better understand this let's

go back in time

to know the situation when expressionism

took place

expressionism is a movement that emerged

simultaneously

in various cities across germany as a

response to a widespread

anxiety it took place before world war

one and extended to the period between

the two

major european wars

so imagine the turmoil brought about by

the events

during these times it was one of the

reasons

why expressionist artists sought to

express

psychological experiences and feelings

rather than physical facts feeling of

anger rage

sorrow and depression

these feelings were clearly reflected on

the musical works

of expressionist composers

how can we tell if a piece of music

falls

under expressionism

listen to the music titled a survivor

from warsaw opus 46 by arnold schoenberg

and try to analyze it based on your own

feeling

about it

[Music]

a survivor from warsaw opus 46

is a cantata by arnold schoenberg

written

in 1947 as a tribute to holocaust

victims

what can you say about the music is the

sound

stable or unstable

clearly we could say that the sound is

unstable

in music the quality of sounds that

seems

unstable is called dissonance

have you ever heard the sound a cat

makes when it lands on a piano keyboard

how would you react

that is an example of what dissonance

sounds like

and this is one of the features of

expressionism

the composers achieved this by writing

music

whose key characteristics involved

dissonant harmonies

so much so that it is often very

difficult to identify

what key their pieces are in

this is labeled as a tonal

music which lacks key or a tonal

center almost all of the songs that we

know today

has a key or tonal center which makes

the song very pleasing to the ear

can you name some songs that for you are

pleasing

to the ear expressionist music however

is the opposite because of a tonality

this is the key characteristic to

remember with expressionist music

how about the dynamics or the loudness

and softness of the music

is it consistently soft or consistently

loud

or does it change from time to time

it is very evident that there is an

extreme contrast

of dynamics in music

there are parts playing from pianissimo

to fortissimo

meaning very soft to very loud

or the other way around from very loud

to very soft

another feature of expressionist music

is the constant changing of textures

texture in music determines the overall

quality of the sound in a piece

and the texture in expressionist music

frequently changes

throughout the world

how about the melody of the music

do you think you can just sing along to

it

probably not it's because expressionism

music

has distorted melodies and harmonies

the composers experimented with melodies

that would reflect

their own feelings rather than what is

pleasing to the listener

now let's talk about the composers who

played key roles in this movement

our first composer for expressionism is

arnold schoenberg

arnold schoenberg was born on september

13

1874 in a working-class suburb

of vienna austria he taught himself

music theory

but took lessons in counterpoint

schoenberg's style in music

changed from time to time his tonal

preference

gradually evolved to something dissonant

and atonal as he explored the use

of chromatic harmonies

he was responsible for the establishment

of the 12-tone system

the 12-tone system is a method of

writing music

as a means of ensuring that all 12 notes

of the chromatic scale

sounded as equally with one another

while preventing the emphasis of any one

note

arnold schoenberg's works include the

following

piano lunaire

another masterpiece of schoenberg is

three pieces for piano

opus 11 and violin concerto

[Music]

although full of melodic and lyrical

interest

his music was also extremely complex

creating heavy demands on the listener

schoenberg died on july 13 1951

in los angeles california usa where he

had settled since 1934.

another important expressionist composer

is igor

stravinsky born in russia on june 17

1882 in his first notable composition

the firebird suite his skillful handling

of material

and rhythmic inventiveness went beyond

anything written by his russian

predecessors he added a new ingredient

to his nationalistic musical style

stravinsky wrote approximately 127

pieces including concerti orchestral

music

instrumental music operas ballets

solo vocal and choral music

he died in new york city on april 6

1971. the works of these composers

may seem unconventional but they have

inspired

a lot of succeeding musicians to explore

new ways of writing music

now that you know about the music of

impressionism and expressionism

let's see how familiar you are with this

first two contrasting styles of the 20th

century

identify if what is being described is

impressionism or

expressionism number one

it is a movement that centered on nature

and its beauty abandoning the romantic

movement

the correct answer is impressionism

number two music of this movement has a

high level

of dissonance

the correct answer is expressionism

number three composers of this movement

poured intense emotional expression into

their music

and explore the subconscious mind

expressionism is the correct answer

number four music of this movement had

the mysterious

atmosphere

the answer is impressionism

lastly the key characteristic feature of

this movement

is a tonality or lack of central key

the correct answer is expressionism

let's have a recap of what we have

discussed today

remember that expressionism in music

centered on emotional expression

rather than depicting reality

expressionist music often features a

high level of dissonance

extreme contrast of dynamics constant

changing of textures

and distorted melodies and harmonies

arnold schoenberg established the

12-tone system

in writing music igor stravinsky

was known for adding new techniques in

his music

the movement expressionism did not last

in especially long time and started to

fade out

as its artists and writers aged did you

know that expressionism has been

described

as a movement of young people

it was a time when artists bravely

experimented

with arts and music as their way of

expressing themselves

as a youth how are you expressing

yourself

your feelings do you have a special

skill or talent the most important

question

is are you sharing it to others

remember that you are unique and gifted

with talents and abilities

you have to discover them and just like

the expressionist composers

don't be afraid to show it and share it

to the world

because you'll never know you could also

be an inspiration to others as well

and that concludes our lesson for today

i hope you had fun while learning

brace yourselves because in our next

lesson

we are going back in time again where we

can now dance to the groove

of new styles of music that emerged

during the 20th century you'll find out

more about it

in our next episode so stay tuned

once again this is teacher jen your

guide in discovering the wonderful world

of 20th century music

[Music]

you