Exploring atonality and seriality: unraveling the brilliant evolution of modern music

In a harmonious dance between chaos and order, the realm of modern music invites curious minds to delve into its enigmatic depths. Get ready for a sonic journey as we unravel the mysterious interweaving of atonality and seriality in the evolution of musical craftsmanship. A symphony of dissonance and structure awaits, promising to challenge every preconceived notion you’ve ever had about melody and composition.

As we embark on this odyssey through the avant-garde landscapes of musical innovation, prepare to be captivated by the unconventional beauty that atonality and seriality bring to the forefront of artistic expression. From the pioneering minds of visionary composers to the intricate theories behind these revolutionary techniques, we will traverse the annals of history to witness the birth and growth of a new musical paradigm.

Join us as we uncover the hidden gems and impressive masterpieces that have shaped the very fabric of modern music, painting a vivid portrait of creativity unleashed in its purest form. Let the symphony of atonality and seriality gladden your senses and challenge your perception of what music means.

A brief introduction to the tonal system

To understand the reasons for the turn toward atonality, it is necessary to be clear about the concept of the tonal system. Music was based on tonality for an extended period, ranging from the Baroque to late Romanticism. Suppose we are working in a Major key (e.g., G Major) to make the discussion quick.

The first step is to understand how a diatonic Major scale is structured:

• The scale has only 7 notes per octave, named tonic, supratonic, mezzo, subdominant, dominant, supradominant, and sensible
• The intervallic structure is: Tone – Tone – Semitone – Tone – Tone – Semitone (thus, with a major third and a right fifth)

For example, in the case of G Major, the notes are G, A, B, C, D, E, F#, and G. In contrast, considering the C major scale, the notes will be C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C. This is the only scale that does not have altered notes, while all the others will have from one to six sharps or flats, which are indicated immediately after the key, as shown in the following figure:

The alteration of F# in the key will indicate that the key of planting is G Major (or E Minor, but that is a topic we can leave out now). Once a key is defined, it will be characterized harmonically by two major chords: the one built on the I degree (e.g., G major) and the one built on the dominant or V degree (e.g., D major). The tonal system is based on creating a “center of gravity” (the tonal center) around the I degree, toward which movement almost always occurs through the dynamic action of the V degree. The various shades can be easily derived through the so-called “circle of fifths,” as shown in the figure:

The choice of a key and the use of notes belonging to the relevant Major or Minor scale and the chords that could develop with them characterized classical music, pushing it toward a kind of expressive standardization. Of course, permissible “variations” have always existed, even in the most orthodox theories, including adopting “extraneous” or chromatic notes, modulation to other keys, and using unconventional harmonic progressions.

All this, however, was not to cause the tonal center to lose its fundamental function (which, in the case of modulations, will shift to other notes/chords). As we shall see, the advent of atonality, in addition to the emancipation of dissonances, has precisely eliminated the “attractive” role of the tonic, leading to a musicality that possesses no “privileged” note to which one tends to refer continuously.

The roots of atonality: breaking free from traditional harmony

Before we dive into the world of atonality and seriality, it is essential to understand their origins and how they broke free from the shackles of traditional harmony. Traditional Western music, for centuries, has been built on the foundation of tonality, where a piece of music revolves around a central key or tonal center. However, composers began questioning and challenging these established norms in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

One of the key figures in this movement was Arnold Schoenberg, an Austrian composer often considered the father of atonality. Schoenberg believed tonality had reached its limits and sought to explore new possibilities beyond traditional harmonic structures. His groundbreaking compositions, such as “Pierrot Lunaire” and “Five Pieces for Orchestra,” significantly departed from tonal music.

Atonality can be described as the absence or abandonment of a tonal center, transitioning from the diatonic scale to the chromatic scale (containing all twelve sounds). Atonal music has no hierarchy among pitches, and dissonance plays a prominent role. This departure from traditional harmony allowed composers to experiment with new sounds and textures, expanding the boundaries of musical expression.

Atonality vs. serialism: divergent paths in modern music

Although atonality paved the way for new musical possibilities, it eventually gave rise to another revolutionary technique known as serialism. Serialism can be seen as an extension or evolution of atonality. He introduced a systematic approach to composition by organizing all twelve pitches of the chromatic scale into a series or row.

The use of this series or line became the basis for the creation of melodies, harmonies, and rhythms in serialist compositions. Composers such as Anton Webern and Pierre Boulez further developed this technique through their works, exploring intricate mathematical relationships and complex musical structures.

Although atonality and serialism share some similarities, they also diverge in their approaches. Atonality focuses on the absence of tonal centers and the exploration of dissonance, while serialism embraces a more structured and organized approach to composition.

