Nationalism, Impressionism, and 20th-Century Music Currents
Musical Nationalism
Musical nationalism: composers conveyed, through folkloric compositions, the folk tales and traditions of their countries, asserting freedom and pride against attempts at domination.
Nationalism in music: countries, influenced by the musical styles of France, Italy, and Germany, became aware of their own values and sought liberation from these influences. This led to the incorporation of new instruments and extensive musicological research.
Spanish Composers
Manuel de Falla: A Spanish composer. After 26 years at the Philip Pedrell College, he was influenced by nationalist and avant-garde musicians such as Debussy, Ravel, and Dukas. His well-known works include: Nights in the Gardens of Spain and The Three-Cornered Hat. Atlantis was completed by Ernesto Halffter after his death.
Joaquin Turina: A later Spanish nationalist composer. After his triumph as a pianist, he moved to Paris and devoted himself to composition. His greatest success: The Fantastic Dances.
American Nationalist School
America developed its own folk-inspired popular music. Key figures include:
- Aaron Copland: Son of Russian emigrants. He had a cosmopolitan style, but it was distinctly American. Notable work: Appalachian Spring.
- Hector Villa-Lobos: A Brazilian composer known for his expansionist use of Brazilian folklore. He composed over a thousand works, including: Bachianas Brasileiras.
- George Gershwin: A pianist born in 1898 in NY, fascinated by jazz and popular music. He was able to unite religious aspects in his work. Notable work: Porgy and Bess.
The Music of Impressionism
Impressionism in music was influenced by Symbolist literature and Impressionist painting. The sound was considered the soul of Impressionism. The composer aimed not to describe a specific object, but to reflect feelings. Literature, music, and painting were closely linked. For example, Debussy was an excellent painter and writer. Impressionist music is characterized by its light melodies.
Impressionist Composers
- Erik Satie: An eccentric and nonconformist figure, blending traditional and avant-garde aesthetics.
- Maurice Ravel: He did not imitate Debussy, but was known for his extraordinary precision and his ability to handle orchestral color.
- Claude Debussy: A great pianist whose way of understanding interpretation broke the rules. He was not awarded for his piano playing. His compositions were influenced by exotic music with new rhythms and scales, leading him to create music with a colorful atmosphere and dramatic flow in time and space.
Major Twentieth-Century Musical Currents
Atonalism and Twelve-Tone Technique
Arnold Schoenberg created a musical revolution, marking a major shift in the twentieth century. With him, the order and organization of traditional music disappeared. New sounds emerged, breaking the concept of tonality. Dissonance and abstraction prevailed, giving rise to abstract and sometimes confusing melodies. Key figures include: Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, and Anton Webern.
Electronic Music
Created in the laboratory, this style uses only electronically produced sounds and recordings. Composers include: Bruno Maderna, Luciano Berio, and Edgar Varese.
Electroacoustic Music
This style emerged from a mixture of the two previous styles. It uses instruments such as the synthesizer. A key composer is Stockhausen.
Random Music
This style incorporates an element of chance. A piece can be heard in different ways, leaving some freedom to the interpreter while still respecting the composer’s guidelines. A key figure is John Cage.