A Brief History of 20th Century Classical Music (Tetris-style)

Summary

This script explores the complexity of 20th-century classical music, characterized by diverse and interlocking trends like late Romanticism, Expressionism, serialism, and minimalism. It highlights influential composers such as Debussy, Stravinsky, and Shostakovich, who shaped the century's musical landscape with their innovative approaches to harmony, rhythm, and cultural influences. The rise of recording technology and the impact of world events like World War II are also discussed, illustrating how they influenced the reception and evolution of classical music.

Takeaways

• 🎼 The 20th century saw classical music evolve from a linear progression to a complex, interlocking set of styles and influences, making it difficult to categorize neatly.
• 🌟 The transition from Romanticism to Modernism in the early 20th century marked a shift in music history that was harder to define, with composers like Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff being played often but not necessarily seen as major influencers.
• 📀 The advent of recording technology significantly impacted how music was received and extended the influence of composers who might have otherwise been forgotten.
• 🎹 The end of Romanticism did not mean its complete disappearance; it continued to influence composers throughout the century.
• 🎷 Expressionism, serialism, neoclassicism, modality, and the incorporation of folk and world music were some of the key trends that emerged in the 20th century.
• 🌐 The electronic age and American experimentalism introduced new dimensions to music composition and performance.
• 🎵 Debussy and Ravel, among others, were notable for their innovative approaches to harmony and their interest in exotic influences, which continued to inspire composers.
• 🎬 Composers like Stravinsky and Shostakovich drew on a wide range of influences, from folk music to modernism, and were central figures in 20th-century music.
• 🌈 Post-World War II, composers sought to rebuild musical languages, with figures like Messiaen and the Darmstadt School leading the avant-garde.
• 🌟 Minimalism emerged in the 1960s, with composers like Glass and Adams becoming dominant forces in contemporary music, influencing even later generations.

Q & A

How did the character of classical music evolve from the 19th to the 20th century?

Classical music in the 19th century followed a relatively consistent and coherent approach, whereas the 20th century was characterized by a more complex and diverse range of styles, with music history becoming harder to categorize neatly.

What significant shift is marked by most music histories at the beginning of the 20th century?

Most music histories mark the end of Romanticism and the start of Modernism as happening sometime in the early years of the 20th century.

How did the rise of recording technology impact the reception of music and the legacy of composers?

The rise of recording technology dramatically shaped how music was received, potentially extending the influence of composers who might otherwise have disappeared, and creating a distinction between composers whose music was widely played and those whose ideas were influential.

Who are some composers that were both widely played and influential in the 20th century?

Composers like Prokofiev and Shostakovich are among the most played of the 20th century, but figures like Boulez and Schoenberg, despite their music being less frequently played, wielded enormous influence.

What are some of the broader musical trends that emerged in the 20th century?

Broad trends in the 20th century include the tail end of Romanticism, Expressionism, serialism, neoclassicism, modality, the rise of folk and world music, the dawn of the electronic age, American experimentalism, minimalism, new complexity, spectralism, post-modernism, post-minimalism, neo-romanticism, and the eventual breakdown of the 'age of isms'.

How did composers like Debussy and Ravel show interest in exotic cultures in their music?

Debussy and Ravel showed interest in exotic cultures by incorporating elements from local and far-off regions, such as Spanish music and Javanese gamelan, into their compositions.

What is the significance of Igor Stravinsky's contributions to 20th-century music?

Igor Stravinsky is considered a giant of 20th-century music for his constant search for new sources of inspiration and his revitalization of approaches to rhythm and harmony, making him as central to classical music as Picasso is to the art world.

How did Dmitri Shostakovich's music reflect the influence of multiple styles throughout his career?

Shostakovich's music showed influences from jazz and vaudeville to Jewish folk songs, Romanticism, and the neo-Hutusism of Stravinsky, reflecting a diverse range of styles and sources of inspiration.

What was the impact of World War II on composers and their approach to music?

World War II had a profound effect on composers, causing many to feel a need for a clean slate and a rebuilding of musical languages from scratch, leading to new styles and approaches in composition.

How did the rise of minimalism in the 1960s influence contemporary music?

Minimalism, with its origins in West African rhythms and composers like Steve Reich, Philip Glass, and John Adams, became one of the dominant forces in contemporary music, and its after-effects can still be heard in composers like John Luther Adams and David Lang.

What is the significance of the spectral school in European music composition?