The rise of atonal composers: Schoenberg and the second Viennese school

As mentioned earlier, Arnold Schoenberg (“Schönberg,” with the German alphabet) played a crucial role in developing atonality. He was part of a group of composers known as the Second Viennese School, which included Alban Berg and Anton Webern. Together, they sought to expand the boundaries of traditional tonality and explore new avenues for musical expression.

Schoenberg’s innovative techniques influenced his contemporaries and laid the foundation for future composers. His twelve-tone technique, which forms the basis of serialism, significantly influenced composers such as Igor Stravinsky and Milton Babbitt.

A noteworthy work from this period is Schoenberg’s “Pierrot Lunaire,” a melodrama that combines spoken words (based on a pitch-variation technique, it is not actual singing- called “Sprechgesang“) with instrumental accompaniment. This piece showcases Schoenberg’s mastery of atonal expression and his ability to evoke intense emotions through dissonant harmonies.

Serialism unveiled: from Webern to Boulez.

The baton passed from Schoenberg to his disciple Anton Webern, who further developed serialist techniques in his compositions. Webern’s music is characterized by brevity, economy of material, and meticulous attention to detail. His compositions often feature intricate contrapuntal textures and precise control over tone organization.

Pierre Boulez emerged as one of the leading figures of serialist composition in the mid-20th century. His compositions, such as “Le Marteau sans Maître” and “Pli selon pli,” show his mastery of complex musical structures and ability to create intricate soundscapes.

Serialism brought a new level of rigor and mathematical precision to composition. Composers began to explore the organization of pitch and other musical parameters such as rhythm, dynamics, and timbre within the serialist structure.

The influence of atonality on contemporary musical genres

The impact of atonality extends beyond the realm of classical music. His influence can be heard in various contemporary music genres, including jazz, rock, and electronic music. The dissonant harmonies and unconventional chord progressions in atonal music have inspired countless musicians to explore new sonic territories.

In jazz, musicians such as Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane incorporated elements of atonality into their improvisations, pushing the boundaries of traditional jazz harmony. In rock music, groups such as Radiohead have embraced dissonance and unconventional song structures influenced by atonal composition techniques.

Electronic music genres such as experimental ambient and glitch also draw inspiration from atonality. The use of dissonant textures, unconventional scales, and abstract soundscapes creates a sense of the otherworldly that resonates with listeners seeking unique auditory experiences.

Impact of serialism on compositional techniques and structures

Serialism revolutionized the way composers approached composition. By organizing all twelve pitches in a series or row, composers gained a new level of control over the relationships of pitches within their compositions.

This systematic approach allowed complex manipulations of pitch sequences, creating complex melodic patterns that were not bound by traditional tonal constraints. Serial composers explored various techniques such as inversion (reversing the order of pitches), retrograde (playing the series backward), and transposition (moving the series up or down in pitch).

Serialism also influenced other aspects of composition, such as rhythm and form. Composers began to apply serialist principles to these musical parameters, creating intricate rhythmic patterns and structuring their compositions based on mathematical relationships derived from the series (some of which can be downright brain-dead!).

Criticism and controversy on atonality and serialism

Despite their innovative nature, atonality and serialism have not been without criticism and controversy. Traditionalists argue that these techniques have abandoned the emotional depth and accessibility of tonal music, alienating audiences with their dissonant sounds.

Others criticize the perceived complexity of atonal and serialist compositions, arguing that they are too intellectualized and lack a visceral connection with listeners. However, proponents argue that these techniques offer new artistic expression avenues, challenging composers and audiences to expand their musical horizons.

Indeed, there are both positive and negative aspects. The catchiness of music has always been one of the aesthetic factors favored by most listeners. “Extreme” serialism undermines these foundations, creating the need for much more careful and sometimes strenuous listening. For this reason, after riding the wave of enthusiasm, many post-Schoenberg composers realized that their music was drifting dangerously.

As often happens in such cases, an excess of “zeal” can turn the most brilliant initiatives into pedantic and even unpleasant productions. Fortunately, after a period of great emphasis, the excesses have been tamed, and contemporary music has returned to refer to atonality more gloomily, not disdaining tonal passages enriched by appropriately chosen chromaticism and dissonant chords.

Atonality and serialism in soundtracks: redefining soundtracks

The influence of atonality and serialism extends beyond classical music to movie soundtracks. Composers such as Bernard Herrmann, known for his collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock, incorporated elements of atonality into their scores to create tension and increase emotional impact.

Serialist techniques have also found their way into film composition. Composers like Krzysztof Penderecki have used serialist principles to create eerie, dissonant soundscapes in films such as “The Shining” or “The Exorcist.” In contrast, György Ligeti’s “Recollected Music” created a tense atmosphere in “Eyes Wide Shut.” These unconventional approaches to the soundtrack have redefined the possibilities of musical expression in cinema.

