Atonality and serialism revolutionized music in the early 20th century. These techniques abandoned traditional tonality, exploring new ways to organize sound. Composers like Schoenberg, Berg, and Webern developed methods that treated all 12 pitches equally, challenging listeners and performers alike.

Serialism expanded beyond pitch to include rhythm, dynamics, and timbre. This systematic approach influenced other arts, including literature and visual arts. Despite criticism, atonal and serial techniques left a lasting impact on modern music, shaping the course of 20th-century composition.

Origins of atonality

• Atonality emerged as a radical departure from traditional tonal systems in Western classical music during the early 20th century
• Represents a significant shift in compositional techniques and musical aesthetics within the broader context of modernism in Music of the Modern Era
• Challenged established notions of harmony, melody, and musical structure, paving the way for new forms of musical expression

Late Romantic precursors

• Chromatic harmony in Wagner's operas pushed the boundaries of traditional tonality
• Expanded use of dissonance and ambiguous tonal centers in works by Mahler and Strauss
• Debussy's whole-tone scales and non-functional harmony foreshadowed atonal techniques
• Scriabin's mystic chord and experimental harmonies explored new sonorities

Schoenberg's early experiments

• Developed free atonality as a response to the perceived exhaustion of tonal possibilities
• Composed works like "Drei Klavierstücke" Op. 11 (1909) without a tonal center
• Explored new ways of organizing pitch material outside traditional major-minor system
• Emphasized expressive freedom and intuitive composition in early atonal works

Second Viennese School

• Consisted of Arnold Schoenberg and his pupils Alban Berg and Anton Webern
• Developed and refined atonal techniques in Vienna during the early 20th century
• Explored different approaches to atonality within the group
  • Schoenberg focused on expressionism and later developed twelve-tone technique
  • Berg incorporated elements of romanticism and tonality into his atonal works
  • Webern pursued extreme concision and abstraction in his compositions

Principles of atonal music

• Atonal music fundamentally alters the traditional hierarchical relationships between pitches in Western music
• Represents a significant shift in compositional thinking within the Music of the Modern Era course
• Challenges listeners to engage with music in new ways, emphasizing different aspects of sound organization

Rejection of tonality

• Abandons the concept of a tonal center or key
• Avoids traditional chord progressions and cadences
• Treats all 12 pitches of the chromatic scale as equal
• Emphasizes non-traditional intervallic relationships and dissonance

Pitch-class sets

• Groups of pitches used as building blocks for atonal compositions
• Organized based on intervallic content rather than tonal function
• Can be transposed and inverted to create varied musical material
• Analyzed using set theory to identify structural relationships in atonal works

Intervallic relationships

• Focus on interval classes rather than specific pitches
• Emphasize dissonant intervals (tritones, minor seconds, major sevenths)
• Use of interval cycles to create coherence in atonal compositions
• Explore new ways of creating musical tension and release without traditional harmony

Twelve-tone technique

• Developed by Arnold Schoenberg as a systematic approach to atonal composition
• Represents a significant milestone in the evolution of 20th-century compositional techniques
• Provides a structured framework for organizing pitch material in atonal music

Basic principles

• Uses all 12 pitches of the chromatic scale equally
• Organizes pitches into a fixed order called a tone row or series
• Avoids repetition of pitches until all 12 have been used
• Maintains the intervallic relationships of the original row throughout the composition

Row forms

• Original (O): the initial ordering of the 12 pitches
• Retrograde (R): the original row in reverse order
• Inversion (I): intervals of the original row flipped upside down
• Retrograde Inversion (RI): the inverted row in reverse order
• Transposition of row forms allows for 48 possible permutations

Combinatoriality

• Property of certain twelve-tone rows that allows for simultaneous use of multiple row forms
• Creates additional structural unity and coherence in twelve-tone compositions
• Hexachordal combinatoriality involves combining two six-note segments from different row forms
• Utilized extensively by Schoenberg and later serialist composers