The spectral school, which emerged from the research center built by Pierre Boulez, re-examined the building blocks of sound and attempted to build new sound worlds, influencing composers like Tristan Murail and Gerard Grisey.

How did the advent of computers and electronic music affect the work of composers in the latter half of the 20th century?

The advent of computers and electronic music allowed composers to explore new sound worlds and techniques, influencing the work of many, including those who integrated electronic elements into orchestral compositions, like Krzysztof Penderecki and Unsuk Chin.

What challenges did composers face as the 20th century neared its end in terms of identifying new trends?

As the century's end approached, it became harder to identify clear trends and composers who would form an important part of history, as the age of 'isms' seemed to break down, leaving individual composers to explore their own unique paths.

Outlines

00:00

🎼 The Complexity of 20th Century Classical Music

The script discusses the evolution of classical music in the 20th century, highlighting its transition from a linear progression to a complex, interlocking set of styles and influences. It emphasizes the difficulty of categorizing this period due to the rise of various 'isms' such as Expressionism, serialism, neoclassicism, and others. The script also points out the impact of recording technology on the longevity of composers' works and the distinction between composers whose music was widely played versus those who influenced the artistic direction of the century. Key composers like Prokofiev, Stravinsky, and Schoenberg are mentioned, with the latter's significant influence through his development of atonal and 12-tone music, forming the Second Viennese School alongside Berg and Webern.

05:00

🌏 Cross-Cultural Influences and Individualistic Styles

This paragraph explores the influence of cross-cultural and historical styles on composers throughout the 20th century. It mentions composers like Debussy and Ravel, who were inspired by exotic cultures and local music, and Stravinsky, known for his constant search for new inspirations, from Russian folk to classical masters and later, 12-tone technique. The paragraph also discusses the individualistic styles of composers like Janáček, Bartók, Sibelius, Vaughan Williams, and Gershwin, who drew from their homelands' sounds to create unique voices. The impact of World War II on composers is noted, with Messiaen's 'Quartet for the End of Time' as a testament to human willpower. Post-war avant-garde composers like Boulez, Stockhausen, and Xenakis are highlighted for their experimentalism and influence on the next generation.

10:02

🎶 Diverse Movements and the Emergence of Minimalism

The final paragraph delves into the diverse movements within 20th-century music, including the rise of minimalism with composers like Glass and Adams, which became a dominant force in contemporary music. It also touches on the spiritual use of similar techniques by 'holy minimalists' and the development of the spectral school in Europe. The paragraph mentions the continuation of modernist projects by composers around the world and the emergence of new complexity in music. It concludes with the difficulty of identifying enduring trends towards the end of the century, mentioning composers like Edison and Turnage, who defied categorization with their eclectic and recognizable styles.

Keywords

💡Classical Music History

Classical Music History refers to the evolution and development of music from its early forms to the present day, encompassing various styles and periods. In the video, it is used to describe the shift from a linear progression in the 19th century to a more complex and varied landscape in the 20th century, where different styles and influences intermingled.

💡Romanticism

Romanticism is an artistic, literary, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe toward the end of the 18th century. In the context of the video, it is depicted as a period that influenced the early 20th century, with composers like Mahler and Debussy having roots in Romanticism but also contributing to the modern outlook of the new century.

💡Modernism

Modernism is an artistic and cultural movement that emerged in the early 20th century, characterized by a break from traditional forms and ideas. The video discusses the transition from Romanticism to Modernism as a significant shift in music history, with composers like Schoenberg pioneering new approaches to composition that were atonal and later, twelve-tone.

💡Expressionism

Expressionism is an artistic and literary movement characterized by the use of distorted images to express emotional experiences. The video mentions Expressionism as a style that continued after World War II and was pioneered by Schoenberg in his work 'Pierrot Lunaire,' which introduced a new semi-song style and small ensemble format.

💡Serialism

Serialism is a method of composition using a series of numbers, or a 'tone row,' to structure a piece of music. It was developed by Schoenberg and is highlighted in the video as a significant development in 20th-century music, where all notes of the scale are treated equally, influencing composers like Berg and Webern.

💡Neoclassicism

Neoclassicism is a style of artistic expression that draws inspiration from classical antiquity, emphasizing order and clarity. The video refers to Neoclassicism as one of the broader trends in 20th-century music, where composers like Stravinsky turned to classical forms and structures for inspiration during a certain period of his career.

💡Folk and World Music

Folk and World Music refers to music that is based on the traditions of various cultures and regions around the world. The script discusses the rise and influence of these genres in the 20th century, with composers like Bartók incorporating Hungarian folk traditions into their modernist compositions.

