Claudia Acuna

Unit Summary – Module 6

The Twentieth Century

15 points

Please complete each question as thoroughly as possible and submit to your professor by the due date.

This summary will function as a one of the study guides for the final exam; it is very important that the information is complete and correct.

1. What are the sources of inspiration for 20th century music? (.7 point)

Composers of the 20th century drew inspiration from an enormous variety of sources, including folk and popular music; music of Asia, Africa, and Latin America; and European art music from the Middle Ages through the 19th century. Many composers reacted to the influences of Post-Romantic and Impressionist styles and wrote works from it.

2. Name and describe the characteristics of twentieth-century music before 1945; for full credit include information on tone color, harmony, alternatives to the traditional tonal system, rhythm, and melody. (2 points)

Tone color became a crucial element creating variety, continuity, and mood. New sounds on old instruments and uncommon playing techniques became the norm. Percussion instruments became prominent and numerous, reflecting the interest in unusual rhythms and tone colors. Harmony brought changes to in the way chords were treated. The traditional relationship between consonance and dissonance was challenged. New chord structures were created such as the polychord, the fourth chord, and the tone cluster. Alternatives to the traditional tonal system, known as tonality or key, governed the organization of pitch. Use of scales other than major and minor and chords other than triad were used as the central tone. Rhythm drew it new ideas from jazz, folk music from all over the world, and older European art music from the Middle Ages through the 19th century. Rapidly changing meters the use