Neoclassicism emerged as a 20th-century reaction to Romantic excess, blending traditional forms with modern innovations. Composers like Stravinsky sought objectivity and emotional restraint, focusing on clarity and craftsmanship while experimenting with complex rhythms and harmonies.

This movement connects to the broader innovations of the 20th century by incorporating atonality and serialism within classical structures. Stravinsky's works, like Pulcinella and Symphony in C, showcase how composers balanced tradition and modernity in this era.

Neoclassical Style and Aesthetics

Defining Characteristics of Neoclassicism

• Neoclassicism emerged in the early 20th century as a reaction against the emotional excesses of late Romanticism and Impressionism
• Emphasized a return to the balanced forms and clearly perceptible thematic processes of the 17th and 18th centuries (Baroque and Classical eras)
• Incorporated modern musical innovations such as extended tonality, atonality, and serialism within a framework of traditional forms and structures
• Focused on emotional restraint, clarity of expression, and a sense of order and proportion

Objectivity in Neoclassical Music

• Neoclassical composers sought to create music that was more objective and detached from personal emotions
• Avoided the subjective, individualistic expressions that characterized Romantic music
• Emphasized craftsmanship, technical skill, and adherence to established forms and structures
• Aimed to create music that could be appreciated for its inherent qualities rather than its emotional impact on the listener

Rhythmic Innovation in Neoclassical Works

• Neoclassical composers often experimented with complex and irregular rhythms
• Incorporated syncopation, shifting accents, and asymmetrical meter to create a sense of vitality and energy
• Used ostinato patterns and rhythmic motifs as a means of structuring and unifying their compositions
• Combined traditional rhythms with modern innovations to create a unique and distinctive sound (polyrhythms, cross-rhythms)

Igor Stravinsky's Neoclassical Works

Stravinsky's Transition to Neoclassicism

• Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) was a Russian-born composer who became one of the leading figures of Neoclassicism
• After his early ballets (The Firebird, Petrushka, The Rite of Spring) established him as a revolutionary composer, Stravinsky began to explore Neoclassical aesthetics in the 1920s
• Stravinsky's Neoclassical works combined traditional forms and structures with modern harmonies and rhythms, creating a unique and influential style

Pulcinella: A Neoclassical Ballet

• Pulcinella (1920) was Stravinsky's first major Neoclassical work, based on music attributed to the 18th-century composer Giovanni Battista Pergolesi
• Stravinsky adapted and orchestrated Pergolesi's music, infusing it with modern harmonies and rhythms while preserving its essential character
• The ballet's success established Stravinsky as a leading proponent of Neoclassicism and inspired other composers to explore the style

The Rake's Progress: A Neoclassical Opera

• The Rake's Progress (1951) is a Neoclassical opera with a libretto by W.H. Auden and Chester Kallman, loosely based on a series of paintings by William Hogarth
• Stravinsky's score combines elements of 18th-century opera seria with modern musical language, creating a work that is both timeless and contemporary
• The opera's structure, with its clearly defined arias, recitatives, and ensembles, reflects Neoclassical principles of clarity and balance

Symphony in C: A Neoclassical Orchestral Work

• Symphony in C (1940) is one of Stravinsky's most celebrated Neoclassical works, demonstrating his mastery of traditional forms and structures
• The symphony adheres to the standard four-movement structure of the Classical era (fast-slow-dance-fast) while incorporating modern harmonies and rhythms
• Stravinsky's use of counterpoint, ostinato patterns, and shifting meters creates a sense of energy and vitality throughout the work

Other Neoclassical Composers

Paul Hindemith: A German Neoclassicist

• Paul Hindemith (1895-1963) was a German composer, violist, and theorist who played a significant role in the development of Neoclassicism
• Hindemith's music is characterized by its contrapuntal complexity, use of extended tonality, and adherence to traditional forms and structures
• Notable Neoclassical works by Hindemith include the opera Mathis der Maler (1938), the symphony in E-flat (1940), and the Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber (1943)

Béla Bartók: A Hungarian Neoclassicist

• Béla Bartók (1881-1945) was a Hungarian composer, pianist, and ethnomusicologist who incorporated elements of Neoclassicism into his unique musical style
• Bartók's music often combines Neoclassical forms and structures with the modal harmonies and asymmetrical rhythms of Hungarian folk music
• Significant Neoclassical works by Bartók include the Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta (1936), the Divertimento for String Orchestra (1939), and the Concerto for Orchestra (1943)