Atonalism, Dodecafonism, Serialism
From DIMA
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- DODECAPHONIC MUSIC
Dodecaphony is a composition technique based on the free use of all the 12 notes of the chromatic scale, employed in the 20th century by the Second Viennese School. The theoretician of this movement is Arnold Schoenberg and the first use of the 12 notes set was in the work Five pieces for piano (1923).
- SERIAL MUSIC
The excessive chromatization of the Romantic language, especially with Wagner (in the opera Tristan and Isolde), forced the limits of tonality and created the possibility of a rigorous organisation of the 12 sounds called the dodecaphonic Serialism. The Second Viennese School (Schönberg, Webern and Berg) decided the organization of the 12 sounds following strict rules according to the principle of non-repeatability and the annulment of the tonal gravitation. Schoenberg applied this system in the last work (Walse) of the Five pieces for piano op. 23 (1923). The serial technique proposes a series of 12 notes (non-repeatable until all the notes of the series have been sounded), with 12 transpositions applied to four basic aspects: prime, retrograde, inversion and retrograde-inversion. Webern will create with the help of serialization a concentrated, punctualist style, and a melody of the timbres (Klangfarbenmelodie, used in op. 6 - 1909).
The continuators of the Viennese School, Nono, Berio, Stockhausen, Boulez, influenced also by the ideas of Messiaen, are considered to be serialists. Messiaen proposed an organisation on modal grounds, thus emerging the modal Serialism, employed also nowadays in the works of contemporary composers. The principle as taken from dodecaphony, and the horizontal serialization, will be followed by the vertical, rhythmical one, timbral, of attack, going up to the integral serialization. The music of the neo-serialists, or of the post-serialists, as they are also referred to, treated more freely, musically, the score, reaching aleatorism, or the enrichment of the content with the historical modes and the ones of folk origin, as in the case of present day Romanian composers.
ARNOLD SCHOENBERG
A self-taught musician, Schoenberg studied counterpoint technique only for a few months with A. V. Zemlinsky. He left for Berlin in 1901, where de conducted the orchestra of a cabaret theatre, and orchestrated operettas. He afterwards taught at the Stern Conservatorium, and at the recommendation of R. Strauss won the Liszt Award of the German Society.
Schoenberg returned to Vienna in 1903, where he composed and conducted orchestras for eight years. He left for Berlin in 1911 and after completing his military service (1915-1917) returned again to Vienna. There he established the Society for Private Musical Performances (Verein für mus. Privataufführungen), where he will experiment a new style of interpretation. His fist period of creation is a tonal one (1897-1907), composing in the patterns of Brahms, Wagner (Kammersymphonie op. 9 and the Quartett nr. 2 op. 10); the second period, atonal (1908-1909), with the first atonal piece - Drei Klavierstucke op. 11 (1909); the third period is the dodecaphonic one (1921-1951) - Fünf Klavierstücke op. 23 and Serenade op. 24.
ANTON VON WEBERN
Born in Vienna, on 3 December 1883
Died in Mittersill, on 25 September 1945, (61 years old)
ALBAN BERG
Born in Viena, on 9 February 1885
Died in Viena, on 24 December 1935, (50 years old)
OLIVER MESSIAEN
Born in Avignon, on 10 December 1908
Died at Clichy, Haut-de-Seine, on 27 April 1992, (84 years old)
His works were influence by faith and are noticed by the originality of the complex rhythmicality (he was interested in ancient Greek rhythm, but also the Hindu ones), and his melodics, based on the modes with limited transposition, his own invention. On the harmonic level, he experimented synaesthesia, the perception in colours of the different chords and applied them to his works. He extended the parameterization of the musical language, up to the integral Serialism. The exotic side of his music has its origins in the Indonesian gamelan, the interest for percussion instruments enriching the novel timbre of Martenot Waves. Messiaen was also an ornithologist and a great admirer of the birdsongs; he recorded and afterwards transcribed the birdsongs and included them in his works.
PIERRE BOULEZ
Born at Montbrison, France, on 26 March 1925
Boulez became the follower of integral serialism. At Honegger’s recommendation he was appointed musical director at the new Compagnie Renaud-Barrault in 1946. In 1954 he founded Domaine Musicale, a series of concerts and from 1955 was Lecturer at Internationale Ferienkurse für Neue Musik in Darmstadt. In 1963 le taught at Harvard University and conducting classes at Basel. In parallel he continued writing pieces and his conducting career, as in 1967 he was invited as conductor at Cleveland Orchestra, and from 1971, musical director at BBC Symphony and New York Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1974 was appointed head of the Institute for Research and Coordination Acoustic/Music in Paris, (Institut de la Recherche et de Coordination Acoustique/Musique), which will allow him to experiment further the serial technique and electronic music.