💡Electronic Music

Electronic Music is a genre that uses electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. The video mentions the dawn of the electronic age as a significant development in the 20th century, with composers exploring the new medium and its effects, influencing the broader musical landscape.

💡American Experimentalism

American Experimentalism refers to a movement in American music characterized by innovation and the breaking of traditional rules. The video describes this as a trend that included composers like Cage and Ives, who explored new sounds and methods of composition, impacting the development of music in the 20th century.

💡Minimalism

Minimalism is a movement characterized by the use of limited instruments or voices, repetitive structures, and a focus on the simplest musical ideas. The video explains Minimalism as a dominant force in contemporary music, with composers like Glass and Adams leading the movement and influencing a generation of composers.

💡Post-Modernism

Post-Modernism is a philosophical movement characterized by skepticism, relativism, and a general distrust of grand theories and ideologies. In the context of the video, Post-Modernism in music is discussed as a trend that emerged in the 20th century, reflecting a break from the 'isms' and a move towards individual expression by composers.

Highlights

20th century classical music history is compared to a complex game of Tetris with interlocking and overlapping pieces.

The end of Romanticism and the start of Modernism are marked in the early 20th century, but the period is hard to categorize.

The rise of recording technology extended the influence of composers who might have otherwise disappeared.

The distinction between composers whose music made an impact and those whose ideas were more influential is highlighted.

Composers like Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff are most played, but minor figures in terms of artistic influence.

Schoenberg, with his development of atonal and 12-tone music, had a significant influence despite his music being rarely played.

Broad trends of the 20th century include the tail end of Romanticism, Expressionism, serialism, neoclassicism, and the electronic age.

Composers like Debussy, with his modern outlook and exotic influences, had a lasting impact on music.

Puccini and Strauss were among the most popular composers of operas in the early 20th century.

Expressionist operas by composers like Berg and Schoenberg were rich with passion and humor.

Stravinsky revitalized approaches to rhythm and harmony and was central to classical music in the 20th century.

Shostakovich showed multiple influences and his music offers a darker alternative to the optimistic spirit of other composers.

Composers like Janáček, Bartók, Sibelius, and Vaughan Williams drew on the sounds of their homelands for inspiration.

The Second World War had a profound effect on composers, leading to a need for rebuilding musical languages.

Messiaen's 'Quartet for the End of Time' was written while he was a prisoner of war, showcasing an impressive feat of willpower.

Post-war avant-garde composers like Boulez, Stockhausen, and Xenakis were influential but later retreated or pursued unique paths.

American experimentalism, with figures like Cage, Feldman, and Nancarrow, explored new paths in music composition.

Minimalism, with composers like Glass and Adams, became a dominant force in contemporary music.

The spectral school, with composers like Murail and Grisey, re-examined the building blocks of sound.

Composers like Kurtág built on the fragmentary worlds of Webern, creating miniature sound worlds.

Towards the century's end, it becomes harder to identify trends, with composers like Edison and Turnage emerging.