The legacy of atonality and seriality: shaping the future of music

The legacy of atonality and seriality can be seen in the continuous exploration of new musical techniques and structures. Composers today continue to push the boundaries of traditional tonality, incorporating elements of atonality and serialism into their works.

Contemporary composers such as György Ligeti, Karlheinz Stockhausen, and Steve Reich built on the foundations laid by Schoenberg, Webern, and Boulez. Their innovative compositions show musical expression’s continuous evolution, embracing tradition and experimentation.

Looking ahead, it is clear that atonality and serialism have left an indelible mark on the landscape of modern music. These techniques have challenged conventions, expanded artistic possibilities, and redefined our understanding of what music can be. The symphony of atonality and seriality continues to inspire composers and fascinate audiences worldwide, ensuring the spirit of innovation in music will never cease.

Reference texts

Theory of Harmony

• A new critical foreword by Walter Frisch, H
• Harold Gumm/Harry and Albert von Tilzer Professor of Music at Columbia University, expands this centennial edition
• Frisch puts Schoenberg's masterpiece into historical and ideological context, delineating the connections between music, theory, art, science, and architecture in turn-of-the century Austro-German culture
• Leggi di più

59,73 EUR

Buy on Amazon

Sale

Fundamentals of Musical Composition

• Fundamentals of Musical Composition represents the culmination of more than forty years in Schoenberg's life devoted to the teaching of musical principles to students and composers in Europe and America
• For his classes he developed a manner of presentation in which 'every technical matter is discussed in a very fundamental way, so that at the same time it is both simple and thorough'
• This book can be used for analysis as well as for composition
• On the one hand, it has the practical objective of introducing students to the process of composing in a systematic way, from the smallest to the largest forms; on the other hand, the author analyses in thorough detail and with numerous illustrations those particular sections in the works of the masters which relate to the compositional problem under discussion
• Leggi di più

20,18 EUR

Buy on Amazon

The Structure of Atonal Music

• “For some years now, a group of American composers and theorists including Babbitt, Teitelbaum, Martino, and Lewin, have been elaborating mathematically based procedures for the analysis of pitch structures in atonal music
•   In this book, Allen Forte expands the results of their work into a comprehensive theoretical survey illustrated with examples from a wide range of composers
• ”—Times Higher Education Supplement“An attempt to ‘provide a general theoretical framework’ for the description and analysis of musical pitch-structures that resist interpretation in terms of conventional tonal or 12-note serial systems…
• Not the least achievement of this book may be to establish the limits for a positive meaning for atonality…
• Forte always moves forward with elegant clarity, explaining even quite conventional terms and illustrating his points with directness and care

30,00 EUR

Buy on Amazon

Schoenberg's Atonal Music: Musical Idea, Basic Image, and Specters of Tonal Function (Music since 1900) (English Edition)

• Award-winning author Jack Boss returns with the 'prequel' to Schoenberg's Twelve-Tone Music (Cambridge, 2014) demonstrating that the term 'atonal' is meaningful in describing Schoenberg's music from 1908 to 1921
• This book shows how Schoenberg's atonal music can be understood in terms of successions of pitch and rhythmic motives and pitch-class sets that flesh out the large frameworks of 'musical idea' and 'basic image'
• It also explains how tonality, after losing its structural role in Schoenberg's music after 1908, begins to re-appear not long after as an occasional expressive device
• Like its predecessor, Schoenberg's Atonal Music contains close readings of representative works, including the Op
• 11 and Op

33,68 EUR

Buy on Amazon

Twentieth-Century Music Theory and Practice (English Edition)

• Twentieth-Century Music Theory and Practice introduces a number of tools for analyzing a wide range of twentieth-century musical styles and genres
• It includes discussions of harmony, scales, rhythm, contour, post-tonal music, set theory, the twelve-tone method, and modernism
• Recent developments involving atonal voice leading, K-nets, nonlinearity, and neo-Reimannian transformations are also engaged
• While many of the theoretical tools for analyzing twentieth century music have been devised to analyze atonal music, they may also provide insight into a much broader array of styles
• This text capitalizes on this idea by using the theoretical devices associated with atonality to explore music inclusive of a large number of schools and contains examples by such stylistically diverse composers as Paul Hindemith, George Crumb, Ellen Taffe Zwilich, Steve Reich, Michael Torke, Philip Glass, Alexander Scriabin, Ernest Bloch, Igor Stravinsky, Béla Bartók, Sergei Prokofiev, Arnold Schoenberg, Claude Debussy, György Ligeti, and Leonard Bernstein

75,84 EUR

Buy on Amazon

If you like this post, you can always donate to support my activity! One coffee is enough! And don’t forget to subscribe to my weekly newsletter!

Last update on 2024-07-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Share this post on: