The avant garde style was associated with electronic music and dealt with the parameters
or dimensions of sound in space. It made use of variations of self-contained note groups
to change musical continuity, and improvisation, with an absence of traditional rules on
harmony, melody, and rhythm.
2. LEARNING COMPETENCIES
1. Listens perceptively to selected 20th century
music.
2. Describes distinctive musical elements of given
pieces in 20th
century styles.
3. Relates 20th century music to its historical and
cultural background.
4. Avant Garde Music
Closely associated with electronic music, the avant garde
movement dealt with the parameters or the dimensions
of sound in space. The avant garde style exhibited a new
attitude toward musical mobility, whereby the order of
note groups could be varied so that musical continuity
could be altered. Improvisation was a necessity in this
style, for the musical scores were not necessarily followed
as written. For example, one could expect a piece to be
read by a performer from left to right or vice versa. Or the
performer might turn the score over, and go on dabbling
indefinitely in whatever order before returning to the
starting point.
5. GEORGE GERSHWIN (1898–1937)
George Gershwinwas born
in NewYork to Russian
Jewish immigrants.His
older brother Ira was his
artistic collaborator who
wrote the lyrics of his songs.
His first song was written in
1916 and his first Broadway
musical La La Lucille in
1919.
7. LEONARD BERNSTEIN (1918–1990)
Born in Massachussetts,USA,
Leonard Bernstein
endeared himself to his
many followers as a
charismatic conductor, pianist,
composer, and lecturer. His big
break came when he was asked
to substitute for the ailing Bruno
Walter in conducting the New
York Philharmonic Orchestra in
a concert on November 14, 1943.
The overnight success of this
event started his reputation as a
great interpreter of the classics
as well as of themore complex
works of GustavMahler.
9. PHILIP GLASS (1937– )
One of the most commercially
successful minimalist composer is
Philip Glass who is also an avant
garde composer. He explored the
territories of ballet, opera, theater,
film, and even television jingles.
His distinctive style involves cell-
like phrases emanating from bright
electronic sounds from the
keyboard that progressed very
slowly from one pattern to the next
in a very repetitious fashion. Aided
by soothing vocal effects and horn
sounds, his music is often criticized
as uneventful and shallow, yet
startlingly effective for its hypnotic
charm.
11. Modern Nationalism
Alooser form of 20th
century
music development
focused on nationalist
composers and musical
innovators who sought to
combine modern
techniques with folk
materials. However, this
common ground stopped
there, for the different
breeds ofnationalists
formed their own styles of
writing.
12. Assignment
1. What other arts and media portray 20th
century
elements through video films or live
performances?
1. Ready for the long quiz in Music
Impressionism
Expressionism
Neo-classicism
Avat Garde style
Modern Nationalism
