- •Music in the Modern World western music of the twentieth century (general survey)
- •Discussion Activities Questions on the Text
- •Discussion Points
- •Additional Assignments
- •Some twentieth-century composers arnold schoenberg (1874-1951)
- •The composer speaks: arnold schoenberg
- •Discussion Activities Questions on the Text
- •Discussion Points
- •Bela bartok (1881-1945)
- •Discussion Activities Questions on the Text
- •Questions about Bartok
- •Discussion Points
- •Paul hindemith: his life and work (1895-1963)
- •The composer speaks: paul hindemith
- •Discussion Activities Questions on the Text
- •Discussion Points
- •Electronic music
- •Discussion Activities Questions on the Text
- •Questions about Stravinsky
- •Additional Assignments
- •Britten's operas
- •The composer speaks: benjamin broten
- •Discussion Activities Questions on the Text
- •Questions about Britten
- •Additional Assignments
- •Menotti. The opera composer
- •The composer speaks: gian carlo menotti
- •Discussion Activities Comprehension Questions and Points for Discussion
- •Additional Assignments
- •Michael tippett: a child of our time
- •30 Questions on the Text
- •Experimental (avant-garde) music
- •Olivier messiaen
- •Discussion Activities Questions on the Text
- •Discussion Points
- •Additional Assignments
- •George ligeti (b. 1923)
- •Karlheinz stockhausen
- •35 Discussion Activities Questions on the Text about Ligeti
- •About Stockhausen and Experimental Composers
- •Questions about Western Music of the 20th Century
- •Points for Discussion and Written Compositions
- •Popular music rock
- •Points about rock
- •Discussion Activities Comprehension Questions and Points for Discussion
- •Additional Assignments
- •Elvis presley - story of a superstar
- •Discussion Activities Comprehension Questions and Points for Discussion
- •The beatles
- •Comprehension Questions and Points for Discussion
- •English and American Musical History english music (general survey)
- •1. Opera.
- •2. Performing groups.
- •3. Festivals.
- •4. Education.
- •Discussion Activities Questions on the Text
- •The golden age in england
- •The english virginal school
- •Virginal music composers. William Byrd (1542-1623)
- •Byrd in his time and ours
- •English madrigalists
- •"The british orpheus"
- •Comprehension Questions and Points for Discussion
- •56 American music (general survey)
- •61 Charles ives, the first truly american composer (1874-1954)
- •Charles ives and american folk music
- •Comprehension Questions and Points for Discussion
- •The relation of jazz to american music
- •Louis armstrong
- •The swing era (duke ellington)
- •Spirituals
- •Comprehension Questions and Points for Discussion
- •The Art of Musical Interpretation the problem of interpretation
- •Discussion Activities Questions on the Text
- •Questions for Discussion
- •Additional Assignments
- •Conducting
- •The art of conducting
- •Questions on the Text
- •Some musical encounters
- •Questions on the Text
- •86 Leonard bernstein
- •Comprehension Questions and Points for Discussion
- •Herbert von karajan
- •Interview with herbert von karajan
- •The art of piano playing: glenn gould
- •Interview with glenn gould
- •Comprehension Questions and Points for Discussion
- •The art of violin playing: eugene ysaye
- •Comprehension Questions and Points for Discussion
- •The world of opera handel in performance
- •Franco zeffirelli: the romantic realist
- •La divina: maria callas
- •Callas remembered
- •Comprehension Questions and Points for Discussion
- •Peter pears: ronald crichton speaks
- •Discussion Activities Comprehension Questions and Points for Discussion
- •Notes Page 5
- •Page 21
- •Page 31
- •Page 32
- •Page 34
- •Page 35
- •Page 37
- •Page 39
- •Page 46
- •Page 47
- •Page 48
- •Page 49
- •Page 52
- •Page 53
- •Page 54
- •Page 57
- •Page 58
- •Page 59
- •Page 60
- •Page 61
- •Page 62
- •Page 63
- •Page 65
- •Page 66
- •Page 111
- •Page 112
- •Sources
- •Contents
Discussion Activities Questions on the Text
1. Along what general lines did Western music develop in the period from about 1890 to about 1915? And between the two world wars?
2. What are the most important styles and trends in Western music since 1900?
3. When did Schoenberg produce his first atonal works? Name some of them.
4. When did Schoenberg apply the twelve-tone (dodecaphonic) system in practice?
5. What major trend is exemplified by Stravinsky's compositions of the 1920s? How would you define its main characteristics?
6. In what way did composers seek to expand the materials of music to produce new tonal effects?
7. What is musique concrete? Who is its main exponent in France?
8. What changes did the technological revolution cause in the development of musical culture in the post-war years?
7
9. Who contributed to the development of serial and aleatory music in the post-war period?
Discussion Points
1. What does the term "Impressionism in music" imply? Describe some of the most characteristic technical devices of impressionist music. Why, in your opinion, did Debussy object to being called an impressionist? Do you agree that there is a close relationship between musical Impressionism and Impressionism in art?
2. What orchestral composition by Debussy can be regarded as the first full and convincing realization of musical Impressionism? Describe some of the most important technical devices of impressionist style.
3. How do you understand the following statement: "Debussy's harmony, which was influenced by both Wagner's chromaticism and Mussorgsky's modal harmony, had an immediate impact on musical tradition"?
4. What composers in Europe and Russia were influenced by Debussy's impressionist style?
5. The term "New Music" is often used of the various radical and experimental trends in 20th century music, beginning about 1910. Do you remember what similar names for somewhat parallel movements in music history were used 300 and 600 years ago?
6. Find in the text the passage about experimentation in the early 20th century. What other experimental composers do you know? Consult reference books if necessary.
7. What were the effects of the dissolution of tonality on sequent music?
8. What European composers may be regarded as belonging to the expressionist school in music? Define the distinguishing features of expressionist style in music. What other representatives of Expressionism in Western art do you know? Name some masterpieces of expressionist music.
9. What composers besides Stravinsky contributed to the development of the neoclassical style in Europe and in the Soviet Union? What symphony by Prokofiev is regarded as one of the earliest examples of neoclassicism? In what way was music of the past treated?
10. Describe some of John Cage's innovations. What compositions by him do you know? In your opinion, do they require specially-trained performers? Explain.
11. How would you interpret Cage's paradoxical approach to composition? "My purpose is to eliminate purpose"? Do you accept his point of view? Give reasons for your answer.
8
12. What are the distinguishing features of Boulez's style? Have you heard any of his compositions performed live? What do you think of his music?
13. Do you agree with the classification proposed by the author of the passage "Western music of the twentieth century"? If not, give your reasons.
14. In what direction do you think music will develop in future?