Transcripts

until the 20th century the timeline of

classical music history was more or less

a straight line a series of relatively

consistent and coherent approaches one

after another classical music in the

20th century was more like a complicated

game of tetris a bunch of interlocking

in overlapping pieces most music

histories mark the end of romanticism

and the start of modernism as happening

sometime in the early years of the 20th

century but it's a period that becomes

much harder to pin things down into

anyone's file this is a trend that only

seems to exacerbate as the century

progresses to the extent that it becomes

harder to summarize things into more

than just a list of names

the rise of recording dramatically

shaped how music was received and

arguably extended the influence of

composers in might otherwise have

disappeared as an interesting

distinction in the century between

composers whose music made a significant

impact and those whose ideas were more

important this makes summarizing events

into a history perilous as you risk over

emphasizing one or other of those two

groups composers like Prokofiev and

manonoff are amongst the most played of

20th century composers for example and

yet as figures influencing the artistic

tides of the century both seem like

minor figures other composers like

Beulah's and Schoenberg wielded enormous

influence even if their music itself

remained comparatively rarely played

let's start with some of the broader

trends you have the tail end of

romanticism which never fully dies as a

means of expression throughout the

century you have Expressionism 8rt

serialism you have neoclassicism

modality the rise and influence of folk

and world newsela the dawn of the

electronic age American experimentalism

later in the center you have a

minimalism new complexity spectral ISM

post-modernism both post minimalism

neo-romanticism and by the 21st century

the age of isms seems largely to have

broken down and were left with a sense

of individual composers each ploughing

their own furrow so let's go back to the

start and look at some of the individual

composers involved the early years of

the 20th century saw the tail end of the

careers of several leading late romantic

composers

Marla whose lust unfinished simply the

tenth seems to foreshadow a to Marty

Debussy to might fall into this category

he died in 1918 and his early works came

out of late Romanticism but his

unmistakeably modern in Outlook throwing

away many of the devices of traditional

harmony and exploring exotic influences

from the east the whole tone scale

modality and an interest in sound for

its own sake he remains a huge influence

on composers to this day

[Music]

Puccini wrote several of his most

popular operas in the early years of the

century which are among the most

performed in the repertoire

[Music]

richard strauss's Salome and a lecture

the former of which mother called alive

volcano a subterranean fire were huge

operatic hits despite their relatively

dissonant styles Arnold Schoenberg is

one figure who towers over the century

in terms of influence even if his music

has rarely achieved the acceptance of a

wider public he too started firmly in

the late romantic world a string sextet

avec latin act is a particularly

powerful work that that draws together

the German late romantic influences of

Brahms and Bogner only thirteen years

later Schoenberg style had moved on to

sound like this this is Pierrot lunare

schoenberg's first expressionistic

masterpiece which pioneered both that

weird semi song style known as fresh

dinner as well as the small mixed

ensemble which would become a central

part of 20th century music Schoenberg

sought ways to break free of the

harmonic approaches of the 19th century

developing ways of writing atonal music

without a tonal center and eventually

developing the famous 12 tone approach

in which all notes of the scale were

treated equally he was followed in this

by his two pupils Alban Berg and Anton

Weber the three together became known as

the second viennese school drawing a

somewhat grandiose equivalents to the

first Benny's school of Mozart Hyden

beta

Baggs expressionist operas about sec and

later lulu our thorny on first hearing

but are both rich with passion humor and

horror and a key operatic works of the

century they burn condensed the 12 tone

style to the other extreme making really

short fragmentary pieces which in their

quiet way are as passionate and intense

as anything by marla Expressionism as a

style continued and resurfaced after

World War 2 and composers like bent alwa

Zimmermann hands burn hens ax and Peter

Maxwell Davis Debussy and his French

compactors rebel and Eric sati as well

as the later more minor composers known

as Lacy's offered a lighter and more

colorful avenue for 20th century music

both Debussy and Ravel showed an

interest in exotic cultures whether

local in the case of rebels love of

Spanish music

or further afield and Daboo sees

interest in Javanese gamelan music

this drawing on other cultures as well

as historical styles as a source of

inspiration was one which lasted

throughout the century Igor Stravinsky

is one of the Giants of 20th century

music and he was constantly on the

lookout for new sources of inspiration

whether it was the Russian folk music of

his early masterpieces like the Firebird

petrushka and the Rite of Spring

the classical masters during his

neoclassical period

[Music]

or twelve-tone technique in his later

period whether because of these

influences or just his own huge talent

Stravinsky revitalized approaches to

rhythm and harmony and he's a figure as

central to classical music in the 20th

century as Picasso is to the art world

another great Russian Dmitri

Shostakovich also showed multiple

influences on his work throughout his

career from jazz and vaudeville to

Jewish folk songs from the romanticism

of Mahler to the new Hutus ISM of

Stravinsky himself

Shostakovich was said to be a particular

fan of the latus symphony of Psalms his

early works were experimental and

expressionistic

until his denouncement by the Soviet

regime of Joseph Stalin forced him to

express himself more tentatively his

music offers a far darker and more

grotesque alternative dystrophin skis

more optimistic spirit just as true in

skis music betrayed his Russian heritage

other composers wrote in highly

individualistic styles which could only

have come from their respective

homelands the Anna Czech wrote a series

of brilliant operas inspired by the

rhythms of the Czech language

bartók plundered the Hungarian folk

traditions for new sources of modernist

inspiration shimonoseki in Poland

Sibelius in Finland defier

in Spain Vaughan Williams and later

benjamin britten in england George

Gershwin and later Aaron Copland and

Leonard Bernstein in the u.s. all drew

on the sounds and inspirations of their

respective homelands to forge individual

voices

[Music]

