Folk MusicFolk MusicFolk MusicFolk Music

Folk Heroes• Tradition of “nationalism”

continued from the Romantic period

• New & traditional techniques were combined in individual styles that were influenced by music of their native lands

Folk Heroes 2• Bartok

– Hungarian; – worked as an ethnomusicologist,

pianist, & composer; – updated the “string quartet” for the

20th century

Folk Heroes 3• Ives

– “first truly original American musical genius”;

– was a wealthy insurance salesman; – wrote music as a hobby; – had few performances during his

lifetime

Folk Heroes 4• Copland

– wrote in an “American” style; – incorporated jazz rhythms in symphonic

works; – ballets are “programmatic” of American

scenes; – quoted American folk melodies; – used open harmonies to evoke wide-open

spaces

Bridge Builders• George Gershwin (1898-1937)

– successful “tin-pan alley” songwriter; – wrote concert music that was heavily

influenced by popular music of the 20s and 30s;

– his songs have become “standards”; – did not feel “respected” by the music

world;

Bridge Builders• Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)

– Best-known from the 20th century– Very “flamboyant”– Wrote movie scores; had a huge

Broadway hit West Side Story– Wrote a mass, 3 symphonies, 2

operas, etc.– Music is deceptively simple

Experimentalism• After World War II, the definition of

“music” was stretched in varied directions

• Boulez – intellectual approach was total

serialism; – placed all elements of music in a highly

controlled structure

Experimentalism 2• Penderecki

– Gave performers & conductors a vague set of instructions rather than actual pitches & rhythms

– Gives traditional instruments a “fresh” sound

– Elements of improvisation & chance

Experimentalism• Cage

– One of the leading avant-garde composers

– Invented the idea of the “prepared piano”

– Used chance to design compositions– Even wrote a piece for 12 radios

Fusion/Inclusion• 20th century has seen the

utilization of all that has developed in music

• Several styles & music periods are represented in single compositions

• Anything can be “acceptable”