Serialism beyond pitch

• Expansion of serial techniques to other musical parameters beyond pitch organization
• Represents the further development of systematic approaches to composition in the 20th century
• Explores new possibilities for structural organization and control in musical composition

Integral serialism

• Applies serial techniques to multiple musical parameters (rhythm, dynamics, articulation)
• Developed by composers like Milton Babbitt and Pierre Boulez
• Aims to create a unified and coherent musical structure across all aspects of composition
• Often results in highly complex and intellectually demanding works

Total serialism

• Extends serial organization to every aspect of musical composition
• Includes parameters such as timbre, register, and even formal structure
• Exemplified by works like Stockhausen's "Kreuzspiel" and Boulez's "Structures I"
• Represents the most extreme application of serial principles in music

Post-war developments

• Exploration of open form and aleatory techniques in serial composition
• Integration of electronic and tape music with serialist principles
• Influence of serialism on spectral music and other avant-garde techniques
• Gradual move away from strict serialism towards more flexible approaches in late 20th century

Key composers and works

• Highlights the most influential figures in the development of atonal and serial music
• Provides context for understanding the evolution of these techniques within the Music of the Modern Era
• Offers specific examples of how atonal and serial principles were applied in practice

Schoenberg's atonal period

• "Pierrot Lunaire" (1912): pioneering work in free atonality and Sprechstimme technique
• "Erwartung" (1909): monodrama exploring extreme expressionism and atonality
• Five Pieces for Orchestra, Op. 16 (1909): showcases early atonal orchestral writing
• "Die glückliche Hand" (1913): atonal opera incorporating visual elements and symbolism

Berg's operas

• "Wozzeck" (1925): combines atonal techniques with traditional operatic forms
• "Lulu" (1935): uses twelve-tone technique while maintaining lyrical qualities
• Incorporates tonal references and quotations within atonal framework
• Demonstrates Berg's unique approach to integrating serialism with dramatic expression

Webern's concise style

• Developed extremely concentrated and aphoristic musical language
• Five Pieces for Orchestra, Op. 10 (1913): exemplifies Webern's focus on timbre and texture
• Symphony, Op. 21 (1928): applies twelve-tone technique to classical forms
• Variations for Piano, Op. 27 (1936): explores symmetry and palindromic structures in serialism
• Influenced later composers with his focus on individual sound events and sparse textures

Analytical approaches

• Examines various methods used to analyze and understand atonal and serial music
• Provides tools for deeper comprehension of compositional techniques in Music of the Modern Era
• Helps bridge the gap between theoretical concepts and practical musical analysis

Set theory

• Developed by Allen Forte to analyze pitch relationships in atonal music
• Uses pitch-class sets to identify and compare musical structures
• Employs set-class nomenclature to categorize and relate different pitch collections
• Allows for analysis of large-scale organizational principles in atonal works

Pitch-class analysis

• Focuses on the relationships between pitch classes rather than specific pitches
• Uses modulo 12 arithmetic to represent pitch classes (0-11)
• Analyzes interval content and set-class membership of pitch collections
• Helps identify structural patterns and motivic relationships in atonal compositions

Transformational theory

• Developed by David Lewin to analyze musical relationships as transformations
• Focuses on the operations that connect musical objects rather than static structures
• Utilizes mathematical concepts such as group theory and transformational networks
• Provides insights into the dynamic processes underlying atonal and serial compositions

Impact on 20th-century music

• Explores the broader influence of atonality and serialism on musical development
• Contextualizes these techniques within the larger narrative of Music of the Modern Era
• Examines the lasting effects of atonal and serial approaches on subsequent generations of composers

Influence on modernism

• Shaped the aesthetic direction of avant-garde music in the early to mid-20th century
• Inspired new approaches to form, texture, and timbre in composition
• Influenced the development of electronic music and experimental techniques
• Contributed to the breakdown of traditional boundaries between consonance and dissonance