the Second World War seems to have had

an effect on composers that can hardly

be overstated causing many to fill need

for a clean slate and a rebuilding of

the musical languages from scratch

the fact that Olivier Messiaen managed

to write his profoundly move in quartet

for the end of time whilst a prisoner in

a German prisoner of war camp remains

one of the most shockingly impressive

feats of human willpower

messin went on to develop another highly

individual style which mix lush hyper

sweet tunes with twittering bird calls

and a bold formal approach that issued

transitions in favor of big building

blocks of color

Messimer was influential on a younger

generation that included pierre boulez

karl-heinz Stockhausen and Yanis

Tanaka's who went on to become the

leaders of the post-war avant-garde

centered around the International summer

course for new music in Darmstadt in

Germany in the uncertain years after the

war Beulah's and Stockhausen seemed to

offer a sense of certainty of purpose

peak Beulah's was probably nonnatus on

Metro from 1955 the sort of mid-century

riposte asurim bergs piero and a does

lingly original sound world Stockhausen

x' experimentalism saw him taking a huge

range of approaches from the three

orchestras of Gripen

[Music]

to the electronic workers and a Youngman

[Music]

and the influence of early experiments

into the new medium of electronic music

affected many of this generation

yogi Ligety took electronic sounding

effects and brought them into the

orchestral world along with the sharp

sense of humor and a fine ear for color

[Music]

and the nachus reimagined architectural

ideas in oral form

but eventually the leaders of this

avant-garde found their certainties

gradually faded Beulah's retreated into

conducting and endlessly revising his

tiny output of pieces and Stockhausen

headed towards ever weirder and more

megalomaniac territories the American

John Cage met Beulah's in Paris in 1949

and the two of them became pen pals

their friendship called after Cage

developed an interest in champs and

exploring ways of removing himself from

the compositional process altogether

cage is another figure who made a huge

impact even if his music itself is

relatively rarely played he was at the

forefront of a wave of American

experimentalism that had started earlier

with Edgar Juarez and Henry Cowell

American Mavericks like Morton Feldman

Luke Harrison and Conlan Nancarrow

forged more of those unique paths the

discovery of Charles Ives his music in

the 1960s felt like part of this wave

even though much of it was written

shockingly early

[Applause]

[Music]

that was written in the 1910s and 1920s

Ives his fourth symphony sounds every

bit as radical as Barrios 1969 collage

masterpiece symphonia in the 1960s an

entirely new sound emerged the

minimalism curves the rush has its

origins in West African rhythms and

together with composers like Philip

Glass and later John Adams the

minimalism went on to become one of the

dominant forces in contemporary music

it's after-effects sometimes called post

minimalism can still be heard in

composers like John Luther Adams

and David lang

so called holy minimalists like Arvid

pet John Tavenner and Henrik Gretzky use

similar techniques to more spiritual

ends in Europe composers attended the

new research center built by Pierre

Boulez AirCam and out of that emerged

what became known as the spectral school

compositions by people like Tristan

Murai and Jared greezy that re-examined

the building blocks of sound with the

age of computers and attempted to build

new sound worlds out of them Louie M

Grayson fused aspects of minimalism with

jazz and European modernism other

composers like Harrison Burt whistle or

Georges Benjamin in the UK pair gnorga

in Denmark takemitsu in Japan and Magnus

Lindberg in Finland also took the

modernist project forward in Hungary

geogi Kurt ugh quietly forged his own

path building on the miniature

fragmentary worlds of a burn

[Music]

at the other extreme the school of new

complexity headed by Brian Fangio wrote

scores that seemed a parody of

impossibility meanwhile luta suave ski

in Poland and do tear in France both

created rich orchestral sound worlds

underpinned by a humanistic spirit that

was rare for their times

Kyah sorry aho and unsub chin became

among the first female composers to

receive widespread international

recognition and both managed to

incorporate significant electronic parts

into many of their orchestral works

[Music]

as we near the century's end it becomes

harder to pick out trends and composers

that we can be confident will form an

important part of history Thomas Edison

astoundingly accomplished compose his

works like those of Stravinsky in trust

of coal which managed to be both

eclectic and instantly recognizable at

the same time in 2018 he's one of the

world's leading composers but his first

major orchestral success a silo just

sneaks into our century with a premiere

in 1999

[Music]

so let me know in the comments if you

think we need any more game based

histories of music maybe a pacman

version of the Baroque era or a Space

Invaders version of the Romantic era if

you enjoyed the video do please like and

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and thanks so much as ever to my patrons

over at patreon for supporting the

channel thanks so much for watching and

I'll see you next time

[Music]