20th Century
1900-Present
20th Century Composers
Stravinsky, Schoenberg, Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev, Copland, Bartok, and Gershwin
Absolute Symphony
A symphony composed with the sole purpose of sharing the music. No extramusical sources
Atonality
Lacking a key or tonal center (Schoenberg)
Bach was famous for . . .
His fugues
Baroque Composers
Vivaldi, Bach, Handel
Baroque Time Period
1600 – 1750
Beethoven was famous for . . .
his symphonies
Chopin was famous for . . .
his piano music
Classical Composers
Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven
Classical time Period
1750-1820
Exoticism
Music that focused on creating sounds and impression not native to one’s country.
Expressionism
Music used to create specific emotions.
Handel was famous for. . .
his oratorios
Haydn was famous for. . .
his string quartets
Impressionism
Music centered on portraying and image
Impressionist Composers
Debussy
Liszt was famous for. . .
his tone poem
Mozart was famous for. . .
his operas
Nationalism
A movement in music in the 19th century in which composers sought to emphasize indigenous qualities in their music by incorporating folk songs and native scales.
Neo-classicism
A 20th century movement that sought to return to the musical forms and aesthetics of the Baroque and Classical eras.
Polyrhythms
two or more distinct rhythms sounding simultaneously
Polytonality
Two or more distinct keys or tonalities sounding simultaneously.
Primitivism
a movement away from the urban settings. The Music was very Earthy and primitive.
Program Music
A piece of instrumental music, usually for symphony orchestra, that seek to re-create in sound the events and emotions portrayed in some extramusical source.
Renaissance Composers
Josquin Desprez and Palestrina
Renaissance Time Period
1450 – 1600
Romantic Era Composers
Schubert, Schumann, Liszt, Berlioz, Verdi, Wagner, Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Mendelssohn, Brahms
Romantic Time Period
1820-1900
Russian 5
Borodin, Cui, Balakirev, Rimsky-korsakov, and Musorgsky They were centered in St. Petersburg and their aim was to write purely Russian music.
Schubert was famous for . . .
his lieder
Serialism (12 tone method)
The backbone of the music is the repetition of some musical element such as pitch, dynamics, or rhythm, which is repeated in a logical and mathematical pattern.
Symphonic Poem (tone Poem)
a one movement work for orchestra of the Romantic era that gives musical expression to the emotions and events associated with a story, play, political occurrence, personal experience, or encounter with nature. (lacks text) (Liszt)
Tchaikovsky was famous for . . .
his ballets
Virtuoso
an instrumentalist or singer with a highly developed technical ability.
Wagner was famous for. . .
his musical dramas