Reactions and criticisms

• Sparked debates about accessibility and emotional expression in modern music
• Led to the development of alternative approaches like neoclassicism and minimalism
• Criticized for perceived intellectualism and lack of connection with audiences
• Challenged performers and listeners to develop new skills and ways of engaging with music

Legacy in contemporary music

• Continued use of serial techniques in some contemporary classical compositions
• Integration of atonal elements in film scores and experimental popular music
• Influence on the development of spectral music and computer-assisted composition
• Lasting impact on approaches to pitch organization and musical structure in various genres

Atonality vs tonality

• Compares and contrasts the fundamental principles of atonal and tonal music
• Provides context for understanding the revolutionary nature of atonality in Music of the Modern Era
• Explores the different ways these systems organize and present musical material

Structural differences

• Tonal music organizes pitches around a central key or tonal center
• Atonal music avoids hierarchical pitch relationships and tonal centers
• Tonal harmony relies on functional chord progressions and cadences
• Atonal music explores non-traditional intervallic relationships and pitch organizations
• Form in tonal music often follows established structures (sonata, rondo)
• Atonal works may use more flexible or abstract formal concepts

Listener perception

• Tonal music often perceived as more familiar and accessible to general audiences
• Atonal music can challenge listeners' expectations and require different listening strategies
• Tonal works typically have clearer sense of tension and resolution
• Atonal pieces may focus on other aspects of music (timbre, texture) for coherence
• Perception of atonal music can change with repeated listening and familiarity

Performance challenges

• Atonal music often requires different approaches to intonation and pitch accuracy
• Performers must develop new strategies for memorization and understanding structure
• Rhythmic complexity in some atonal works presents unique ensemble challenges
• Interpretation of expressive elements may be less intuitive in atonal compositions
• Requires performers to communicate musical ideas without traditional tonal cues

Serialism in other arts

• Examines the influence of serial techniques beyond music in other artistic disciplines
• Demonstrates the broader cultural impact of serialist thinking in the 20th century
• Provides interdisciplinary context for understanding serialism within Music of the Modern Era

Literature and poetry

• Influenced experimental writers like James Joyce and Samuel Beckett
• Oulipo group used constrained writing techniques inspired by serialism
• Concrete poetry explored visual arrangements of text using serial-like processes
• William Burroughs' cut-up technique paralleled aleatory aspects of serial music

Visual arts

• Abstract expressionists like Wassily Kandinsky drew inspiration from atonal music
• Op Art utilized systematic approaches to color and form similar to serialism
• Conceptual artists like Sol LeWitt employed rule-based systems in their work
• Digital art and generative art often incorporate algorithmic processes related to serialism

Architecture

• Influenced modernist architects like Le Corbusier in their use of modular systems
• Parametric design in contemporary architecture shares conceptual links with serialism
• Exploration of mathematical relationships in architectural form echoes serial techniques
• Deconstructivist architecture challenged traditional hierarchies similar to atonal music

Teaching and learning atonality

• Addresses the pedagogical challenges and approaches to teaching atonal music
• Provides practical strategies for engaging with atonal and serial works
• Offers insights into developing the skills necessary for understanding and performing this repertoire

Ear training techniques

• Focused listening exercises to identify interval classes and pitch-class sets
• Practice in recognizing twelve-tone rows and their transformations
• Exercises in singing atonal melodies and identifying non-tonal pitch relationships
• Use of computer software and apps designed for atonal ear training

Composition exercises

• Writing short atonal pieces using specific interval classes or pitch-class sets
• Creating and manipulating twelve-tone rows to understand serial processes
• Experimenting with extending serial techniques to other musical parameters
• Collaborative composition projects exploring different aspects of atonality

Performance practice

• Strategies for accurate pitch production in atonal contexts
• Techniques for conveying musical structure without traditional tonal cues
• Approaches to interpreting dynamics and expression in atonal works
• Ensemble rehearsal techniques for coordinating complex atonal textures
• Study of historical recordings and performance traditions in atonal repertoire